Hydrogen Fuel Thermal Management With Split Heat Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Utilizing hydrogen as fuel in gas turbine engines presents challenges such as difficulty in storing sufficient quantities and maintaining a stable temperature for combustion, leading to inefficiencies and potential overheating due to the size and positioning of waste heat recovery heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
A fuel thermal management system with precise temperature control using trim heat exchangers and a control circuitry to adjust fuel temperature, enabling smaller waste heat recovery heat exchangers and improved engine efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If waste heat recovery heat exchangers are made larger to improve hydrogen fuel heating efficiency, then fuel temperature control improves, but system complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The waste heat recovery system is divided into multiple separate heat exchangers positioned at different locations in the exhaust flow path, rather than using one large heat exchanger. This segmentation allows each heat exchanger to be smaller and easier to integrate while collectively providing the required heating capacity for hydrogen fuel temperature control.
2Quantity of substance
If hydrogen fuel storage quantity is increased to meet combustion requirements, then sufficient fuel availability is achieved, but storage system size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the temperature parameter of hydrogen fuel through waste heat recovery heating, enabling the fuel to reach optimal combustion temperature. This parameter change allows for more efficient combustion with potentially reduced fuel quantity requirements and improves the energy density of the stored hydrogen.
3Use of energy by moving object
If waste heat recovery heat exchangers are repositioned to improve thermal efficiency, then fuel heating performance improves, but integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger system is segmented into multiple units that can be positioned at different locations in the exhaust path. This allows optimization of thermal efficiency by placing heat exchangers where exhaust temperature and flow conditions are most favorable, while each individual unit remains small enough for easier integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for flexible positioning and potential reconfiguration of heat exchangers based on operating conditions. The segmented architecture enables dynamic optimization of thermal efficiency while maintaining integration feasibility through modular placement options.
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 system provides precise fuel temperature control, preventing overheating and reducing the size of waste heat recovery heat exchangers, enhancing engine efficiency and flexibility in integration.
Implementation Method 1
a waste heat recovery heat exchanger positioned downstream of the combustion section
Implementation Method 2
fuel thermal management systems and related methods
Implementation Method 3
waste heat recovery heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
Fuel thermal management systems and related methods are disclosed. An example system includes a flowline to carry a fluid, a waste heat recovery heat exchanger coupled to the flowline, the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to heat the fluid to a first temperature, and a feed tank coupled to the flowline, the feed tank including a first inlet and a second inlet, the first inlet to receive a first portion of the fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger at the first temperature, the second inlet to receive a second portion of the fluid at a second temperature less than the first temperature, wherein the first portion of the fluid and the second portion of the fluid mixes in the feed tank to form a third portion having a third temperature between the first temperature and the second temperature.