Modular Annular Heat Exchanger for Gas Turbine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat exchange systems in gas turbine engines for cooling high pressure hot bleed air are overly complex, leading to significant pressure loss and weight increase due to elaborate piping, resulting in reduced thrust potential and increased specific fuel consumption.
Innovation Solution
A modular annular heat exchanger with a serial axial arrangement of cooled fluid inlet and outlet plenums and blades, configured in a conformal geometry to minimize thermal stresses and allow for axial, radial, and circumferential growth, while maintaining efficient heat transfer through internal and external fluid flowpaths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elaborate piping is used to route cooler fan duct bleed air to the heat exchanger, then heat transfer function is achieved, but pressure loss increases and thrust potential decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple radial modules that can be independently configured and assembled. Each module contains specific flowpaths for hot and cool fluids, allowing the system to achieve heat transfer function while minimizing unnecessary piping length and complexity through modular integration within the fan duct.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger modules are nested within the fan duct structure, with internal and external flowpaths that utilize the existing fan duct space. The cool fluid flowpath is positioned within the fan duct while the hot fluid flowpath is arranged concentrically, creating a compact nested configuration that eliminates elaborate external piping.
2Reliability
If elaborate piping is used to route cooler fan duct bleed air, then heat exchange is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into multiple radial modules that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each module contains integrated flowpaths for both hot and cool fluids, eliminating the need for complex external piping networks and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining heat exchange capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger design merges the hot fluid flowpath and cool fluid flowpath into a single integrated modular structure. The internal flowpath for cool fluid and external flowpath for hot fluid are combined within each radial module, simplifying the system by eliminating separate elaborate piping systems.
3Reliability
If fan duct bleed air is discharged overboard after heat exchange, then cooling task is completed, but thrust benefit is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger design allows the cool fan duct bleed air to perform dual functions: first as a cooling medium in the internal flowpath, then as a thrust-generating flow in the external flowpath. The system self-services by utilizing the same fluid resource for both cooling and thrust purposes, eliminating the need to discharge the cooled air overboard and thereby recovering thrust benefit.
4Stability of the object's composition
If modular annular heat exchanger with serial axial arrangement is used, then thermal stresses are reduced, but manufacturing complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into multiple identical radial modules that can be manufactured using the same processes and then assembled together. The serial axial arrangement of components within each module creates uniform thermal expansion patterns that reduce thermal stresses, while the modularity allows standardization of manufacturing processes to offset the increased complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for parameter changes in the radial modules (such as number of modules, flowpath dimensions) while maintaining the fundamental serial axial arrangement that reduces thermal stresses. This flexibility enables optimization of manufacturing parameters without compromising the thermal stress resistance provided by the modular conformal geometry.
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 modular design reduces thermal stresses, minimizes fluid bypass, and maintains axial, radial, and circumferential relationships, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and reducing weight and fuel consumption by minimizing pressure loss and thrust loss.
Implementation Method 1
the hotter high pressure air gives up some of its thermal energy to the cooler fan duct bleed air
Implementation Method 2
The cooled fluid inlet plenum segment, the plurality of blades, and the cooled fluid outlet plenum segment are in serial axial flow arrangement and define an internal cooled fluid flowpath and an external cooling fluid flowpath
Data Source
AI summary
An annular duct including a modular annular heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine is provided, where the modular annular heat exchanger includes a plurality of radial modules in circumferentially adjacent arrangement. Each radial module includes a cooled fluid inlet plenum segment, a plurality of blades, and a cooled fluid outlet plenum segment. The plurality of blades is configured in circumferentially adjacent arrangement and defines an angular space that is conformal between each circumferentially adjacent blade. The cooled fluid inlet plenum segment, the plurality of blades, and the cooled fluid outlet plenum segment are in serial axial flow arrangement and define an internal cooled fluid flowpath and an external cooling fluid flowpath parallel to the internal cooled fluid flowpath. Each radial module further includes an inner annular ring segment and an outer annular ring segment. The inner annular ring segment and the outer annular ring segment define a plurality of blade retainers. The blade retainers define an axial, radial, and circumferential position of the blades, the cooled fluid inlet plenum segment, and the cooled fluid outlet plenum segment.