Gas turbine engine fuel cooled cooling air heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290290-A1
Application number	US-201514673066-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cooled cooling air heat exchanger includes a fuel injector and an airflow body. The fuel injector has a fuel flow passage formed therein that includes a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port. The airflow body is coupled to and surrounds at least a portion of the fuel injector. The airflow body has an inner surface that is spaced apart from the fuel injector to define an airflow passage between the airflow body and the fuel injector, and the airflow passage includes an air inlet port and an air outlet port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cooled cooling air heat exchanger, comprising:
a fuel injector having a fuel flow passage formed therein, the fuel flow passage including a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port; and an airflow body coupled to and surrounding at least a portion of the fuel injector, the airflow body having an inner surface that is spaced apart from the fuel injector to define an airflow passage between the airflow body and the fuel injector, the airflow passage including an air inlet port and an air outlet port.

2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage.

3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the airflow passage is configured as a spiral air flow passage.

4 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein:
the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage that causes fuel to flow, from the fuel inlet port to the fuel outlet port, in a first direction about a longitudinal axis; and the airflow passage is configured as a spiral airflow flow passage that causes air to flow, from the air inlet port to the air outlet port, in a second direction about the longitudinal axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

5 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fins extending from inner surface of the airflow body into the airflow passage and toward the fuel injector.

6 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein:
the fuel inlet port is disposed closer to the air outlet port than it is to the air inlet port; and the fuel outlet port is disposed closer to the air inlet port than it is to the air outlet port.

7 . An assembly, comprising:
a gas turbine engine combustor having an inner surface that defines a combustion chamber; and a plurality of fuel cooled cooling air heat exchangers coupled to the combustor, each fuel cooled cooling air heat exchanger comprising:
a fuel injector having a fuel flow passage formed therein, the fuel flow passage including a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port, the fuel inlet port adapted to receive a flow of fuel, the fuel outlet port disposed in the combustion chamber; and
an airflow body coupled to and surrounding at least a portion of the fuel injector, the airflow body having an inner surface that is spaced apart from the fuel injector to define an airflow passage between the airflow body and the fuel injector, the airflow passage including an air inlet port and an air outlet port.

8 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage.

9 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the airflow passage is configured as a spiral air flow passage.

10 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage that causes fuel to flow, from the fuel inlet port to the fuel outlet port, in a first direction about a longitudinal axis; and the airflow passage is configured as a spiral airflow flow passage that causes air to flow, from the air inlet port to the air outlet port, in a second direction about the longitudinal axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

11 . The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
plurality of fins extending from the airflow body into the airflow passage and toward the fuel injector.

12 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the fuel inlet port is disposed closer to the air outlet port than it is to the air inlet port; and the fuel outlet port is disposed closer to the air inlet port than it is to the air outlet port.

13 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section disposed in flow series, the combustion section configured to receive a flow of compressed air and a flow of fuel, the combustion section comprising:
a combustor having an inner surface that defines a combustion chamber; and
a plurality of fuel cooled cooling air heat exchangers coupled to the combustor, each fuel cooled cooling air heat exchanger comprising:
a fuel injector having a fuel flow passage formed therein, the fuel flow passage including a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port, the fuel inlet port adapted to receive the flow of fuel, the fuel outlet port disposed in the combustion chamber; and
an airflow body coupled to and surrounding at least a portion of the fuel injector, the airflow body having an inner surface that is spaced apart from the fuel injector to define an airflow passage between the airflow body and the fuel injector, the airflow passage including an air inlet port and an air outlet port, the air inlet port adapted to receive a portion of the flow of compressed air.

14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the airflow passage is configured as a spiral air flow passage.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein:
the fuel flow passage is configured as a spiral fuel flow passage that causes fuel to flow, from the fuel inlet port to the fuel outlet port, in a first direction about a longitudinal axis; and the airflow passage is configured as a spiral airflow flow passage that causes air to flow, from the air inlet port to the air outlet port, in a second direction about the longitudinal axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising:
plurality of fins extending from the airflow body into the airflow passage and toward the fuel injector.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein:
the fuel inlet port is disposed closer to the air outlet port than it is to the air inlet port; and the fuel outlet port is disposed closer to the air inlet port than it is to the air outlet port.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Lo Charles

Classifications

• F23R3/28

  characterised by the fuel supply (burners F23D) · CPC title

• F02C7/185

  Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas · CPC title

• F23D11/24

  by pressurisation of the fuel before a nozzle through which it is sprayed by a substantial pressure reduction into a space · CPC title

• F23R3/283

  Attaching or cooling of fuel injecting means including supports for fuel injectors, stems, or lances · CPC title

• F05D2250/15

  spiral · CPC title