Folded heat exchanger for cooled cooling air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10287982-B2
Application number	US-201514826905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2015
Priority date	Aug 14, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A heat exchanger (HEX) for cooling air in a gas turbine engine is provided. The HEX may comprise a central manifold comprising an inlet portion, a first outlet portion, and a second outlet portion. The HEX may further comprise a plurality of tubes coupled to the central manifold, the plurality of tubes comprising at least a first tube, a second tube, a third tube, and a fourth tube, a shroud at least partially encasing said plurality of tubes, and a cooling air flow path defined by at least one of the shroud, the plurality of tubes, and an outer surface of the central manifold, wherein the cooling air flow path is orthogonal to said plurality of tubes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for cooling air in a gas turbine engine comprising:
a central manifold comprising a central inlet portion, a first outlet portion, and a second outlet portion, the first outlet portion disposed proximate the central inlet portion and the second outlet portion disposed opposite the first outlet portion relative to the central inlet portion;
a plurality of tubes coupled to the central manifold, the plurality of tubes comprising at least a first plurality of tubes, a second plurality of tubes, a third plurality of tubes, and a fourth plurality of tubes;
a shroud at least partially encasing said plurality of tubes; and
a cooling air flow path defined by at least one of the shroud, the plurality of tubes, and an outer surface of the central manifold, wherein the cooling air flow path is orthogonal to said plurality of tubes; wherein
the first plurality of tubes are coupled between a first quadrant of the central inlet portion and a first half of the first outlet portion;
the second plurality of tubes are coupled between a second quadrant of the central inlet portion and a second half of the first outlet portion, wherein a first tube from the first plurality of tubes has a first straight portion and a first rounded portion and a second tube from the second plurality of tubes has a second straight portion and a second rounded portion;
the third plurality of tubes are coupled between a third quadrant of the central inlet portion and a first half of the second outlet portion; and
the fourth plurality of tubes are coupled between a fourth quadrant of the central inlet portion and a second half of the second outlet portion, wherein a third tube from the third plurality of tubes has a third straight portion and a third rounded portion and a fourth tube from the fourth plurality of tubes has a fourth straight portion and a fourth rounded portion; and wherein
the cooling air flow path receives air from a bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a flow area of at least one of the first plurality of tubes, the second plurality of tubes, the third plurality of tubes, and the fourth plurality of tubes is less than 5% of the flow area of the central inlet portion.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes a flow tab, the flow tab configured to contain the cooling air flow path in close proximity to the plurality of tubes.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the central inlet portion is configured to receive air from a high pressure compressor section of the gas turbine engine.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a first attachment feature configured to be fixed to the gas turbine engine via a first adjustable damper and a second attachment feature configured to be coupled to the gas turbine engine via a second adjustable damper, wherein the second attachment feature may freely expand away and contract towards the first attachment feature with the heat exchanger, and wherein at least one of the first attachment feature or the second attachment feature at attached to the gas turbine engine via an adjustable damper, the adjustable damper comprising a fifth tube located at least partially within a sixth tube, and a spring member coupled between an adjusting member and a moveable member.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the central inlet portion, the first outlet portion, and the second outlet portion defines a cylindrical geometry.

7. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section; and
an air-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor section, comprising:
a central manifold comprising a central inlet portion, a first outlet portion, and a second outlet portion, the first outlet portion disposed proximate the central inlet portion and the second outlet portion disposed opposite the first outlet portion relative to the central inlet portion;
a plurality of tubes coupled to the central manifold, the plurality of tubes comprising at least a first plurality of tubes, a second plurality of tubes, a third plurality of tubes, and a fourth plurality of tubes;
a shroud at least partially encasing said plurality of tubes; and
a cooling air flow path defined by at least one of the shroud, the plurality of tubes, and an outer surface of the central manifold, wherein the cooling air flow path is orthogonal to said plurality of tubes; wherein
the first plurality of tubes are coupled between a first quadrant of the central inlet portion and a first half of the first outlet portion;
the second plurality of tubes are coupled between a second quadrant of the central inlet portion and a second half of the first outlet portion, wherein a first tube from the first plurality of tubes has a first straight portion and a first rounded portion and a second tube from the second plurality of tubes has a second straight portion and a second rounded portion;
the third plurality of tubes are coupled between a third quadrant of the central inlet portion and a first half of the second outlet portion; and
the fourth plurality of tubes are coupled between a fourth quadrant of the central inlet portion and a second half of the second outlet portion, wherein a third tube from the third plurality of tubes has a third straight portion and a third rounded portion and a fourth tube from the fourth plurality of tubes has a fourth straight portion and a fourth rounded portion; and wherein
the cooling air flow path receives air from a bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein a flow area of at least one of the first plurality of tubes, the second plurality of tubes, the third plurality of tubes, and the fourth plurality of tubes is less than 5% of the flow area of the central inlet portion.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the shroud includes a flow tab, the flow tab configured to contain the cooling air flow path in close proximity to the plurality of tubes.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the central inlet portion is configured to receive air from the compressor section of the gas turbine engine.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger further comprises a first attachment feature configured to be fixed to the gas turbine engine via first adjustable damper and a second attachment feature configured to be coupled to the gas turbine engine via a second adjustable damper, wherein the second attachment feature may expand away and contract towards the first attachment feature with the air-to-air heat exchanger.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the central inlet portion, the first outlet portion, or the second outlet portion defines a cylindrical void.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Duesler Paul W
• Schwarz Frederick M

Classifications

• F28D2021/0026

  for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines · CPC title

• F02K3/115 Primary

  by means of indirect heat exchange · CPC title

• F02C7/185 Primary

  Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas · CPC title

• F28D7/06

  the conduits having a single U-bend (F28D7/10 takes precedence){(F28D7/0016 and F28D7/0033 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F02C7/141

  of working fluid · CPC title