Turbofan engine assembly with intercooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401890-B2
Application number	US-202016822396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Jan 16, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A turbofan engine assembly including a compressor, an intermittent internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor through at least one first passage of an intercooler, a turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the intermittent internal combustion engine, the turbine compounded with the intermittent internal combustion engine, a bypass duct surrounding the intermittent internal combustion engine, compressor and turbine, and a fan configured to propel air through the bypass duct and through an inlet of the compressor, wherein the intercooler is located in the bypass duct, the intercooler having at least one second passage in heat exchange relationship with the at least one first passage, the at least one second passage in fluid communication with the bypass duct.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A turbofan engine assembly comprising:
a compressor;
an intermittent internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor through at least one first passage of an intercooler;
a turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the intermittent internal combustion engine, the turbine compounded with the internal combustion engine, wherein a rotor of the turbine is drivingly engaged to a shaft of the intermittent internal combustion engine via an accessory gearbox and wherein the accessory gearbox and at least one accessory drivingly engaged to the accessory gearbox are positioned between the turbine and the intermittent internal combustion engine;
a bypass duct surrounding the intermittent internal combustion engine, compressor, accessory gearbox, at least one accessory, and turbine;
a fan configured to propel air through the bypass duct and through an inlet of the compressor; and
a heat exchanger located in the bypass duct, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with both a coolant system of the intermittent internal combustion engine and a lubrication system of the turbofan engine assembly;
wherein the intercooler is located in the bypass duct, the intercooler having at least one second passage in heat exchange relationship with the at least one first passage, the at least one second passage in fluid communication with the bypass duct.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fan and rotors of the compressor and of the turbine are drivingly engaged to the shaft of the intermittent internal combustion engine.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fan is drivingly engaged to the shaft of the intermittent internal combustion engine via a first gearbox.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the compressor is located between the intermittent internal combustion engine and the fan, the inlet of the compressor being located immediately downstream of the fan.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the compressor is located between the intermittent internal combustion engine and the turbine, the compressor is a centrifugal compressor, and the compressor inlet is defined by a duct extending radially inwardly from the bypass duct.

6. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the intermittent internal combustion engine is a Wankel rotary engine including an engine rotor having three apex portions mounted for eccentric revolutions within an internal cavity defined in a housing, the internal cavity having an epitrochoid shape with two lobes.

7. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional intermittent internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor through the at least one first passage of the intercooler and having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet of the turbine.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the turbine is a first turbine, the assembly further comprising a second turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first turbine.

9. A turbofan engine assembly comprising:
a compressor;
a plurality of rotary internal combustion engines each including an engine rotor having three apex portions mounted for eccentric revolutions within an internal cavity defined in a housing, the internal cavity having an epitrochoid shape with two lobes, the rotary internal combustion engines having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor through at least one first passage of an intercooler;
a turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the rotary internal combustion engines, the turbine compounded with the rotary internal combustion engines, wherein a rotor of the turbine is drivingly engaged to a shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines via an accessory gearbox and wherein the accessory gearbox and at least one accessory drivingly engaged to the accessory gearbox are positioned between the turbine and the rotary internal combustion engines;
a bypass duct surrounding the rotary internal combustion engines, compressor, accessory gearbox, at least one accessory, and turbine;
a fan configured to propel air through the bypass duct and through an inlet of the compressor;
a heat exchanger located in the bypass duct, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with both a coolant system of the plurality of rotary internal combustion engines and
a wherein the intercooler is located in the bypass duct, the intercooler having at least one second passage in heat exchange relationship with the at least one first passage, the at least one second passage in fluid communication with the bypass duct.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the fan and rotors of the compressor and of the turbine are drivingly engaged to the shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the fan is drivingly engaged to the shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines via a first gearbox.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the compressor is located between the rotary internal combustion engines and the fan, the inlet of the compressor being located immediately downstream of the fan.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the compressor is located between the rotary internal combustion engines and the turbine, the compressor is a centrifugal compressor, and the compressor inlet is defined by a duct extending radially inwardly from the bypass duct.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the turbine is a first turbine, the assembly further comprising a second turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first turbine.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Julien Andre
• Thomassin Jean
• Dussault Serge

Classifications

• F02C9/18

  by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F02B53/02

  Methods of operating · CPC title

• F02K5/00 Primary

  Plants including an engine, other than a gas turbine, driving a compressor or a ducted fan · CPC title

• F05D2220/30

  in turbines · CPC title

• F02C5/00

  Gas-turbine plants characterised by the working fluid being generated by intermittent combustion · CPC title