Cooling of turbine engine by evaporation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273448-A1
Application number	US-201615062716-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An axial turbine engine for an aircraft, in particular a ducted fan turbine engine. The engine comprises an oil circuit with a cooler fitted with a first heat exchange surface in contact with oil of the oil circuit, and a second heat exchange surface in contact with a secondary air flow entering the turbine engine. The cooler is of the air/oil type (ACOC) and comprises fins. To increase the capacity of the cooler, the cooler is fitted with a device for injecting a cooling liquid, e.g., water with additives. The thermal capacity of the water amplifies the cooling. Evacuation of the water increases the thrust of the turbine engine. A method is also provided for cooling the turbine engine of an aircraft by injection of a cooling liquid at the time of take-off.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An axial turbine engine for an aircraft, intended to be in contact with at least one air flow, the turbine engine comprising:
an oil circuit with at least one cooler, the cooler comprising:
a first heat exchange surface in contact with oil of the oil circuit;
a second heat exchange surface in contact with the air flow in order to cool the oil by means of the air flow; and
an injection device structured and operable to inject a cooling liquid onto the second surface in order to cool it.

2 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising an external annular casing radially delimiting the airflow, wherein the injection device is arranged axially at the level of the external casing.

3 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the injection device comprises at least one injection means structured and operable to inject the cooling liquid onto the second surface, the injection means being placed upstream the second surface.

4 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the cooler comprises cooling fins forming the second surface, the injection device comprising at least one injection means configured to inject the cooling liquid onto the fins.

5 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the injection device comprises injection openings arranged circularly.

6 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising an annular vein guiding the air flow, and a passage with an inlet and an outlet, both in communication with the annular vein, the cooler being disposed in the passage.

7 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust, the turbine engine being structured and operable to evacuate the cooling liquid from the turbine engine via the exhaust.

8 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising a duct projecting axially for supplying the cooling liquid and a liquid reservoir.

9 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising a convergent-divergent nozzle, the cooler being placed upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle.

10 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the cooler has an annular shape, the cooler surrounding the air flow.

11 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising a body with a cooling coil in communication with the oil circuit, wherein the body can be at least one of a vane and a defrosting tip of the turbine engine.

12 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising at least one actuator controlled by oil pressure of the oil circuit, and a pump pressurizing the oil towards the actuator.

13 . The turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising an oil temperature sensor structured and operable to measure a temperature of the oil in the oil circuit, wherein the injection device can be structured and operable to inject the cooling liquid onto the second surface when the sensor detects that the oil temperature exceeds a temperature threshold TS.

14 . An axial turbine engine for an aircraft, said turbine engine comprising:
an annular primary flow; an annular secondary flow; a high pressure compressor; and a low pressure compressor that is in contact with the primary flow and the secondary flow, the low pressure compressor including an oil circuit with at least one cooler, the cooler comprising:
a first heat exchange surface in contact with oil of the oil circuit;
a second heat exchange surface in contact with at least one of the annular flows in order to cool the oil; and
an injection device structured and operable to inject a cooling liquid onto the second surface, the injection device disposed upstream of the second surface.

15 . The turbine engine of claim 14 further comprising a fan, and a reducing gear that is lubricated by the oil of the oil circuit, the reducing gear connecting the fan and the compressor.

16 . A method for cooling a turbojet engine of an aircraft, wherein the turbojet engine comprises an oil circuit having a cooler adapted to cool the oil of the oil circuit, said method comprising:
injecting a cooling liquid onto the cooler of the turbojet engine at take-off of the aircraft.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cooler comprises an air and oil cooler.

18 . The method of claim 16 further comprising injecting the cooling liquid onto the cooler of the turbojet engine when the rotation speed acceleration of the turbine engine exceeds a threshold AR.

19 . The method of claim 16 further comprising injecting the cooling liquid onto the cooler of the turbojet engine when an altitude of the turbine engine is below an altitude threshold AS.

20 . The method of claim 16 further comprising injecting the cooling liquid onto the cooler of the turbojet when a temperature of a lubricating oil of the turbine engine exceeds a threshold TS.

Assignees

• Techspace Aero Sa

Inventors

• Duprez Vincent

Classifications

• F02C3/04 Primary

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F02C7/18

  the medium being gaseous, e.g. air {(F02C7/125 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F28D2021/0021

  for aircrafts or cosmonautics · CPC title

• F05D2260/22141

  using fins or ribs · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title