Exit Guide Vane Air Scoop Cooling for Open Rotor Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Propfan gas turbine engines face challenges in effectively cooling heat exchangers due to the lack of a fan case and bypass duct, making them prone to damage from contaminants and limiting the availability of static or dynamic pressure for cooling air.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates air scoops on the exit guide vane to capture ambient air from the open rotor propulsor and direct it into a heat exchanger positioned within the core engine, utilizing the captured air to cool another fluid, such as lubricant or air for environmental control systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat exchanger is mounted on the core engine housing in a propfan gas turbine engine, then the heat exchanger can cool engine fluids, but the heat exchanger becomes more prone to damage from contaminants and foreign objects due to the lack of a fan case and bypass duct
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary protective structure (the housing with inlet and outlet openings) that mediates between the heat exchanger and the external environment. This housing protects the heat exchanger from direct exposure to contaminants while still allowing cooling air to flow through controlled openings, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling capability and protection from contaminants.
2Quantity of substance
If air scoops are used to capture air for cooling the heat exchanger, then cooling air can be obtained without a fan case, but the static or dynamic pressure available to drive cooling air over the heat exchanger is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of air capture by positioning air scoops at specific locations on the engine housing where ambient air can be effectively captured. The air scoops are designed to optimize air intake despite the reduced pressure environment, adapting the air capture mechanism to the unique pressure conditions of propfan engines without a fan case.
3Temperature
If the heat exchanger is positioned in the bypass duct of a ducted gas turbine engine, then cooling air is readily available, but propfan engines do not have a bypass duct structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal cooling solution that works for both ducted and propfan engine configurations. By designing the heat exchanger mounting structure to be compatible with propfan engines (which lack a dedicated bypass duct), the same basic heat exchanger concept can be applied across different engine types, achieving cooling efficiency without requiring the complex bypass duct structure of traditional ducted engines.
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 cools the heat exchanger without additional systems, maintaining ambient air temperature and reducing exposure to contaminants, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
The captured air is passed over the heat exchanger and is configured to cool another fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes an open rotor propulsor for delivering air into a core engine inward of an outer core panel. The core engine has a compressor section, a combustor and a turbine section. An exit guide vane extends radially outward of the outer core panel. The exit guide vane has a pressure side and a suction side defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The exit guide vane includes at least one air scoop configured to capture the air from the open rotor propulsor and direct the captured air into the exit guide vane. A heat exchanger is positioned in the outer core pane. The captured air is passed over the heat exchanger and is configured to cool another fluid.