Closed-Loop Hydraulic System for Cryogenic Hydrogen Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing the temperature and safety of cryogenic hydrogen fuel in gas turbine engines, as well as controlling actuators, is challenging due to the low temperature and compressibility of hydrogen, and dual-fuel systems with hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels are complex and pose safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic system with a closed-loop conduit, heat exchangers for temperature management, and a hydraulic pump to maintain higher pressure in the hydraulic system, reducing the risk of hydrogen leaks and system overpressure, and incorporating a high-pressure sub-loop for actuator operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple hydrogen fuel heat exchangers are used to manage temperatures of hydrogen fuel and engine fluids, then temperature management capability is improved, but system complexity, weight, cost, and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple temperature management functions into a single hydrogen fuel heat exchanger. This heat exchanger simultaneously cools hydraulic fluid and manages hydrogen fuel temperature, eliminating the need for separate heat exchangers for each fluid. The merging reduces system complexity, weight, and cost while maintaining effective temperature management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogen fuel heat exchanger is designed to perform multiple functions: cooling hydraulic fluid, managing hydrogen fuel temperature, and potentially serving as a thermal energy storage medium. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for dedicated heat exchangers for each function, reducing overall system complexity and component count.
2Power
If hydraulic pump provides high pressure in the hydraulic system, then actuator performance is improved, but risk of hydrogen leaks and system overpressure events increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-establishing a pressure differential across the hydrogen fuel heat exchanger, with hydraulic fluid pressure maintained above hydrogen fuel pressure. This preventive pressure relationship ensures that any potential leak would flow from the hydraulic side to the fuel side, preventing hydrogen leakage into the hydraulic system and eliminating the need for complex safety valves or rupture discs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dual-fuel system with hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels is implemented, then fuel availability and performance are improved, but system complexity and safety issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic fluid serves as an intermediary thermal management medium for both hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels. Rather than requiring separate thermal management systems for each fuel type, the hydraulic fluid circulates through heat exchangers that can handle both fuel types, simplifying the dual-fuel system architecture while maintaining fuel versatility.
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 hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuel temperatures with a single heat exchanger, reducing safety risks, weight, and cost, while enabling high-pressure actuators and efficient heat exchange.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between hydrogen fuel and hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic fluid conduit
Implementation Method 2
a further heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the hydraulic fluid and one or more further engine fluids
Implementation Method 3
a hydraulic pump configured to pressurise and drive hydraulic fluid flow through the hydraulic fluid conduit
Data Source
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AI summary
A hydraulic system for a hydrogen fuelled gas turbine engine (201). The hydraulic system comprises a closed-loop hydraulic fluid conduit (232), a first heat exchanger (230) configured to exchange heat between hydrogen fuel and hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic fluid conduit (232) and a further heat exchanger (316, 322) configured to exchange heat between the hydraulic fluid and one or more further engine fluids.