Heat Pipe Cooling for Pneumatic Damper Regulator Actuators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current regulation systems for turbojet engines face inefficiencies in heat removal, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine efficiency due to the need for additional cooling, which becomes limiting as engine temperatures rise.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic regulation system incorporating a cooling system with heat pipes and an external radiator, allowing for enhanced heat evacuation without increasing the fresh air flow from the secondary stream, utilizing heat pipes to transfer heat from the regulator and actuator to an external radiator subjected to an air flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If fresh air flow from secondary stream is increased to cool the regulator and actuator, then cooling efficiency is improved, but fuel consumption increases and engine efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature of regulator and actuatorVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into two independent fluid paths within the housing: one path for the regulator and one path for the actuator. Each path has dedicated heat pipes and conduits, allowing separate temperature control and cooling optimization for each component without requiring increased fresh air flow from the secondary stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heat pipes serve as intermediary devices between the regulator/actuator and the external radiator. The heat pipes transfer heat from the hot air in the first fluid path to the cooling medium in the second fluid path, enabling efficient heat removal without directly increasing the fresh air flow requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If fresh air flow from secondary stream is increased to cool the regulator and actuator, then cooling efficiency is improved, but engine efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature of regulator and actuatorVSAvoidengine efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the cooling parameter from increasing fresh air flow to using heat pipe-based thermal transfer. By modifying the cooling mechanism rather than simply increasing airflow, the system maintains engine efficiency while achieving effective cooling of the regulator and actuator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Temperature

If heat dissipation capacity is increased to handle higher engine temperatures, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capacityVSAvoidcooling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system merges the regulator cooling and actuator cooling into a single integrated housing with two fluid paths. This unified structure shares common components (housing, external radiator, heat pipes) while maintaining separate cooling paths, reducing overall complexity compared to completely separate cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The external radiator and heat pipes serve multiple functions: they cool both the regulator and actuator through the two separate fluid paths. This multi-functional design allows a single cooling subsystem to handle thermal management for multiple components, avoiding the need for separate cooling systems for each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 reduces the temperature of the air entering the regulator and actuator, maintaining engine efficiency without increasing fresh air flow, thus addressing the limitations of existing cooling methods.

Implementation Method 1

at least one heat pipe, each heat pipe having a first end in contact with the external radiator and a second end housed in the housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Implementation Method 2

an external radiator subjected to an airflow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

an external radiator subjected to an airflow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3872304B1Regulation system comprising a valve, a regulator, an actuator and a cooling system using heat pipes

Publication Date: 2023.04.05 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a flow control system (100) for a hot air duct (50) comprising a damper (303), an upstream air intake (312), a downstream air intake (314), a regulator (316), and an actuator (304) for the damper (303) with a first inlet connected to an outlet of the regulator (316), and a cooling system (150) comprising an external radiator (154), a housing (156), and a heat pipe (152a-b) housed within the housing (156) and dissipating heat between the housing (156) and the external radiator (154), and wherein the airflows from the upstream air intake (312) and the downstream air intake (314) pass through the housing (156). Such a control system allows for improved heat dissipation through the action of the heat pipes.