Gas turbine engine heat exchanger fins with periodic gaps

• US 9,051,943 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Elder, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US12/939,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20120114468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 415/144, 415/145, 415175-178, 415159-162, 184/104.1, 60/26, 607/82, 607/85, 60/390.8, 602/261.6, 602/66, 602/261, 165/80.3, 165/109.1, 165/185
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/141 of working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/143 before or between the compressor stages
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/115 by means of indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5826 Cooling at least part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/584 cooling or heating the machine F04D29/5846, F04D29/5853 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5853 heat insulation or conduction
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/22141 using fins or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/98 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine is provided by a structure including an enclosed fluid cavity. The structure has opposing sides, and a set of fins is supported on one of the sides and arranged outside the cavity. The set of fins includes rows of discrete chevron fins separated by periodic gaps. In one application, the heat exchanger is arranged in a gas turbine engine. A core is supported relative to a fan case by structure. A fan duct is provided between a core nacelle and a fan case. The core includes a compressor section and a bleed cavity is provided within the core and is in fluid communication with the compressor section. The heat exchanger includes first and second sides opposite one another. The second side includes the set of rows of fins with the periodic gaps exposed to the bleed cavity.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a core supported relative to a fan case by the core including a core nacelle, and a fan duct provided between the core nacelle and the fan case, wherein the core includes a compressor section and a bleed cavity is provided within the core and in fluid communication with the compressor section;

an actuation system component arranged within the bleed cavity, the actuation system component configured to actuate variable stator vanes in the compressor section; and

a heat exchanger including first and second sides opposite one another, the second side including a set of rows of fins exposed to the bleed cavity, the set of fins having gaps between discrete fins in a given row.

2. The gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein the fins include an outer edge adjoining leading and trailing edges, and the fins include a generally trapezoidal shape provided by the leading and trailing edges and the outer edge.

3. The gas turbine engine according to claim 1, comprising an oil cooling circuit including the heat exchanger and a heat load, the heat exchanger including an oil cavity between the first and second sides.

4. The gas turbine engine according to claim 3, wherein the oil cavity has internal fins oriented in an axial direction that is the same direction in which the fins extend.

5. The gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes an enclosed fluid cavity, and the set of fins is supported on the second side and arranged outside the cavity, the set of fins including rows of discrete chevron fins separated by periodic gaps.

6. The gas turbine engine according to claim 5, wherein the fins include an outer edge adjoining leading and trailing edges, and the outer edge of each row is generally linear.

7. The gas turbine engine according to claim 6, wherein the fins include a generally trapezoidal shape provided by the leading and trailing edges and the outer edge.

8. The gas turbine engine according to claim 7, wherein the leading and trailing edges taper toward one another, and bases of the fins adjoin one another at a location in which the adjoining fins are supported by the one side.

9. The gas turbine engine according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the leading and trailing edges include a tapered cross-section in an axial direction.

10. The gas turbine engine according to claim 9, wherein the tapered cross-section includes unparallel flat lateral surfaces.

11. The gas turbine engine according to claim 5, wherein the cavity is arranged between the first and second sides.

12. The gas turbine engine according to claim 5, wherein the other side includes a set of fins having rows of fins without periodic gaps.

13. The gas turbine engine according to claim 5, wherein the gaps are unaligned between adjoining rows.

14. The gas turbine engine according to claim 5, wherein the gaps are aligned with one another between adjoining rows.

15. The gas turbine engine according to claim 14, wherein the gaps are aligned with one another between rows in a direction perpendicular to the rows.