LPC Compartment Cooling for Gas Turbine Electrical Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical components in gas turbine engines face challenges with thermal cycling and elevated temperatures, which reduce their service life and increase aerodynamic drag due to their location at the fan case, making it difficult to maintain a stable environmental temperature.
Innovation Solution
A low pressure compressor compartment is designed within the gas turbine engine with inlet and outlet ports to direct cooling airflow from the fan bypass passage, controlling airflow to maintain the electrical components at or below their operational temperature limits, and incorporating a bleed pathway to manage airflow and reduce thermal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If electrical components are mounted at the fan case to limit maximum temperature, then the maximum temperature the electrical components are subject to is limited, but thermal cycling still occurs and aerodynamic drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical components from the fan case environment and relocates them to a dedicated compartment within the low pressure compressor. This compartment is thermally isolated from the fan case, preventing both the maximum temperature exposure and thermal cycling that occur at the fan case location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling airflow system as an intermediary between the electrical components and the external environment. Cooling airflow is directed through the compartment containing the electrical components, actively maintaining a stable temperature and preventing thermal cycling while the aircraft operates across different altitudes and temperatures.
2Temperature
If electrical components are mounted at the fan case, then maximum temperature is limited, but aerodynamic drag increases due to raised profile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical components from the fan case location, eliminating the need to raise the fan case profile. By relocating components to the low pressure compressor compartment, the fan case maintains its streamlined aerodynamic shape without protruding-mounted electrical components.
3Reliability
If cooling airflow is directed through the low pressure compressor compartment, then electrical components are cooled and thermal cycling is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes cooling airflow that is already present in the gas turbine engine's operational environment. The same airflow path serves both the engine's combustion process and the cooling of electrical components, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems and reducing overall device complexity.
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 cools electrical components, reduces thermal cycling, and allows for the increased use of electrical components while minimizing aerodynamic drag by maintaining them within operational temperature ranges, thus extending their service life and improving engine efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
An inlet port is located at the outer radial wall configured to admit a cooling airflow into the low pressure compressor compartment from the fan bypass passage to cool the electrical component
Data Source
AI summary
A low pressure compressor for a gas turbine engine includes a low pressure compressor case extending circumferentially around a central axis of the gas turbine engine. The low pressure compressor case includes an inner radial wall surrounding a low pressure compressor rotor and an outer radial wall at least partially defining a fan bypass passage of the gas turbine engine. A low pressure compressor compartment is located between the inner radial wall and the outer radial wall and an electrical component is located in the low pressure compressor compartment. An inlet port at the outer radial wall is configured to admit a cooling airflow into the low pressure compressor compartment from the fan bypass passage to cool the electrical component.