GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEM

• US 20120144842A1
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Snyder, Douglas J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/785
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• 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 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/077 the plant being of the multiple flow type, i.e. having three or more flows
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/115 by means of indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine heat exchange system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and heat exchange systems for gas turbine engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

an engine core;

a fan bypass duct operative to direct a bypass stream around the engine core;

an other fan bypass duct operative to direct an other bypass stream around the engine core; and

an adaptive heat exchange system operative to cool an object of cooling using air from the fan bypass duct and the other fan bypass duct as a cooling medium.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet;

wherein the cooling medium inlet is selectively exposed to a selected one or both of the fan bypass duct and the other fan bypass duct to receive a cooling medium; and

wherein the cooling medium outlet is positioned to discharge the cooling medium into the other fan bypass duct.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger is hinged to selectively expose the cooling medium inlet to the selected one or both of the fan bypass duct and the other fan bypass duct.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger operative to exchange heat in a parallel flow mode and a cross flow mode.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4, wherein the heat exchanger includes a fin operative to transfer heat from the object of cooling;

wherein the parallel flow mode directs the cooling medium in a first direction parallel to the fin; and

wherein the cross flow mode directs the cooling medium in a second direction not parallel to the fin.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger includes a first cooling medium inlet for receiving the cooling medium in the parallel flow mode;

and wherein the heat exchanger includes a second cooling medium inlet for receiving the cooling medium in the cross flow mode.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the second cooling medium inlet includes an opening operative to impinge the cooling medium onto the fin.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system is operative to cool the object of cooling using air by selecting the air from one or both of the fan bypass duct and the other fan bypass duct in response to an engine operating condition.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system is passively controlled.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system is actively controlled.

11. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a first airway;

a second airway; and

an adaptive heat exchange system operative to cool an object of cooling using air from the first airway and the second airway as a cooling medium.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first airway is a first working fluid main flowpath;

and wherein the second airway is a second working fluid main flowpath.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system includes a heat exchanger having a first cooling medium inlet and a second cooling medium inlet;

wherein the first cooling medium inlet is adapted to receive the cooling medium from one of the first airway and the second airway; and

wherein the second cooling medium inlet is adapted to receive the cooling medium from the other of the first airway and the second airway.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger employs impingement cooling.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 13, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system includes a valve operative to control flow through one of the first cooling medium inlet and the second cooling medium inlet.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15, wherein the adaptive heat exchange system includes a cooling medium exit;

and wherein the valve is positioned in the cooling medium exit.

17. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a compressor;

a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor;

a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor; and

an adaptive heat exchange system having means for cooling air from the compressor prior to being discharged into the turbine.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17, wherein the air cooled by the adaptive heat exchange system is discharged into the turbine as cooling air.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 17, wherein the means for cooling air includes means for receiving a cooling medium from more than one cooling medium source.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving is actively controlled to select a cooling medium source.