System and method for managing thermal issues in gas turbine engines

• US 9,014,791 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Held, Timothy James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, William H
• Application Number:
  US13/264,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20120067055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.81, 60/391.82, 607/82, 607/85, 607/83
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/06 using reheated exhaust gas F02C1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/34 with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/12 Cooling of plants of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/16 characterised by cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/224 Heating fuel before feeding to the burner
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/115 by means of indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a system that enables one to address various thermal management issues in advanced gas turbine engines. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method to extract heat from an air stream, utilize a significant fraction for on-board power generation, and reject a small quantity of heat to the fuel stream safely at, for example, a lower temperature. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method to extract heat from an air stream, utilize a significant fraction for on-board power generation, and reject a small quantity of heat to the fuel stream safely at, for example, a lower temperature with no potential air/fuel contact is disclosed.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and a working fluid contained in the working fluid circuit;

a heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit and in thermal communication with at least one gas turbine engine, the at least one gas turbine engine acting as a heat source connected to the working fluid circuit, whereby thermal energy is transferred from the heat source to the working fluid in the working fluid circuit;

an expander in the working fluid circuit and located between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a recuperative heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit operative to transfer thermal energy between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit;

a low pressure heat exchanger operative to transfer thermal energy between the low pressure side and a fuel supply for the at least one gas turbine engine; and

a pump in the working fluid circuit and connected to the low pressure side and to the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to move the working fluid through the working fluid circuit.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises one or more cores having one or more printed circuit heat exchange panels.

3. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the expander comprises a turbine.

4. The thermal management system of claim 3, further comprising a power generator coupled to the expander.

5. The thermal management system of claim 4, wherein the power generator is selected from a low speed generator, a high speed generator, air compressor, or a hydraulic pump.

6. The thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a power generator coupled to the expander.

7. The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the power generator is selected from a low speed generator, a high speed generator, air compressor, or a hydraulic pump.

8. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the working fluid from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit is used as coolant for the expander.

9. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is in a supercritical state.

10. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is selected from carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen, argon or ammonia.

11. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide.

12. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide in a supercritical state in at least a portion of the working fluid circuit.

13. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide in a subcritical state and a supercritical state in different portions of the working fluid circuit.

14. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is ammonia.

15. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is ammonia in a supercritical state in the working fluid circuit.

16. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the working fluid is ammonia in a subcritical state and a supercritical state in the working fluid circuit.

17. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the recuperative heat exchanger comprises one or more cores having one or more printed circuit heat exchange panels.

18. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one gas turbine engine is an airplane gas turbine engine.

19. A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and a working fluid contained in the working fluid circuit;

a heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit and in thermal communication with at least one gas turbine engine, the at least one gas turbine engine acting as a heat source connected to the working fluid circuit, whereby thermal energy is transferred from the heat source to the working fluid in the working fluid circuit;

an expander in the working fluid circuit and located between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a low pressure heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit operative to transfer thermal energy between the low pressure side and a fuel supply for the at least one gas turbine engine;

a pump in the working fluid circuit and connected to the low pressure side and to the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to move the working fluid through the working fluid circuit; and

a high pressure heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit operative to transfer thermal energy between the high pressure side and a lubricating system for the at least one gas turbine engine.

20. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the heat exchanger comprises one or more cores having one or more printed circuit heat exchange panels.

21. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the expander comprises a turbine.

22. The thermal management system of claim 19, further comprising a power generator coupled to the expander.

23. The thermal management system of claim 22, wherein the power generator is selected from a low speed generator, a high speed generator, air compressor, or a hydraulic pump.

24. The thermal management system of claim 19, further comprising a power generator coupled to the expander.

25. The thermal management system of claim 24, wherein the power generator is selected from a low speed generator, a high speed generator, air compressor, or a hydraulic pump.

26. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein a portion of the working fluid from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit is used as coolant for the expander.

27. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the working fluid is in a supercritical state.

28. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the working fluid is selected from carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen, argon or ammonia.

29. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide.

30. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide in a supercritical state in at least a portion of the working fluid circuit.

31. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide in a subcritical state and a supercritical state in different portions of the working fluid circuit.

32. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is ammonia.

33. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is ammonia in a supercritical state in the working fluid circuit.

34. The thermal management system of claim 28, wherein the working fluid is ammonia in a subcritical state and a supercritical state in the working fluid circuit.

35. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the low pressure heat exchanger comprises one or more cores having one or more printed circuit heat exchange panels.

36. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the high pressure heat exchanger comprises one or more cores having one or more printed circuit heat exchange panels.

37. The thermal management system of claim 19, wherein the at least one gas turbine engine is an airplane gas turbine engine.