Three-Air-Stream Turbine Engine With Low-Resistance Condenser Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The positioning of a condenser in the bypass air flow passage of a turbine engine increases resistance, reducing efficiency and thrust due to the need for additional pressure to overcome flow restrictions, especially when used for cooling the condenser with bypass air.
Innovation Solution
A separate airflow passage is introduced for cooling air to cool the condenser, utilizing a booster fan to increase the pressure of this cooling air, thereby minimizing interference with bypass air flow and maintaining engine efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the condenser is positioned in the bypass air flow passage to cool the condenser with bypass air, then the condenser cooling function is achieved, but the bypass air flow resistance increases, reducing engine efficiency and thrust
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow is segmented into three distinct streams: core air flowing through the core section, bypass air flowing through the bypass passage, and cooling air flowing through a separate cooling air duct to the condenser. This segmentation allows the condenser cooling function to be achieved without interfering with the bypass air flow, thus maintaining engine efficiency while providing effective condenser cooling.
2Temperature
If the condenser is positioned in the bypass air flow passage, then the condenser cooling function is achieved, but the thrust is reduced due to additional pressure requirements to overcome flow restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow paths are segmented into separate ducts: the bypass air flow passage remains unrestricted for thrust generation, while a separate cooling air duct delivers cooling air to the condenser. This eliminates flow restrictions in the bypass passage that would otherwise reduce thrust, while still achieving effective condenser cooling through the dedicated cooling air stream.
3Loss of energy
If a separate cooling air duct is introduced to cool the condenser, then the bypass air flow remains unimpeded, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air duct is arranged in a radial position between the core air flow path and the bypass air flow passage, utilizing the radial dimension of the engine structure. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the cooling air duct to be integrated into the existing engine architecture without significantly increasing overall complexity, while effectively delivering cooling air to the condenser and maintaining unimpeded bypass air flow.
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 enhances turbine engine efficiency and thrust by allowing unimpeded bypass air flow while effectively cooling the condenser, thus optimizing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser positioned in the cooling air duct to transfer heat from the combustion gases to the cooling air and to condense the water from the combustion gases
Implementation Method 2
a condenser positioned in the cooling air duct to transfer heat from the combustion gases to the cooling air and to condense the water from the combustion gases
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a booster fan to increase the pressure of this cooling air
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine engine includes a cooling air duct for cooling air positioned radially between a core air flow path for core air and a bypass airflow passage for bypass air. A heat exchanger is positioned in the cooling air duct to transfer heat from a heat source from within the turbine engine. The heat exchanger may be a condenser. The turbine engine may further include a steam system that extracts water from the combustion gases, vaporizes the water to generate steam, and injects the steam into the core air flow path, the steam system including the condenser to transfer heat from the combustion gases to the cooling air and to condense the water from the combustion gases. The turbine engine may further include a booster fan to increase the pressure of the cooling air and the core air.