Thermoelectric generator in turbine engine nozzles

• US 9,388,740 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kwok, David W., Huang, James P., Mauldin, Jack W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wongwian, Putthiwat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chau, Alain
• Application Number:
  US13/397,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/04 Gas-turbine plants providing heated or pressurised working fluid for other apparatus, e.g. without mechanical power output F02C6/18 takes precedence ; for a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• 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 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/00 Plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle; Jet pipes or nozzles peculiar thereto rocket nozzles F02K9/97
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/82 Jet pipe walls, e.g. liners
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

In one embodiment, a gas turbine engine assembly comprises an engine assembly disposed about a longitudinal axis, a core nozzle positioned adjacent the engine assembly to direct a core flow generated by the engine assembly, a fan nozzle surrounding at least a portion of the core nozzle to direct a fan flow, wherein the core nozzle defines a plenum to receive a portion of the core stream flow from the core nozzle and a thermoelectric generator assembly positioned in the plenum. Other embodiments may be described.

Claims

1. A core nozzle for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a core nozzle wall defining a core, configured to receive a core stream of the gas turbine engine;

a cowling assembly coupled to the core nozzle wall, defining a fan flow region configured to receive a fan stream of the gas turbine engine;

a thermoelectric generator assembly positioned in a plenum;

a first inlet of the plenum configured to transfer a portion of the core stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly;

a second inlet of the plenum configured to transfer a portion of the fan stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly; and

an outlet of the plenum configured to combine and discharge the portion of the fan stream and the portion of the core stream into the fan stream.

2. The core nozzle of claim 1, further comprising:

a first heat transfer fin positioned in the plenum to transfer heat from a portion of the core stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly.

3. The core nozzle of claim 2, further comprising:

a second heat transfer fin positioned in the plenum to transfer heat from the thermoelectric generator assembly to the fan stream.

4. The core nozzle of claim 3, wherein:

the first heat transfer fin comprises the first inlet; and

the second heat transfer fin comprises the second inlet.

5. The core nozzle of claim 4, wherein:

the thermoelectric generator assembly has a first surface positioned adjacent to the core stream and a second surface positioned adjacent the fan stream.

6. The core nozzle of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric generator assembly comprises at least one of peaked three-dimensional surfaces or corrugated three-dimensional surfaces.

7. The core nozzle of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric generator assembly comprises:

a frame;

a plurality thermoelectric generator devices mounted on the frame; and

a power bus to transport energy generated by the thermoelectric generator devices.

8. A gas turbine engine assembly, comprising:

an engine assembly;

a core nozzle positioned adjacent the engine assembly to direct a core stream generated by the engine assembly;

a fan nozzle surrounding at least a portion of the core nozzle to direct a fan stream;

a thermoelectric generator assembly positioned in a plenum;

a first inlet of the plenum configured to transfer a portion of the core stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly;

a second inlet of the plenum configured to transfer a portion of the fan stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly; and

an outlet of the plenum configured to combine and discharge the portion of the fan stream and the portion of the core stream into the fan stream.

9. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

a first heat transfer fin positioned in the plenum to transfer heat from a portion of the core stream to the thermoelectric generator assembly.

10. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a second heat transfer fin positioned in the plenum to transfer heat from the thermoelectric generator assembly to a portion of the fan stream from the fan nozzle.

11. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the first heat transfer fin comprises the first inlet; and

the second heat transfer fin comprises the second inlet.

12. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the thermoelectric generator assembly has a first surface positioned adjacent to the core stream and a second surface positioned adjacent the fan stream.

13. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric generator assembly comprises at least one of peaked three-dimensional surfaces or corrugated three-dimensional surfaces.

14. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric generator assembly comprises:

a frame;

a plurality thermoelectric generator devices mounted on the frame; and

a power bus to transport energy generated by the thermoelectric generator devices.

15. A method to generate electricity in a gas turbine engine, comprising:

generating a core stream in the gas turbine engine;

generating a fan stream in the gas turbine engine;

transferring, via a first inlet of a plenum, a portion of the core stream from a core nozzle positioned downstream of the gas turbine engine;

passing the portion of the core stream over a first surface of a thermoelectric generator assembly;

transferring, via a second inlet of the plenum, a portion of the fan stream into the plenum;

passing the portion of the fan stream over a second surface of the thermoelectric generator assembly; and

combining and discharging, via an outlet of the plenum, the portion of the fan stream and the portion of the core stream into the fan stream.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plenum is partially defined by a core nozzle wall and a cowling assembly of the core nozzle, and wherein one or more heat transfer fins transfer heat in the plenum.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein airflow velocity in the plenum is different than airflow velocity in the core stream.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating electricity based on a temperature differential between the first surface of the thermoelectric generator assembly and the second surface of the thermoelectric generator assembly.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising transporting electricity from the thermoelectric generator assembly on a power bus.