GAS TURBINE ENGINE WITH HEAT PIPE SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a rotor section proximate to a combustor section, wherein the rotor section is subject to bowing effects due to thermal differences and heat transfer at engine shutdown; and
a heat pipe system comprising one or more heat pipes installed between an upper portion of the rotor section and a lower portion of the rotor section, the heat pipe system operable to accept heat at a hot side of the heat pipe system at the upper portion, flow heat from the hot side to a cold side of the heat pipe system, and reject heat from the cold side of the heat pipe system at the lower portion to reduce a thermal differential between the upper portion and the lower portion at engine shutdown.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gas turbine engine includes a rotor section proximate to a combustor section, where the rotor section is subject to bowing effects due to thermal differences and heat transfer at engine shutdown. The gas turbine engine also includes a heat pipe system. The heat pipe system includes one or more heat pipes installed between an upper portion of the rotor section and a lower portion of the rotor section. The heat pipe system is operable to accept heat at a hot side of the heat pipe system at the upper portion, flow heat from the hot side to a cold side of the heat pipe system, and reject heat from the cold side of the heat pipe system at the lower portion to reduce a thermal differential between the upper portion and the lower portion at engine shutdown.
67 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
-
a rotor section proximate to a combustor section, wherein the rotor section is subject to bowing effects due to thermal differences and heat transfer at engine shutdown; and a heat pipe system comprising one or more heat pipes installed between an upper portion of the rotor section and a lower portion of the rotor section, the heat pipe system operable to accept heat at a hot side of the heat pipe system at the upper portion, flow heat from the hot side to a cold side of the heat pipe system, and reject heat from the cold side of the heat pipe system at the lower portion to reduce a thermal differential between the upper portion and the lower portion at engine shutdown. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for bowed rotor avoidance in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
-
accepting heat at a hot side of a heat pipe system at an upper portion of a rotor section of a gas turbine engine, the rotor section subject to bowing effects due to thermal differences at engine shutdown, wherein the heat pipe system comprises one or more heat pipes; flowing heat from the hot side of the heat pipe system to a cold side of the heat pipe system; and rejecting heat from the cold side of the heat pipe system at a lower portion of the rotor section of the gas turbine engine to reduce a thermal differential and heat transfer between the upper portion and the lower portion at engine shutdown. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification