Heat exchanger for gas turbine engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10041741-B2
Application number	US-201514922247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Oct 26, 2015
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A heat exchanger defines an annulus divided by a plurality of radial plates extending longitudinal along the annulus, into a plurality of channels. A first group of the channels form an oil passage and a second group of channels form a fuel passage. The channels in the respective first and second groups are circumferentially alternately positioned one to another, and heat transfer from the oil passage to the fuel passage takes place through the radial plates.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of interlaced first and second longitudinally-extending channels within an annulus defined radially between a first cylindrical wall and a second cylindrical wall, the plurality of first and second channels being distributed about a longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger, the plurality of first and second channels being circumferentially alternately positioned and separated from one another by a plurality of radially-extending plates connected to the first cylindrical wall and to the second cylindrical wall, the plates having an undulating shape, the plurality of first channels fluidly interconnected to provide a first fluid passage configurable for connection to first fluid source, and the plurality of second channels fluidly interconnected to provide a second fluid passage configurable for connection to a second fluid source, a first end wall structure including first and second annular walls each connected to a first end of a respective one of the first and second cylindrical walls, the first end wall structure defining a first array of slots extending through the first annular wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of first channels, and a second array of slots extending through the second annular wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of second channels.

2. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 1 , wherein a housing defines said longitudinal axis as a central axis thereof, the first and second cylindrical walls being located within the housing and being co-axially positioned about the longitudinal axis, and the second cylindrical wall defining a central cavity therein.

3. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plates are radially straight.

4. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plates are axially straight.

5. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a manifold attached to an axial end of the housing, the manifold having a first fluid inlet port, a first fluid outlet port, a second fluid inlet port and a second fluid outlet port located therein, the first fluid inlet port and the first fluid outlet port being in fluid communication with the first fluid passage, and the second fluid inlet port and the second fluid outlet port being in fluid communication with the second fluid passage.

6. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 5 , wherein the first fluid and second fluid passages define a first fluid passage inlet and outlet and a second fluid passage inlet and outlet respectively, the first fluid passage outlet and second fluid passage inlet being located in the first annular end wall structure, the first fluid passage inlet and second fluid passage outlet being located in a second annular end wall structure connected to a second end of the first and second cylindrical walls, the first fluid passage inlet and outlet and the second fluid passage inlet and outlet being in fluid communication with the respective first fluid inlet and outlet ports, and second fluid inlet and outlet ports.

7. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 6 , wherein a third array of circumferentially spaced slots and a fourth array of circumferentially spaced slots extend through the second annular end wall structure, the first array of slots and the third array of slots being in fluid communication with the first channels to form said respective first fluid passage outlet and inlet, the second array of slots and the fourth array of slots being in fluid communication with the second channels to form said respective second fluid passage inlet and outlet, the first array of slots being positioned around the second array of slots, and the third array of slots being positioned around the fourth array of slots.

8. The heat exchanger as defined in claim 6 , wherein the housing and the first cylindrical wall define an annular cavity radially therebetween, the annular cavity being in fluid communication with the first fluid inlet port in the housing and the first fluid passage inlet in the second annular end wall structure.

9. A fuel-oil heat exchanger comprising: a first cylindrical wall and a second cylindrical wall co-axially positioned about a longitudinal axis defining an annulus radially therebetween, the second cylindrical wall defining a central cavity therein; and a plurality of radially-extending plates connected to the first cylindrical wall and to the second cylindrical wall to divide the annulus into a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels positioned around the longitudinal axis and circumferentially adjacent one to another, each of the channels having a transverse cross section defining a fluid passing area extending radially inwardly from an annular inner surface of the first cylindrical wall and terminating at an annular outer surface of the second cylindrical wall, a first group of the channels forming a passage for directing a flow passing therethrough and a second group of the channels forming a passage for directing the flow passing therethrough, and the channels in the respective first and second groups being circumferentially alternately positioned one to another a first end wall structure including first and second annular walls each connected to a first end of a respective one of the first and second cylindrical walls, the first end wall structure defining a first array of slots extending through the first annular wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of first channels, and a second array of slots extending through the second annular wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of second channels.

10. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 9 , wherein the respective fluid passing areas are substantially identical in shape and size.

11. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 9 , further comprising: a second annular end wall structure connected to a second end of the first and second cylindrical walls, third and fourth arrays of circumferentially spaced slots extending through the second annular end wall structure, the slots in the first array and the slots in the third array being in fluid communication with the first group of channels to form a respective oil passage outlet and inlet, the slots in the second array and the slots in the fourth array being in fluid communication with the second group of channels to form a respective fuel passage inlet and outlet.

12. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first array of slots is positioned around the second array of slots and wherein the third array of slots is positioned around the fourth array of slots.

13. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 11 , further comprising: a housing defining said longitudinal axis as a central axis thereof and containing the first and second cylindrical walls therein, the housing including an oil inlet port and an oil outlet port in fluid communication with the respective oil passage inlet and oil passage outlet, the housing including a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port in fluid communication with the respective fuel passage inlet and the fuel passage outlet.

14. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 13 , wherein the housing and the first cylindrical wall define an annular cavity radially therebetween in fluid communication with the oil inlet port in the housing and the oil passage inlet in the second annular end wall structure.

15. The fuel-oil heat exchanger as defined in claim 13 , wherein an axial end of the housing defines a manifold, the oil inlet port, oil outlet port, fuel inlet port and fuel outlet port being locat

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Turcotte Herve
• Ng Kevin
• Dubreuil Jean

Classifications

• F28D9/0018

  without any annular circulation of the heat exchange media · CPC title

• F02C7/224

  Heating fuel before feeding to the burner · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F05D2260/213

  by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit · CPC title

• F02C7/06

  Arrangements of bearings (bearings F16C); Lubricating ({of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or} engines in general F01M) · CPC title