Fan Exit Guide Vane Heat Exchanger for Hybrid Electric Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electric engines face challenges in integrating heat exchangers due to increased ducting requirements and excess cabling volume, leading to weight and drag losses, especially in turbo fan architectures and hybrid electric gas turbine applications.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing fan exit guide vanes as heat exchangers to cool power electronics by channeling a working fluid through the vanes, where the fluid is cooled by air from the rotor fan, eliminating the need for external air oil coolers and associated scoops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat exchangers are integrated into the nacelle inner flow surface or upper bifurcation, then thermal management is achieved, but weight and drag losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat exchanger function with the fan exit guide vane structure, eliminating the need for separate heat exchanger components and their associated ducting. The guide vane serves dual purposes: directing airflow and functioning as a heat exchanger through embedded channels, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining thermal management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan exit guide vane is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it directs the fan airstream and serves as a heat exchanger for cooling power electronics. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated heat exchanger components, reducing weight and simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Temperature
If block heat exchangers are used, then cooling efficiency is improved, but nacelle drag losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger channels are integrated directly into the fan exit guide vane structure, eliminating separate block heat exchanger components and their associated external ducting and scoops. This integration reduces aerodynamic drag while maintaining effective heat transfer through the vane's internal channels.
3Temperature
If heat exchangers are placed in the lower bifurcation, then thermal management is achieved, but cabling volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is integrated into the fan exit guide vane located in the upper bifurcation, keeping power electronics and cabling routes separate from the lower bifurcation. This integration eliminates the need for extensive cabling through the lower bifurcation, preserving cable routing design space while achieving effective thermal management.
4Temperature
If surface air coolers are used, then cooling is provided, but weight and drag losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the existing fan exit guide vane structure through embedded internal channels, eliminating the need for separate surface air cooler components. This integration significantly reduces weight while maintaining effective cooling of power electronics using the existing fan airstream.
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
Reduces weight and drag losses, improves heat distribution, and preserves design space for cable routing, while providing efficient thermal management for hybrid electric engines.
Implementation Method 1
The working fluid passing through the heat exchanger mechanism within the at least one fan exit guide vane is cooled by air from the rotor fan passing over the at least one fan exit guide vane
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for cooling a working fluid of a thermal management system of a hybrid electric engine (302) includes at least one fan exit guide vane (106) located aft of a rotor fan (104) of the hybrid electric engine (302). The at least one fan exit guide vane (106) comprises a heat exchanger mechanism (130) therein configured to cool the working fluid. At least one inlet (204) connected to the heat exchanger mechanism (130) receives the working fluid heated by power electronics (138) of the hybrid electric engine (302). At least one outlet (206) connected to the heat exchanger mechanism (130) provides the working fluid to the power electronics (138). The working fluid passing through the heat exchanger mechanism (130) within the at least one fan exit guide vane (106) is cooled by air (208) from the rotor fan (104) passing over the at least one fan exit guide vane (106).