Electric Fuel Pump Cooling Layout for Compact Gas Turbine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines have a large frontal projected area due to accessories on the outer casing, and energy efficiency and combustion performance deteriorate under low-temperature environments.
Innovation Solution
The engine integrates electric fuel pumps and motors outside the casing, with a heat exchanger portion to cool the motors using fuel flow, reducing the need for additional cooling mechanisms and parts, thus downsizing the engine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If accessories are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the casing, then the gas turbine engine can be driven by mechanical power from the rotating shaft, but the frontal projected area of the gas turbine engine becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical power transmission system with an electric motor-driven fuel pump system. Instead of mechanically driving accessories from the rotating shaft, the invention uses electric motors to drive fuel pumps, thereby eliminating the need for mechanical power take-off and reducing the frontal projected area of the engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the fuel pump function from the mechanical power transmission system and positions it outside the casing. This separation allows the main engine casing to be more compact while the fuel pump is located in a separate position, reducing the overall frontal projected area.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the temperature of fuel lowers under a low-temperature environment, then the gas turbine engine can operate in cold conditions, but energy efficiency and combustion performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of cold fuel temperature into a beneficial cooling effect for the electric motor. The low-temperature fuel is used to cool the electric motor, preventing overheating and maintaining efficient operation in cold environments, while the motor's heat is transferred to the fuel to improve its temperature for better combustion performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger serves as an intermediary between the electric motor and the fuel. It facilitates heat transfer from the motor to the fuel, thereby warming the cold fuel to improve combustion performance while simultaneously cooling the motor to maintain its operational efficiency in low-temperature environments.
3Reliability
If a cooling system is added for the electric motor, then the motor can operate efficiently, but the number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel circulation system serves multiple functions: it supplies fuel to the combustor and simultaneously acts as a cooling medium for the electric motor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate cooling system, reducing the number of parts while maintaining motor cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor cools itself by transferring its heat to the fuel that passes through the heat exchanger. The fuel, which needs to be circulated anyway for combustion, serves as the cooling medium, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional cooling components.
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
The configuration downsizes the engine, maintains energy efficiency, and prevents combustion performance deterioration by efficiently cooling the motors and heating the fuel, reducing the number of parts and energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger portion is adjacent to the electric motor and cools the electric motor by heat exchange between the electric motor and the fuel flowing through the heat exchanger portion
Implementation Method 2
since the fuel increases in temperature by the heat exchange with the operating electric motor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes: at least one fuel pump arranged outside a casing; at least one electric motor that is arranged outside the casing and drives the at least one fuel pump; a fuel inflow member including a fuel inflow passage through which fuel to be sucked by the fuel pump flows; and a fuel outflow member including a fuel outflow passage through which the fuel discharged from the fuel pump flows toward a combustor. The fuel inflow member includes a heat exchanger portion that is thermally connected to the electric motor. The heat exchanger portion is adjacent to the electric motor and cools the electric motor by heat exchange between the electric motor and the fuel flowing through the heat exchanger portion.