Thermal Transport Bus Layout for Gas Turbine Heat Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines have inefficient heat exchanger configurations, leading to suboptimal use of resources, with some heat exchangers operating at maximum capacity while others are underutilized, resulting in increased size, weight, and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system featuring a thermal transport bus with a heat exchange fluid and a pump, along with multiple heat source exchangers and a selectively usable heat sink exchanger, allows for efficient heat allocation and reduction in the number or size of heat exchangers by integrating heat removal from various accessory systems into a single system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual heat exchangers are dedicated to each accessory system, then each system can receive maximum heat removal, but the number of heat exchangers increases and they operate inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual heat exchangers into a single integrated heat exchanger that serves multiple accessory systems. The heat exchange fluid circulates through a common heat exchanger and distributes thermal energy to various systems including lubrication, environmental control, and fuel heating, thereby reducing the total number of heat exchangers while maintaining reliable heat removal for each system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heat exchanger is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - it provides heat removal for the lubrication system, heating for environmental control systems, and temperature regulation for fuel systems. This multi-functional approach allows a single heat exchanger to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate units.
2Reliability
If heat exchangers are sized for maximum capacity, then peak heat removal requirements are met, but the heat exchangers are oversized for normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates dynamic flow control mechanisms that adjust the distribution of heat exchange fluid to various accessory systems based on their instantaneous thermal requirements. During peak demand, the integrated heat exchanger operates at maximum capacity; during normal operation, it operates at a reduced, more efficient capacity, thereby avoiding the need for permanently oversized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable flow rates and temperature differentials of the heat exchange fluid to match the thermal demands of different accessory systems. By changing operational parameters such as fluid flow distribution and temperature levels, the system can efficiently meet both peak and normal operating requirements without requiring maximum-sized heat exchangers for all conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual heat exchangers are used, then each system operates independently, but the overall system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated heat exchanger system maintains continuous thermal management across all accessory systems by circulating heat exchange fluid through a unified pathway. The system ensures that heat removal and distribution operations continue without interruption or idle capacity, as the single heat exchanger can continuously adapt its output to match the combined thermal demands of all connected systems.
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 configuration enables more efficient heat removal from gas turbine engines, reducing the number and size of heat exchangers, optimizing resource use, and providing redundancy and flexibility in heat management, while preventing overheating of fuel and maintaining efficient operation across varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of heat source exchangers in thermal communication with the heat exchange fluid
Implementation Method 3
heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough and a pump for generating a flow of the heat exchange fluid
Implementation Method 4
a pump for generating a flow of the heat exchange fluid in the thermal transport bus
Implementation Method 5
at least one heat sink exchanger permanently or selectively in thermal communication with the heat exchange fluid at a location downstream of the plurality of heat source exchangers
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine and/or an aircraft is provided including a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough. The thermal management system also includes a plurality of heat source exchangers and at least one heat sink exchanger. The plurality of heat source exchangers and the at least one heat sink exchanger are in thermal communication with the heat exchange fluid in the thermal transport bus. The plurality of heat source exchangers are arranged along the thermal transport bus and configured to transfer heat from one or more accessory systems to the heat exchange fluid, and the at least one heat sink exchanger is located downstream of the plurality of heat source exchangers and configured to remove heat from the heat exchange fluid.