Rotor Blade Actuator Cooling via Fairing Heat Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary wing aircraft rotor blade actuators face cooling challenges due to fairings that reduce airflow, leading to increased operating temperatures and potential drag issues when trying to implement traditional cooling systems.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system comprising a first heat exchanger thermally connected to rotor blade actuators, a second heat exchanger mounted on the fairing, and a fluid conduit, such as a heat pipe, to efficiently transfer heat without creating drag-inducing openings, using a closed loop that promotes heat exchange between the heat exchangers and ambient air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a fairing is used to reduce drag on rotor blades, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but airflow across heat generating components is reduced causing increased operating temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple heat exchangers positioned at different locations on the fairing, with the first heat exchanger on the leading edge and the second heat exchanger on the trailing edge, allowing distributed heat removal throughout the actuator assembly
Solution Approach 2:
A heat pipe serves as an intermediary thermal conduction element, transferring heat from the actuators through the fairing structure to the second heat exchanger without requiring direct fluid access to the actuators, thus maintaining the sealed fairing while enabling heat removal
2Temperature
If traditional cooling systems with openings are implemented to increase airflow, then cooling efficiency is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the fairing structure itself, where the fairing walls incorporate heat exchangers that utilize the existing aerodynamic flow over the fairing external surface, eliminating the need for separate cooling openings
Solution Approach 2:
The fairing structure serves dual purposes: maintaining aerodynamic efficiency while simultaneously providing thermal management through integrated heat exchangers that utilize ambient airflow without requiring additional cooling-specific modifications
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
Effectively reduces localized temperatures of rotor blade actuators without increasing drag, utilizing a closed loop system that operates without external power or electrical connections, ensuring efficient heat management for rotor blade actuators.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger thermally connected to each of the one or more heat generating components
Implementation Method 2
at least one fluid conduit extending therebetween so as to remove heat generated by each of the one or more heat generating components wherein the at least one fluid conduit comprises a heat pipe
Implementation Method 3
a second heat exchanger mounted to the fairing promoting a heat exchange between the cooling fluid and ambient air
Data Source
AI summary
A rotor system includes a rotor hub, a plurality of rotor blades supported by the rotor hub, and a fairing mounted to the rotor hub. The fairing includes an external surface exposed to an external airflow and an internal surface defining an interior portion. One or more heat generating components are arranged in the interior portion. A cooling system is arranged in the interior portion. The cooling system includes a first heat exchanger thermally connected to each of the one or more heat generating components, a second heat exchanger mounted to the fairing, and at least one fluid conduit extending therebetween so as to remove heat generated by each of the one or more heat generating components.