Gas turbine engine heat exchangers and methods of assembling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765694-B2
Application number	US-201313900101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2013
Priority date	Aug 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly comprises a heat exchanger body including a first fluid circuit and a second fluid circuit. The first circuit includes a first bypass valve in flow communication with a first fluid circuit inlet channel. The first fluid circuit also includes a plurality of cooling channels in flow communication with the first bypass valve. The first bypass valve is configured to channel a first fluid to the plurality of cooling channels during a first mode of operation to facilitate reducing a temperature of the first fluid. The second fluid circuit includes a second bypass valve configured to facilitate a flow of a second fluid through at least a portion of the heat exchanger body during the first mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger assembly for use in a gas turbine engine including a core gas turbine engine having an axis of rotation and a fan casing substantially circumscribing the core gas turbine engine and a fan duct, said heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a heat exchanger body, wherein the entire heat exchanger body is extending circumferentially with a substantially arcuate shape on a surface of the fan casing or on a surface of a splitter of the core gas turbine engine, such that the heat exchanger body has a circumferential and axial profile that substantially conforms to a circumferential and axial profile of the fan duct at a location within the fan duct where the heat exchanger body is mounted;
a first bypass valve included in the heat exchanger body;
a first fluid circuit inlet channel, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said first bypass valve;

a first set of cooling channels, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said first bypass valve, wherein said first bypass valve is configured to channel a first fluid to said first set of cooling channels during a first mode of operation to facilitate reducing a temperature of said first fluid; a second bypass valve, included in the heat exchanger body;
a second fluid circuit inlet channel, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said second bypass valve;
a second set of cooling channels, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said second bypass valve, wherein said second bypass valve is configured to facilitate a flow of a second fluid through at least a portion of said heat exchanger body during the first mode of operation;
wherein the first set of cooling channels and the second set of cooling channels extend across a majority of an entire circumferential length of the body; and
wherein the first fluid and the second fluid do not mix.

2. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first first set of cooling channels includes a first fluid circuit outlet channel in flow communication with said first bypass valve, wherein said first bypass valve is configured to channel said first fluid to said first fluid circuit outlet channel during a second mode of operation.

3. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said first bypass valve is configured to channel the first fluid to said first fluid circuit outlet channel when the first fluid reaches a first pre-determined temperature at an inlet of said heat exchanger body.

4. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said second bypass valve is configured to prevent a flow of said second fluid through at least a portion of said heat exchanger body during a second mode of operation.

5. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first fluid circuit inlet channel is in fluid communication with a gas turbine engine lubrication fluid system and said second fluid circuit inlet channel is in fluid communication with a generator lubrication fluid system.

6. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger assembly is coupled within a recess located in a radially interior surface of the fan casing.

7. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of cooling fins extending radially from at least one exterior surface of said heat exchanger body, said plurality of cooling fins configured to receive a flow of air to facilitate reducing a temperature of the first and second fluids flowing through said heat exchanger body during the first mode of operation.

8. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first and second bypass valves are positioned at opposing ends of said heat exchanger body.

9. The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said first fluid circuit inlet channel is adjacent to said first set of cooling channels such that the flow of the first fluid through said first fluid circuit inlet channel during the second mode of operation facilitates de-congealing an amount of the first fluid within said first set of cooling channels.

10. A method for assembling a gas turbine engine including an axis of rotation, the method comprising:
providing a fan casing that substantially circumscribes the gas turbine engine;
providing a heat exchanger assembly, comprising a heat exchanger body, wherein the entire heat exchanger body is extending circumferentially with a substantially arcuate shape on a surface of the fan casing or on a surface of a splitter of the core gas turbine engine;
a first bypass valve included in the heat exchanger body;
a first fluid circuit inlet, included in the heat exchanger body, channel in flow communication with said first bypass valve;
a first set of cooling channels, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said first bypass valve, wherein said first bypass valve is configured to channel a first fluid to said first set of cooling channels during a first mode of operation to facilitate reducing a temperature of said first fluid;
a second bypass valve, included in the heat exchanger body;
a second fluid circuit inlet channel, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said second bypass valve;
a second set of cooling channels, included in the heat exchanger body, in flow communication with said second bypass valve, wherein said second bypass valve is configured to facilitate a flow of a second fluid through at least a portion of said heat exchanger body during the first mode of operation; and coupling the heat exchanger assembly to the fan casing;
wherein the first set of cooling channels and the second set of cooling channels extend across a majority of an entire circumferential length of the body; and
wherein the first fluid and the second fluid do not mix.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising coupling a plurality of cooling fins to a radially exterior surface of the heat exchanger body such that the plurality of cooling fins are configured to receive a flow of air to facilitate reducing a temperature of the first and second fluids flowing through the heat exchanger body during the first mode of operation.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein coupling the heat exchanger assembly to the fan casing further comprises coupling the heat exchanger assembly within a recess in the fan casing such that the at least one radially exterior surface of the heat exchanger is flush with a radially interior surface of the fan casing such that only the plurality of cooling fins are exposed to the flow of air.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said first set of cooling channels includes a first fluid circuit outlet channel in flow communication with said first bypass valve, wherein said first bypass valve is configured to channel said first fluid to said first fluid circuit outlet channel during a second mode of operation.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said second bypass valve is configured to prevent a flow of said second fluid through at least a portion of said heat exchanger body during a second mode of operation.

15. A gas turbine, engine assembly comprising:
a core gas turbine engine having an axis of rotation;
a fan casing substantially circumscribing said core gas turbine engine; and
a heat exchanger assembly positioned within the fan casing, said heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a heat exchanger body, wherein the entire heat exchanger body is extending cir

Assignees

• Unison Ind Llc

Inventors

• Storage Michael Ralph
• Mcqueen Dennis Alan
• Foster Roger Earl

Classifications

• F02C7/14 Primary

  of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F02C7/12 Primary

  Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49229

  Prime mover or fluid pump making · CPC title

• F28F3/02

  Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations (F28F3/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T50/675

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic