Thermal management assembly for an aircraft propulsion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12503241-B2
Application number	US-202418643677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2024
Priority date	Apr 23, 2024
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

An aircraft propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine, a nacelle, and an electrical assembly. The gas turbine engine includes a rotational assembly and an inner fixed structure. The nacelle includes a nacelle body, a first bifurcation, and a second bifurcation. The nacelle body extends circumferentially about the gas turbine engine. The nacelle body forms an annular bypass duct between the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure. The first bifurcation and the second bifurcation extend between and connect the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure. The electrical assembly includes a motor-generator, a motor control unit, a motor-generator (MG) cooling system, and a motor control unit (MCU) cooling system. The motor-generator is coupled to the shaft. The motor control unit is electrically connected to the motor-generator. The MG cooling system includes a first heat exchanger disposed at the first bifurcation. The MCU cooling system includes a second heat exchanger disposed at the second bifurcation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a rotational assembly and an inner fixed structure, the rotational assembly is rotatable about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, the rotational assembly includes a shaft, a bladed compressor rotor, and a bladed turbine rotor, the shaft interconnects the bladed compressor rotor and the bladed turbine rotor, the inner fixed structure forms an exterior housing of the gas turbine engine; a nacelle including a nacelle body, a first bifurcation, and a second bifurcation, the nacelle body extends circumferentially about the gas turbine engine, the nacelle body forms an annular bypass duct between the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, and the first bifurcation and the second bifurcation extend between and connect the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure; and an electrical assembly including a motor-generator, a motor control unit, a motor-generator (MG) cooling system, and a motor control unit (MCU) cooling system, the motor-generator is coupled to the shaft, the motor control unit is electrically connected to the motor-generator, the MG cooling system is connected in fluid communication with the motor-generator, the MG cooling system includes a first heat exchanger disposed at the first bifurcation within the annular bypass duct, the MCU cooling system is connected in fluid communication with the motor control unit, and the MCU cooling system includes a second heat exchanger disposed at the second bifurcation within the annular bypass duct.

2 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the first bifurcation forms a first heat exchanger assembly including a first bifurcation body, a first heat exchanger housing, and the first heat exchanger, the first bifurcation body and the first heat exchanger housing form a first air passage through the first heat exchanger, the first bifurcation body extends between and connects the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, the first bifurcation body forms a first inlet of the first air passage, and the first heat exchanger housing forms a first outlet of the first air passage.

3 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a fluid system including a third heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger assembly includes the third heat exchanger, and the first bifurcation body and the first heat exchanger housing form the first air passage through the first heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

4 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 3 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a bearing assembly rotationally supporting the rotational assembly, and the bearing assembly is connected in fluid communication with the fluid system.

5 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 3 , wherein the gas turbine engine includes a compressor section including the bladed compressor rotor, and the third heat exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the compressor section to receive a bleed air flow from the compressor section.

6 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the second bifurcation forms a second heat exchanger assembly including a second bifurcation body, a second heat exchanger housing, and the second heat exchanger, the second bifurcation body and the second heat exchanger housing form a second air passage through the second heat exchanger, the second bifurcation body extends between and connects the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, the second bifurcation body forms a second inlet of the second air passage, and the second heat exchanger housing forms a second outlet of the second air passage.

7 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a fan case, the fan case extends circumferentially about the rotational axis at the fan section, the nacelle body encloses the fan case, and the motor control unit is disposed on the fan case within the nacelle body.

8 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the MG cooling system includes a first coolant, the MCU cooling system includes a second coolant, and the first coolant is different than the second coolant.

9 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the MG cooling system is independent of the MCU cooling system.

10 . An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
a gas turbine engine including a first rotational assembly, a second rotational assembly, and an inner fixed structure, the first rotational assembly and the second rotational assembly are rotatable about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, each of the first rotational assembly and the second rotational assembly includes a shaft, a bladed compressor rotor, and a bladed turbine rotor, the shaft interconnects the bladed compressor rotor and the bladed turbine rotor, the inner fixed structure forms an exterior housing of the gas turbine engine; a nacelle including a nacelle body, a first bifurcation, and a second bifurcation, the nacelle body extends circumferentially about the gas turbine engine, the nacelle body forms an annular bypass duct between the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, and the first bifurcation and the second bifurcation extend between and connect the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure; and an electrical assembly including a first motor-generator, a second motor-generator, a first cooling system, and a second cooling system, the first motor-generator is coupled to the first rotational assembly, the second motor-generator is coupled to the second rotational assembly, the first cooling system is connected in fluid communication with the first motor-generator, the first cooling system includes a first heat exchanger disposed at the first bifurcation within the annular bypass duct, the second cooling system is connected in fluid communication with the second motor-generator, and the second cooling system includes a second heat exchanger disposed at the second bifurcation within the annular bypass duct.

11 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 10 , wherein the first bifurcation forms a first heat exchanger assembly including a first bifurcation body, a first heat exchanger housing, and the first heat exchanger, the first bifurcation body and the first heat exchanger housing form a first air passage through the first heat exchanger, the first bifurcation body extends between and connects the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, the first bifurcation body forms a first inlet of the first air passage, and the first heat exchanger housing forms a first outlet of the first air passage.

12 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 11 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a fluid system including a third heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger assembly includes the third heat exchanger, and the first bifurcation body and the first heat exchanger housing form the first air passage through the first heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

13 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 10 , wherein the second bifurcation forms a second heat exchanger assembly including a second bifurcation body, a second heat exchanger housing, and the second heat exchanger, the second bifurcation body and the second heat exchanger housing form a second air passage through the second heat exchanger, the second bifurcation body extends between and connects the nacelle body and the inner fixed structure, the second bifurcation body forms a second inlet of the second air passage, and the second heat exchanger housing forms a second outlet of the second air passage.

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Clark Thomas E
• Yazici Murat
• Morton Jeffrey T

Classifications

• B64D33/08

  of power plant cooling systems · CPC title

• B64D29/00

  Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title

• F01D15/10

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title