Rotating heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11459909-B2
Application number	US-202017021547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2020
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

The heat exchanger includes an inner casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and securable to the shaft for concurrent rotation therewith, and an outer casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and secured to the inner casing, the outer casing located radially outwardly of the inner casing relative to the central axis. First conduits are secured to the outer casing and to the inner casing for rotation about the central axis, the first conduits located radially between the outer casing and the inner casing, and circumferentially distributed about the central axis. First passages are defined in the first conduits. Second passages are circumferentially interspaced between the first passages and are located radially between the inner casing and the outer casing. The second passages are in heat exchange relationship with the first passages.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine having a shaft rotatable about a central axis, comprising:
an inner casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and securable to the shaft for concurrent rotation therewith;
an outer casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and secured to the inner casing, the outer casing located radially outwardly of the inner casing relative to the central axis;
first conduits secured to the outer casing and to the inner casing for rotation about the central axis, the first conduits located radially between the outer casing and the inner casing, the first conduits circumferentially distributed about the central axis, first passages defined in the first conduits, the first passages extending from first inlets to first outlets, the first fluid conduits including hollow fins circumferentially distributed about the central axis and extending radially from the inner casing to the outer casing, the first passages defined within the fins, a fin of the fins extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the leading edge of the fin circumferentially offset from the trailing edge relative to the central axis such that the fin wraps around the inner casing; and
second passages circumferentially interspaced between the first passages and located radially between the inner casing and the outer casing, the second passages extending from second inlets to second outlets, the second passages in heat exchange relationship with the first passages.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first inlets are circumferentially-distributed apertures defined though the inner casing.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the outer casing defines a first flange proximate the second inlets and a second flange proximate the second outlets, each of the first flange and the second flange protruding from a respective one of axial ends of the outer casing toward the central axis to define an annular pool extending circumferentially all around the central axis, the first conduits located partially within the annular pool.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein a distal end of the first flange is located closer to the central axis than a distal end of the second flange, the second outlets defined radially between the distal end of the second flange and the inner casing and circumferentially between each two adjacent ones of the first conduits.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , comprising a seal runner secured to the inner casing, the seal runner located radially outwardly of the outer casing and radially spaced from the outer casing to define an annular outlet passage, the annular outlet passage fluidly communicating with the second outlets.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the seal runner is secured to the inner casing via an annular flange extending radially from the inner casing to the seal runner.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the annular flange defines circumferentially spaced-apart apertures, the circumferentially spaced-apart apertures corresponding to the first outlets.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the second inlets are in fluid communication with a radial annular gap defined radially between the shaft and a distal end of the first annular flange, the radial annular gap sized to receive an oil jet from an oil nozzle.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a shaft rotatable about a central axis;
a bearing housing extending circumferentially about the central axis and defining a bearing cavity, the shaft extending through the bearing housing within the bearing cavity;
a seal secured to the bearing housing and sealingly engaging a seal runner rotatable about the central axis and secured to the shaft, the seal having two seal members spaced apart from one another to define a buffer cavity between the two seal members; and
a heat exchanger located inside the bearing cavity, the heat exchanger secured to the shaft and rotating with the shaft about the central axis, the heat exchanger having
air passages circumferentially distributed about the central axis, the air passages having air inlets fluidly communicating with a compressor section of the gas turbine engine and air outlets fluidly connected to the buffer cavity,
oil passages circumferentially distributed about the central axis and interspaced between the air passages, the oil passages having oil inlets fluidly communicating with a source of lubricant and oil outlets fluidly connected to the bearing cavity of the bearing housing, the oil passages in heat exchange relationship with the air passages.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the air inlets are fluidly communicating with the compressor section via an air conduit defined within the shaft.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the air passages are defined by fins circumferentially distributed about the central axis and extending radially from an inner casing to an outer casing of the heat exchanger, each of the oil passages defined between two adjacent ones of the fins.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein each of the fins extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the leading edge of each of the fins circumferentially offset from the trailing edge relative to the central axis such that the fins wrap around the inner casing.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein the outer casing defines a first flange proximate the oil inlets and a second flange proximate the oil outlets, each of the first flange and the second flange protruding from a respective one of axial ends of the outer casing toward the central axis to define an annular pool extending circumferentially all around the central axis, the fins located within the annular pool.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein a distal end of the first flange is located closer to the central axis than a distal end of the second flange, the oil inlets communicating with an annular gap extending radially between the shaft and the distal end of the first flange, the oil outlets defined radially between the distal end of the second flange and the inner casing and circumferentially between each two adjacent ones of the fins.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , comprising a second seal runner secured to the inner casing, the second seal runner located radially outwardly of the outer casing and radially spaced from the outer casing to define an annular outlet passage, the annular outlet passage fluidly communicating with the oil outlets and with the bearing cavity, each of the seal runner and the second seal runner sealingly engaged to a respective one of the two seal members.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the second seal runner is secured to the inner casing via an annular flange extending radially from the inner casing to the second seal runner.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the annular flange defines circumferentially spaced-apart apertures, the circumferentially spaced-apart apertures corresponding to the air outlets communicating with the buffer cavity.

18. A heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine having a shaft rotatable about a central axis, comprising:
an inner casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and securable to the shaft for concurrent rotation therewith;
an outer casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and secured to the inner casing, the outer casing located radially outwardly of the inner casing relative to the central axis;
first conduits secured to t

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Diosady Laslo
• Alecu Daniel

Classifications

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title

• F01D25/125 Primary

  of bearings · CPC title

• F28F2215/06

  Hollow fins; fins with internal circuits · CPC title

• F01D25/12

  Cooling · CPC title

• F05D2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title