Turboshaft Engine Heat Exchange via Merging Interfaces

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional turboshaft engines with heat exchangers suffer from increased head losses and complexity due to elongated gas paths, which hinder efficiency and increase weight and dimensions.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement of two turboshaft engines with heat exchangers that facilitate heat exchange between adjacent engines, reducing gas pipe elongations and head losses by having parallel rotational axes and opposite gas stream directions, with mechanical transmissions connecting power take-off devices and drive shafts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a heat exchanger is disposed in the cold section upstream of the combustion chamber, then heat recuperation efficiency is improved, but the gas path becomes elongated and head losses increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat recuperation efficiencyVSAvoidhead losses

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cold section of one turboshaft engine with the hot section of another engine by placing heat exchangers in direct thermal contact between adjacent engines. This eliminates the need for separate, elongated gas paths and allows heat transfer at the interface between engines, thereby maintaining heat recuperation efficiency while minimizing head losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-engine linear gas path to a multi-dimensional arrangement where heat exchange occurs in the spatial dimension between adjacent engines. By utilizing the lateral space between engines and placing heat exchangers at their interfaces, the system achieves heat recuperation without elongating the primary gas flow path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If heat exchangers are placed beside the machine or after turbines, then exhaust modification is avoided, but gas pipes become more complex and heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexhaust modification simplicityVSAvoidgas pipe complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the heat exchanger placement with the engine assembly itself by positioning heat exchangers at the interfaces between adjacent engines. This integration eliminates the need for separate external heat exchanger placements and complex piping arrangements, thereby maintaining exhaust modification simplicity while reducing gas pipe complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Use of energy by moving object

If conventional heat exchanger arrangements are used, then heat recuperation is achieved, but overall weight and dimensions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal efficiencyVSAvoidoverall weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heat exchanger function into the space between adjacent engines, utilizing the existing structural interface. This shared arrangement allows two engines to benefit from heat recuperation while requiring only one heat exchanger unit per interface, thereby achieving improved thermal efficiency without proportionally increasing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat exchanger placed at the interface between two engines serves dual purposes: it performs heat recuperation for both adjacent engines simultaneously. This multi-functional arrangement allows the same component to benefit two engines, reducing the total number of heat exchangers needed and thereby reducing overall weight and dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Use of energy by moving object

If gas paths are elongated to accommodate heat exchangers, then heat exchange is enabled, but head losses and development costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange capabilityVSAvoiddevelopment costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the heat exchange function with the existing engine interface structure, eliminating the need for separate gas path extensions. By placing heat exchangers at the interfaces between adjacent engines, the system enables heat exchange without creating additional elongated gas paths, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and development costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 thermal efficiency, reduces weight and dimensions, and achieves fuel savings of 18% to 20%, while maintaining operational independence and compactness, suitable for applications like helicopter propulsion.

Implementation Method 1

two heat exchangers, a first of the heat exchangers bringing an output airflow from the cold section of a first of the turboshaft engines into a heat exchanging relationship with an output gas stream from the hot section of a second of the turboshaft engines

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS11300048B2Arrangement of two turboshaft engines

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 SAFRAN SA

AI summary

Two turboshaft engines are interwoven so as to exchange thermal energy by heat exchangers which improve their efficiency, without greatly increasing head losses since the pipes imposed to serve the exchangers are short and include a single bend.