AIRCRAFT ENGINE WITH A FUEL SUPPLY APPLIANCE AND WITH AT LEAST ONE HYDRAULIC FLUID CIRCUIT THAT COMPRISES A HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR AND WITH A HEAT EXCHANGER

• US 20170029132A1
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Limited & Company KG (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Limited & Company KG (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: SCHACHT, Michael, BEIER, Juergen
• Application Number:
  US15/220,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20170029132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/32 Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions extinguishing or preventing fires in aircraft A62C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/34 Conditioning fuel, e.g. heating during filling B64D37/18
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/20 using lubrication pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/224 Heating fuel before feeding to the burner
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/213 by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0021 for aircrafts or cosmonautics air-treatment for aircraft B64D13/00, temperature control of cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/50
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0026 for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines engine cooling systems F28D2021/004
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/00 Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall F28F3/083, F28F3/086 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/084 from aluminium or aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft engine with a fuel supply appliance and with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit that includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir, and with a heat exchanger. In the area of the heat exchanger, thermal energy can be exchanged between the hydraulic fluid conducted inside the hydraulic fluid circuit and the fuel of the fuel supply appliance. The pressure inside the hydraulic fluid circuit is higher in the area of the heat exchanger than the pressure in the fuel supply appliance. The heat exchanger is connected to the hydraulic fluid reservoir. Outer walls of the heat exchanger and outer walls of the hydraulic fluid reservoir at least partially shield an overlap area between the heat exchanger and the hydraulic fluid reservoir against an environment of the heat exchanger and of the hydraulic fluid reservoir.

Claims

1. An aircraft engine with a fuel supply appliance and with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit that comprises a hydraulic fluid reservoir and with a heat exchanger, in the area of which thermal energy can be exchanged between the hydraulic fluid that is conducted inside the hydraulic fluid circuit and the fuel of the fuel supply appliance, wherein the pressure inside the hydraulic fluid circuit is higher in the area of the heat exchanger than the pressure inside the fuel supply appliance, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to the hydraulic fluid reservoir, wherein outer walls of the heat exchanger and outer walls of the hydraulic fluid reservoir at least partially shield an overlap area between the heat exchanger and the hydraulic fluid reservoir against an environment of the heat exchanger and of the hydraulic fluid reservoir.

2. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the hydraulic fluid reservoir and of the heat exchanger are respectively embodied in a fire-resistant manner.

3. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein an interior space of the hydraulic reservoir is separated from the interior space of the heat exchanger by a common wall.

4. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to the hydraulic fluid reservoir via a flange appliance.

5. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic fluid circuit has a hydraulic pump, with its suction side being connected at least to the hydraulic fluid reservoir and its conveyor side being connected to the heat exchanger.

6. The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein the hydraulic fluid that can be supplied to the heat exchanger by the hydraulic pump can be conducted on from the heat exchanger in the direction of bearing chambers of the aircraft engine.

7. The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein the suction side of the hydraulic pump is connected to an oil sump of an auxiliary device gear unit.

8. The aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary device gear unit can be impinged by hydraulic fluid via the hydraulic pump, starting from the heat exchanger.

9. The aircraft engine according to claim 6, wherein the suction side of the hydraulic pump is connected to the bearing chambers of the aircraft engine.

10. The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein the conveyor side of the hydraulic pump is coupled to the hydraulic fluid reservoir.

11. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein a further hydraulic fluid circuit with a further hydraulic fluid reservoir is provided, wherein a suction side of a hydraulic pump of the further hydraulic fluid circuit is connected to a further hydraulic fluid reservoir and a conveyor side of the hydraulic pump is connected to the heat exchanger.

12. The aircraft engine according to claim 11, wherein the conveyor side of the hydraulic pump of the further hydraulic fluid circuit is connected via the heat exchanger to a generator of the aircraft engine, which in turn is coupled to the suction side of the hydraulic pump and to the further hydraulic fluid reservoir.

13. The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel supply appliance comprises a fuel pump unit, via which fuel can be conducted from the fuel storage through the heat exchanger.

14. The aircraft engine according to claim 13, wherein fuel can be conducted by the fuel pump unit from the heat exchanger in the direction of the fuel storage and in the direction of a fuel processing unit, and from there also in the direction of an aircraft engine combustion chamber.

15. The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein at least one hydraulic fluid conduit that extends between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic fluid reservoir is integrated in the heat exchanger that represents a lid of the hydraulic fluid reservoir.