Engine-Integrated Heat Exchanger With Stress-Isolated Manifold Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engines lack efficient integration of heat exchangers that effectively cool various fluids, such as fuel and lubricating oil, while maintaining engine integrity and reducing mechanical stress on the engine bay seal.
Innovation Solution
An engine-integrated heat exchanger system with a pre-installed manifold and engine bay seal design that allows airflow through apertures and provides compliance, ensuring seamless integration and reduced mechanical stress during engine installation and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat exchanger is integrated into the engine, then cooling efficiency is improved, but mechanical stress on the engine bay seal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the heat exchanger from the engine assembly, allowing the heat exchanger to remain in the engine bay while the engine can be independently removed. This segmentation eliminates the transmission of mechanical stress from the engine to the heat exchanger through the seal, while maintaining cooling efficiency through dedicated airflow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine is designed to be extractable from the craft while leaving the heat exchanger and manifold in place. This extraction capability removes the engine from the load path, preventing mechanical stress from being transmitted to the seal and heat exchanger during operation or maintenance.
2Temperature
If the engine is tightly integrated with the heat exchanger, then cooling performance is improved, but ease of maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separable components: the engine, the manifold, and the heat exchanger. The manifold remains permanently installed in the engine bay with the heat exchanger, while the engine can be independently removed for maintenance. This segmentation allows the engine to be serviced without disturbing the heat exchanger, improving ease of maintenance while maintaining cooling performance through dedicated airflow paths.
3Strength
If the manifold is rigidly connected to the engine bay seal, then structural integrity is improved, but durability of the heat exchanger deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The engine bay seal is designed as a flexible component that can deform to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the manifold and heat exchanger. This flexibility maintains structural integrity by allowing the seal to conform to dimensional changes while preventing stress transmission that would compromise the durability of the heat exchanger.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accommodates dimensional changes in the manifold and heat exchanger due to thermal effects by allowing the flexible seal to deform. This parameter change in the seal's shape and position enables the system to maintain structural integrity while protecting the heat exchanger from stress-induced damage.
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
Enhances heat exchanger life and cooling efficiency by isolating it from load paths, allowing easy engine access and reducing mechanical stress on seals, thus improving overall engine performance and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger for air cooling a fluid
Implementation Method 2
an air flowpath passes through the inlet manifold to the heat exchanger and exits the heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
AI summary
A craft has: a body including an engine bay; and an engine having an installed condition at least partially in the engine bay. The engine has a heat exchanger (152) having an inlet manifold (126); and in the installed condition an air flowpath (190) passes through the inlet manifold (126) to the heat exchanger (152) and exits the heat exchanger (152) to the engine bay.