Aircraft Engine Hybrid-Electric Cooling Loops for LP and HP Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of electric machines with varying power ratings within a gas turbine engine poses challenges in thermal management due to the unique thermal needs of low pressure (LP) and high pressure (HP) electric machines and their associated power electronics assemblies, requiring complex cooling solutions.
Innovation Solution
A dedicated thermal management system with separate cooling loops for LP and HP electric machines and their power electronics assemblies, ensuring tailored thermal management by isolating these components from other engine cooling loops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate cooling loops are implemented for LP and HP electric machines, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into separate cooling loops for different electric machines (LP and HP) and their associated power electronics assemblies. Each cooling loop is dedicated to specific components with similar thermal requirements, enabling tailored thermal management for each segment while maintaining overall system reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If dedicated thermal management systems are provided for each electric machine, then thermal management precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each cooling loop is specifically designed to match the thermal requirements of its associated electric machine and power electronics assembly. The cooling capacity, flow rate, and thermal management characteristics are locally optimized for each component group, ensuring precise thermal control tailored to the specific heat generation and thermal sensitivity of each machine type.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages the thermal requirements of LP and HP electric machines and their power electronics, enhancing efficiency and reliability by providing targeted cooling solutions.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal management system flowpath (801) defined by a thermal management system (800)... The first portion (825) of the flow of the thermal energy transfer fluid is flowed through a second heat exchanger (412)...
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A thermal management system (400, 500, 600, 700, 800) defines a thermal management system flowpath (401, 501, 701, 801) to provide a flow of a fluid to an electric machine (300A, 300B, 302A, 402, 504, 802, 804) and a power electronics assembly (404, 818) where the power electronics assembly (404, 818) is electrically connected to the electric machine (300A, 300B, 302A, 402, 504, 802, 804). The thermal management system (400, 500, 600, 700, 800) includes a first heat exchanger (410) thermally connected to the thermal management system flowpath (401, 501, 701, 801) and to the electric machine (300A, 300B, 302A, 402, 504, 802, 804), and a second heat exchanger (412) thermally connected to the thermal management system flowpath (401, 501, 701, 801) downstream of the first heat exchanger (410). The second heat exchanger (412) is thermally connected to the power electronics assembly (404, 818).