Motorized Compressor Engine Bleed System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face efficiency losses due to diverting high-pressure, high-temperature bleed air for auxiliary uses, which requires pre-coolers that add weight and reduce fuel efficiency, and existing systems struggle to safely deliver this air without reducing engine performance.
Innovation Solution
An engine bleed control system with a motorized compressor that selectively boosts bleed air pressure from a fan-air source or lower pressure compressor section, maintaining safe temperatures and pressures to eliminate the need for pre-coolers and reduce energy loss, by establishing fluid communication between the compressor and engine bleed tap and controlling delivery of pressure augmented bleed air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If high-pressure bleed air is diverted from the engine for auxiliary uses, then auxiliary functions are enabled, but engine efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters of bleed air by using a motorized compressor to adjust pressure and temperature. This allows the bleed air to be delivered at controlled pressure levels that maintain engine efficiency while still providing sufficient pressure for auxiliary functions, thus resolving the contradiction between versatility and energy loss.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pre-coolers are used to cool high-temperature bleed air, then safety is improved, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical thermal management system (pre-coolers/heat exchangers) with an electrical motorized compressor system. This substitution eliminates the need for heavy thermal management hardware while still achieving safe temperature delivery through electrical compression and control, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and weight.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If pre-coolers are installed to cool bleed air, then thermal safety is improved, but fuel burn efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The motorized compressor system replaces the energy-intensive pre-cooler mechanism, using electrical power instead of mechanical thermal management. This substitution reduces the energy penalty associated with cooling bleed air, thereby improving fuel burn efficiency while maintaining thermal safety through controlled compression.
4Adaptability or versatility
If higher pressure bleed air is diverted beyond engine needs, then auxiliary function capability is improved, but engine efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamic control through a motorized compressor that can adjust bleed air pressure in real-time based on actual auxiliary system requirements. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to provide higher pressure when needed for auxiliary functions while minimizing pressure extraction from the engine core, thus resolving the contradiction between versatility and energy loss.
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 reduces energy loss and weight by maintaining safe temperatures and pressures in the bleed air, eliminating the need for pre-coolers and reducing engine efficiency losses, while ensuring safe delivery of bleed air for aircraft use.
Implementation Method 1
a motorized compressor selectively coupled to a fan-air source or a compressor source of a lower pressure compressor section... selectively drive the motorized compressor to boost a bleed air pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An engine bleed control system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The engine bleed control system includes an engine bleed tap coupled to a fan-air source or a compressor source of a lower pressure compressor section before a highest pressure compressor section of the gas turbine engine and a motorized compressor in fluid communication with the engine bleed tap. The engine bleed control system also includes a controller operable to selectively drive the motorized compressor to boost a bleed air pressure as pressure augmented bleed air and control delivery of the pressure augmented bleed air to an aircraft use.