INTERCOOLED COOLING AIR

• US 20190323789A1
• Filed: 07/03/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Suciu, Gabriel L., Chandler, Jesse M., Staubach, Joseph Brent, Merry, Brian D.
• Application Number:
  US16/502,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20190323789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/185 Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/211 by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/213 by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/4031 as in toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine comprises a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream discharge, and more upstream locations. A turbine section has a high pressure turbine. A tap taps air from at least one of the more upstream locations in the compressor section, passes the tapped air through a heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor. The cooling compressor compresses air downstream of the heat exchanger, and delivers air into the high pressure turbine. An intercooling system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine comprising;

a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream discharge, and more upstream locations;

a turbine section having a high pressure turbine;

a tap tapping air from at least one of said more upstream locations in said compressor section, passing said tapped air through a heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor, said cooling compressor compressing air downstream of said heat exchanger, and delivering air into said high pressure turbine; and

said turbine section further having a fan drive turbine, said fan drive turbine driving a main fan through a main fan gear reduction, said main fan delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass air and into said main compressor section, a bypass ratio being defined as a volume of air delivered into said bypass duct divided by a volume of air delivered into said main compressor section, and said bypass ratio being greater than or equal to 10.0, a gear ratio of said main fan gear reduction being greater than or equal to 2.3, a low fan pressure ratio across said main fan being less than or equal to 1.45, and said main fan having an actual fan tip speed in feet/second that is less than or equal to 1150 feet/second.

2. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger positioned within said bypass duct to be cooled by bypass air.

3. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cooling compressor includes a centrifugal compressor impeller.

4. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein air temperatures at said downstream most location of said high pressure compressor are greater than or equal to 1350°

F.

5. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said turbine section driving a tower shaft, said tower shaft further driving an impeller of said cooling compressor.

6. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tower shaft also driving an accessory gearbox.

7. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 6, wherein a compressor gear reduction is included such that a gear reduction is included said impeller rotates at a slower speed than said tower shaft.

8. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said impeller is a centrifugal compressor impeller.

9. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said impeller rotates at a slower speed than said tower shaft.

10. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said impeller is a centrifugal compressor impeller.

11. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 5, wherein an auxiliary fan is positioned upstream of the heat exchanger.

12. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said auxiliary fan operates at a variable speed.

13. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein an auxiliary fan is positioned upstream of the heat exchanger.

14. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 13, wherein said auxiliary fan operates at a variable speed.

15. A gas turbine engine comprising;

a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream discharge, and more upstream locations;

a turbine section having a high pressure turbine;

a tap tapping air from at least one of said more upstream locations in said compressor section, passing said tapped air through a heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor, said cooling compressor compressing air downstream of said heat exchanger, and delivering air into said high pressure turbine;

said turbine section further having a fan drive turbine, said fan drive turbine driving a main fan through a main fan gear reduction, said main fan delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass air and into said main compressor section, a bypass ratio being defined as a volume of air delivered into said bypass duct divided by a volume of air delivered into said main compressor section, and said bypass ratio being greater than or equal to 10.0, a gear ratio of said main fan gear reduction being greater than or equal to 2.3, a low fan pressure ratio across said main fan being less than or equal to 1.45, and said main fan having an actual fan tip speed in feet/second that is less than or equal to 1150 feet/second;

wherein said heat exchanger positioned within said bypass duct to be cooled by bypass air;

wherein said turbine section driving a tower shaft, said tower shaft further driving an impeller of said cooling compressor; and

wherein said tower shaft also driving an accessory gearbox.

16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein said cooling compressor includes a centrifugal compressor impeller.

17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein air temperatures at said downstream most location of said high pressure compressor are greater than or equal to 1350°

F.

18. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein a compressor gear reduction is included such that a gear reduction is included said impeller rotates at a slower speed than said tower shaft.

19. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein an auxiliary fan is positioned upstream of the heat exchanger.

20. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said auxiliary fan operates at a variable speed.