Electrical Strut Busbar Cooling for High-Density Power Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbine engines face challenges in efficiently managing high-density electrical power transfer while minimizing losses and maintaining structural integrity, particularly in cooling and thermal management within limited spaces.

Innovation Solution

The integration of customized three-phase busbars within an electrical conduit within an electrical strut, which includes a cooling conduit system and electromagnetic shielding, to optimize cooling and reduce losses, and the use of hollow conductors with insulating and shielding layers to enhance heat transfer and structural soundness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If high-density electrical power is transferred through onboard grid components, then electrical power supply capability is improved, but electrical losses and thermal stress increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical power supply capabilityVSAvoidelectrical losses

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical conduit is divided into multiple segments with individual cooling channels running through each section. This segmentation allows distributed cooling of high-current carrying sections, reducing localized thermal stress and electrical losses while maintaining high power transfer capability across the entire strut assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cooling fluid intermediary is introduced to transfer heat away from the electrical conductors. The cooling channels carry fluid that absorbs thermal energy from the electrical power transfer paths, enabling high-density power transfer without excessive thermal stress or energy losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If electrical conduit size is increased to reduce electrical losses, then electrical efficiency is improved, but weight and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical lossesVSAvoidelectrical strut weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Hydraulic cooling channels are integrated within the electrical conduit structure to provide active thermal management. This allows efficient heat removal from compact electrical conductors, enabling smaller conductor sizes for the same power transfer capability, thus reducing weight while maintaining low electrical losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The electrical conduit employs composite construction combining electrical conductors with cooling channels and structural support elements. This integrated composite design optimizes the ratio of electrical performance to weight by combining multiple functions (power transfer, cooling, structural support) in a single lightweight assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Temperature

If cooling channels are added to electrical conduit, then thermal management is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management capabilityVSAvoidelectrical conduit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling channels are merged directly into the electrical conduit structure itself, combining thermal management and electrical power transfer functions in a single integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate cooling systems and reduces overall device complexity while improving thermal management capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrical conduit is designed as a multi-functional universal component that simultaneously provides electrical power transfer, structural support, and thermal management through integrated cooling channels. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of separate components needed in the engine accessory drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution effectively minimizes electrical losses, improves heat transfer, and reduces weight, leading to increased fuel efficiency and structural integrity of the electrical struts, with potential fuel savings of up to 2% and improved overall electrical system efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

customized three-phase busbars within an electrical conduit within an electrical strut, which includes a cooling conduit system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

cooling conduit system and electromagnetic shielding, to optimize cooling and reduce losses

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4015774B1Electrical strut for a turbine engine

Publication Date: 2024.03.20 GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC

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AI summary

An airfoil (130) for a turbine engine (10), the airfoil (130) comprising an outer wall (152) having a pressure side (140), a suction side (142), a leading edge (144), and a trailing edge (146), the outer wall (152) defining an interior (150), wherein the outer wall (152) extends between the pressure side (140) and the suction side (142) to define a lateral direction (148), between the leading edge (144) and the trailing edge (146) to define a chord-wise direction (138), and between a root (132) and a tip (134) to define a span-wise direction (136), and at least one electrical conduit (96, 96a, 96b, 96c) extending within the interior (150) along the span-wise direction (136) and defining a cooling conduit (164) with a hollow interior (150).