Conformal Heat Exchanger Assembly for Gas Turbine Annular Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges in integrating heat exchanger assemblies into reduced spaces due to new engine designs, where traditional heat exchangers do not fit well with the curved surfaces of turbomachinery components, and there is a need for a manufacturing process that maintains aerodynamic design integrity.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), to create conformal air-cooled heat exchanger assemblies with non-planar geometries that can be integrated into annular spaces, featuring a continuous non-planar core and diffusers to optimize heat exchange within constrained engine compartments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional heat exchangers are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but they do not fit well with curved surfaces and reduced spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger assembly employs a curved outer surface that conforms to the annular space between turbine components, replacing traditional flat or boxy geometries. This curvature enables the heat exchanger to fit within the constrained annular region while maintaining effective heat exchange surface area, resolving the contradiction between compact volume and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger assembly is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each section to be manufactured using conventional processes while the overall assembly achieves the complex curved geometry required for annular space integration, balancing manufacturing ease with spatial constraints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used to create conformal geometries, then space utilization improves, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Additive manufacturing enables the creation of continuously curved surfaces that precisely conform to the annular space, achieving optimal geometric adaptability. The process can directly fabricate complex non-planar geometries without requiring tooling or assembly of multiple parts, though it does increase manufacturing process complexity compared to traditional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process merges the frame and core structures into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations. This consolidation achieves complex conformal geometries in one process step, trading manufacturing process complexity for geometric adaptability and reduced assembly requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If heat exchanger size is reduced to fit annular spaces, then space constraints are satisfied, but heat exchange efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger core features a non-planar, three-dimensional geometry with channels and surfaces that extend in multiple directions rather than simple flat plates. This dimensional complexity allows maximum heat exchange surface area to be packed into the constrained annular volume, maintaining efficiency while satisfying space constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved outer surface of the heat exchanger frame conforms to the annular space, maximizing the use of available radial and axial dimensions. This curved geometry allows the heat exchange surfaces to be optimally positioned within the constrained volume, maintaining heat transfer efficiency despite the reduced overall size.
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
This approach allows for the efficient cooling of lubrication fluids in gas turbine engines, maintaining aerodynamic design integrity and enabling the use of complex geometries that minimize assembly details and multi-component construction, thus enhancing heat exchange performance in limited spaces.
Implementation Method 1
performing an additive manufacturing process, such as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), to form the heat exchanger assembly
Implementation Method 2
heat is transmitted to the lubrication fluid from two sources: from heat generated by sliding and rolling friction by components like bearings and seals within a sump and from heat-conduction through the sump wall
Implementation Method 3
conformal air-cooled heat exchanger assemblies
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A heat exchanger assembly (100) for a gas turbine engine (20) including a frame (102), including a non-planar outer wall (104), a non-planar inner wall (106) spaced radially inward from the non-planar outer wall (104) to form a frame cavity (108) therebetween, an inlet side (110) extending between the non-planar outer wall (104) and the non-planar inner wall (106), an inlet passage (112) extending through the inlet side (110), an outlet side (114) extending between the non-planar outer wall (104) and the non-planar inner wall (106) opposite the inlet side (114); an outlet passage (116) extending through the outlet side (114), and a continuous non-planar core (118) disposed within the frame cavity (108) and in flow communication with the inlet passage (112) and the outlet passage (116).