Aircraft propulsion system with vapor absorption refrigeration system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519294-B2
Application number	US-201916693667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2019
Priority date	Nov 25, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This assembly includes a gas turbine engine and a vapor absorption refrigeration system. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section. The vapor absorption refrigeration system is configured to be driven by waste heat energy received from the turbine section. The vapor absorption refrigeration system includes a condenser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a turbine section and a component; and
a vapor absorption refrigeration system configured to be driven by waste heat energy received from the turbine section, the vapor absorption refrigeration system including a condenser;
the condenser configured to heat fluid that flows through the component.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vapor absorption refrigeration system is configured as a closed-loop refrigerant system.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a bypass duct, and the component is configured with the bypass duct.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a fuel system, and the component is configured with the fuel system.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the gas turbine engine further includes a second component;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further includes an evaporator fluidly coupled with the condenser; and
the evaporator is configured to cool fluid that flows through the second component.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second component is configured within the turbine section.

7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a compressor section, and the second component is configured within the compressor section.

8. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second component comprises a bearing.

9. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a lubrication system, and the second component is configured with the lubrication system.

10. An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a turbine section and a component; and
a vapor absorption refrigeration system configured to be driven by waste heat energy received from the turbine section, the vapor absorption refrigeration system including a condenser;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further including an absorber fluidly coupled with the condenser; and
the absorber configured to generate absorber heat energy by introducing refrigerant vapor into an absorbent, and the absorber further configured to heat fluid that flows through the component using the absorber heat energy.

11. An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a turbine section and a component; and
a vapor absorption refrigeration system configured to be driven by waste heat energy received from the turbine section, the vapor absorption refrigeration system including a condenser;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further including a generator; and
the generator configured to use the waste heat energy received from the turbine section to separate an absorbent-refrigerant mixture into refrigerant and an absorbent, and the generator further configured to provide the refrigerant to the condenser.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein
the gas turbine engine further includes a first component and a second component;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further includes an evaporator and an absorber;
the evaporator is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser and provide refrigerant vapor to the absorber while cooling a first fluid that flows through a first component; and
the absorber is configured to generate absorber heat energy by introducing the refrigerant vapor into the absorbent thereby providing the absorbent-refrigerant mixture, and the absorber further configured to heat a second fluid that flows through a second component using the absorber heat energy.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat energy between the absorbent-refrigerant mixture and the absorbent;
the generator is configured to receive the absorbent-refrigerant mixture from the absorber through the heat exchanger; and
the absorber is configured to receive the absorbent from the generator through the heat exchanger.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the vapor absorption refrigeration system further includes an expansion valve, and the absorber is configured to receive the absorbent from the generator through the expansion valve.

15. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the vapor absorption refrigeration system further includes a pump, and the generator is configured to receive the absorbent-refrigerant mixture from the absorber through the pump.

16. An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a turbine section and a component; and
a vapor absorption refrigeration system configured to use heat energy of gas flowing through the turbine section to drive a cooling cycle for a fluid flowing through the component;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system including a condenser, a first expansion device, an evaporator, an absorber and a generator configured in a closed refrigerant loop;
the vapor absorption refrigeration system further including a pump and a second expansion device; and
the absorber, the pump, the generator and the second expansion device configured in a closed absorbent loop.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Prasad Dilip

Classifications

• F25B25/02

  Compression-sorption machines, plants, or systems · CPC title

• B64D33/08

  of power plant cooling systems · CPC title

• F02C6/18

  using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10) · CPC title

• F05D2260/213

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

• F05D2240/50

  Bearings · CPC title