Turboprop-powered aircraft with thermal system
First Claim
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1. A turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine configured for providing propulsion power to an aircraft propeller;
a heat scavenging apparatus configured for scavenging heat from the gas turbine engine;
a heating apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger;
a recirculating air path;
a further heat exchanger in the recirculating air path;
whereinthe first heat exchanger is arranged to use the scavenged heat to heat air in the recirculating air path;
the further heat exchanger comprises a heat-storage material having a melting point selected so as to be rendered solid when cooling and is arranged to cool air recirculating around the recirculation air path; and
the recirculating air path is arranged to provide cooling and/or heating to the turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft.
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Abstract
A turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft, having a gas turbine engine; a heat scavenging device to scavenge heat from the gas turbine engine; and a heating device to use the scavenged heat to provide heating to the aircraft. The heat scavenging device may be placed on an engine casing and/or on or in an engine exhaust duct. The heating device may include a circulation path routed directly to a location in the aircraft where heating is to be performed, for example a leading edge of an engine support pylon or a leading edge of an engine-carrying wing. The heating device can include a heat exchanger.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft, comprising:
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a gas turbine engine configured for providing propulsion power to an aircraft propeller; a heat scavenging apparatus configured for scavenging heat from the gas turbine engine; a heating apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger; a recirculating air path; a further heat exchanger in the recirculating air path;
whereinthe first heat exchanger is arranged to use the scavenged heat to heat air in the recirculating air path; the further heat exchanger comprises a heat-storage material having a melting point selected so as to be rendered solid when cooling and is arranged to cool air recirculating around the recirculation air path; and the recirculating air path is arranged to provide cooling and/or heating to the turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of thermally managing a turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft, the method comprising:
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providing a first heat exchanger, providing a second heat exchanger in a recirculating air path comprising a heat-storage material having a melting point selected so as to be rendered solid when cooling, scavenging heat from gas turbine engine, via the first heat exchanger, to heat air in the recirculating air path, using the second heat exchanger to cool air in the recirculating air path, and recirculating the heated and/or cooled air along the recirculating air path thereby performing heating and/or cooling of the turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system for thermally managing a turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft, the system comprising:
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a gas turbine engine configured for providing propulsion power to an aircraft propeller; a heat scavenging apparatus configured for scavenging heat from the gas turbine engine; a heating apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger; a recirculating air path; a further heat exchanger in the recirculating air path; wherein the first heat exchanger is arranged to use the scavenged heat to heat air in the recirculating air path; the further heat exchanger comprises a heat-storage material having a melting point selected so as to be rendered solid when cooling and is arranged to cool air recirculating around the recirculation air path; wherein the recirculating air path is arranged to provide cooling and/or heating to the turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft; and a thermal control system unit configured to; scavenge the heat from the gas turbine engine to heat the air in the recirculating air path of the aircraft, and recirculate the cooled and/or heated air along the recirculating air path thereby performing cooling and/or heating of the turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance aircraft.
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Specification