Vortex Tube Cooling for Supercritical CO2 Pump Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal transport systems for aircraft use large and heavy heat exchangers to cool the heat exchange fluid, which increases the size, weight, and cost of the system.
Innovation Solution
The use of a vortex tube as a mechanical-thermal device to separate compressed air into hot and cold streams, replacing traditional heat exchangers for thermal management in supercritical carbon dioxide pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heat exchangers are used to cool heat exchange fluid, then thermal management is achieved, but system size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a vortex tube to change the thermal parameters of the fluid by creating a vortex flow that separates the fluid into hot and cold streams through centrifugal forces and heat transfer, eliminating the need for traditional heat exchangers and reducing system weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical thermal management system (heat exchangers) with a fluid dynamic system (vortex tube) that uses rotating flow and centrifugal forces to achieve cooling, thereby reducing system complexity and weight
2Temperature
If traditional heat exchangers are used for thermal management, then cooling is provided, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the complex heat exchanger system and implements it through a simpler vortex tube device that uses fluid rotation and heat transfer to provide the necessary thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex tube serves multiple functions: it cools the heat exchange fluid, reduces motor shaft vibrations, and improves electrical motor stability, thereby simplifying the overall system while maintaining thermal management capabilities
3Temperature
If heat exchangers are used to cool secondary flow, then thermal control is achieved, but motor shaft vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex tube creates a periodic rotating flow pattern that stabilizes the secondary flow, reducing pulsations and vibrations that would otherwise be transmitted to the motor shaft and causing harmful vibrations
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex tube changes the flow parameters of the secondary stream by creating a controlled vortex that stabilizes the flow and reduces vibrations while maintaining the cooling effect
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 approach reduces vibrations in motor shafts, improves electrical motor stability and reliability, and eliminates the weight associated with heat exchangers, while maintaining effective thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
a vortex tube to generate cooled secondary air flow from hot secondary flow extract air
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to provide vortex cooled secondary flow for a supercritical carbon dioxide pump are disclosed herein. An example thermal management system includes a hot secondary flow extract section fluidly coupled to an outlet of a pump system, a cooled secondary flow section fluidly coupled to the hot secondary flow extract section, the hot secondary flow extract section including a vortex tube to generate cooled secondary air flow from hot secondary flow extract air of the hot secondary flow extract section, and a bearing inlet fluidly coupled to the cooled secondary flow section, the bearing inlet positioned to route the cooled secondary flow to bearings of the pump system.