HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TURBINE ENGINE USING HEAT PIPES

• US 20080053100A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stephenson, Justin P., Moniz, Thomas Ory, Venkataramani, Kattalaicheri Srinivasan, Balley, William Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/772
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/047 Heating to prevent icing
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/208 using heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A heat transfer system is provided for a turbine engine of the type including an annular inlet cowling. The heat transfer system includes at least one heat pipe disposed in contact with an interior of the casing. The heat pipe is thermally coupled to a heat source, such that heat from the heat source can be transferred through the heat pipe and into the inlet cowling.

Claims

1. A heat transfer system for a turbine engine including an inlet cowling, the heat transfer system comprising:

at least one heat pipe having at least a section thereof disposed in contact with an interior of the inlet cowling, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to a heat source, such that heat from the heat source can be transferred through the heat pipe to the inlet cowling.

2. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one section of the at least one heat pipe is generally U-shaped.

3. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein:

the inlet cowling has a generally U-shaped cross-section; and

the at least one heat pipe includes a generally U-shaped forward section disposed within the inlet cowling, a generally axially-extending aft section, and a transition section interconnecting the forward section and the aft section.

4. The heat transfer system of claim 3 wherein the transition section extends at least partially in a circumferential direction.

5. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein at least an end portion of the at least one heat pipe is disposed inside a hollow interior of a heat exchanger adapted to receive a flow of heated fluid therethrough.

6. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of heat pipes are disposed in contact with the interior of the inlet cowling, and each of the heat pipes are thermally coupled to the heat source.

7. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat pipe includes:

a first end connected to a heat exchanger adapted to receive a flow of heated fluid therethrough;

an uninsulated portion disposed at a distal end of the heat pipe; and

an insulated portion disposed between the first end and the uninsulated portion.

8. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat pipe includes an elongated outer wall with closed ends defining a cavity that contains a working fluid.

9. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer system facilitates at least one of preventing ice formation on the inlet cowling and removing ice which has formed on the inlet cowling.

10. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat source is engine oil from the turbine engine, and the heat transfer system facilitates maintaining the engine oil at an acceptable working temperature.

11. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein said at least one heat pipe has a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

12. The heat transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat pipe is a compound heat pipe including a front heat pipe and a rear heat pipe thermally coupled to each other by a coupler of thermally conductive material which surrounds at least a portion of the front and rear heat pipes.

13. The heat transfer system of claim 12 wherein the front and rear heat pipes are maintained in physical contact with each other by the coupler.

14. The heat transfer system of claim 13 wherein a space defined within the coupler and between the front and rear heat pipes is occupied by a filler of a thermally conductive material.

15. The heat transfer system of claim 13 wherein portions of the primary and secondary heat pipes within the coupler have mutually complementary, non-circular shapes and are disposed in substantial conforming contact with each other.

16. A gas turbine engine including:

an inlet cowling;

a plurality of heat pipes, at least a section of each heat pipe being disposed against an interior surface of the inlet cowling; and

a heat source thermally coupled to the heat pipes such that heat from the heat source can be transferred through the heat pipes to the inlet cowling.

17. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein the at least one section of each of the heat pipes is generally U-shaped.

18. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein each heat pipe includes a generally U-shaped forward section disposed within the inlet cowling, a generally axially-extending aft section, and a transition section interconnecting the forward section and the aft section.

19. The heat transfer system of claim 18 wherein the transition section extends at least partially in a circumferential direction.

20. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein at least an end portion of the at least one heat pipe is disposed inside a hollow interior of a heat exchanger carried by a fan casing disposed aft of the inlet cowling and adapted to receive a flow of heated fluid therethrough.

21. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein each heat pipe includes:

a first end connected to a heat exchanger;

an uninsulated portion disposed at a distal end of the heat pipe; and

an insulated portion disposed between the first end and the uninsulated portion.

22. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein at least one portion of each heat pipe is disposed inside a hollow interior of a heat exchanger adapted to receive a flow of heated fluid therethrough.

23. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 wherein each heat pipe includes an elongated outer wall with closed ends defining a cavity that contains a working fluid.

24. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 wherein the heat pipes facilitate at least one of preventing ice formation on the inlet cowling and removing ice which has formed on the inlet cowling.

25. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 wherein the heat source is engine oil from the turbine engine, and the heat pipes facilitate maintaining the engine oil at an acceptable working temperature.

26. The heat transfer system of claim 16 wherein each of the heat pipes is a compound heat pipe including:

a front heat pipe carried by the inlet cowling; and

a rear heat pipe carried by a fan casing disposed aft of the inlet cowling;

The front and rear heat pipes thermally coupled to each other by a coupler of thermally conductive material which surrounds at least a portion of the front and rear heat pipes.

27. The heat transfer system of claim 26 wherein the front and rear heat pipes are maintained in physical contact with each other by the coupler.

28. The heat transfer system of claim 27 wherein a space defined within the coupler and between the front and rear heat pipes is occupied by a filler of a thermally conductive material.

29. The heat transfer system of claim 27 wherein portions of the primary and secondary heat pipes within the coupler have mutually complementary, non-circular shapes and are disposed in substantial conforming contact with each other.

30. A method for transferring heat in a turbine engine having an inlet cowling, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of heat pipes, at least a portion of each heat pipe being disposed against an interior surface of the inlet cowling;

thermally coupling the heat pipes to a heat source; and

receiving heat from the heat source in the heat pipes and transferring the heat to the inlet cowling.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein sufficient heat is transferred to the inlet cowling so as to achieve at least one of preventing ice formation on the inlet cowling and removing ice which has formed on the inlet cowling.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the heat source is engine oil from the turbine engine, and sufficient heat is removed from the engine oil to maintain the cooling oil at an acceptable working temperature.