Heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft

1 . A heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft, the heat exchanger assembly comprising:

a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a rounded inner venturi surface of the venturi channel and the outer flow path wall forming a rounded outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;

a heat exchanger including a heat exchanger body, a heat transfer plenum, a plenum inlet, and a plenum outlet, the heat exchanger body disposed downstream of the venturi channel within the air flow path, the heat exchanger configured to direct a fluid from through the heat transfer plenum from the plenum inlet to the plenum outlet to effect heat transfer between the fluid and the air along the air flow path; and

a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel, a strut mounted to the nozzle housing, the strut extending though the inner flow path wall, and the strut including an outer strut portion disposed between and connecting the nozzle housing and the outer flow path wall.

2 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a control valve connected in fluid communication with the nozzle inlet, the control valve configured to control a flow rate of pressurized air directed to the nozzle inlet.

3 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strut is configured as a hollow strut forming an air flow passage, the strut mounted to the nozzle at the nozzle inlet with the air flow passage connected in fluid communication with the nozzle inlet.

4 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger further includes a plurality of heat transfer surface structures extending from the heat exchanger body into the air flow path.

5 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer surface structures includes a plurality of parallel heat transfer plates.

6 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer flow path wall extends between and to an upstream end and a downstream end, the air inlet disposed at the upstream end, the air outlet disposed at the downstream end.

7 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 6 , wherein the outer flow path wall extends between and to a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the outer flow path wall includes an outer wall portion, a first lateral wall portion, and a second lateral wall portion, the outer wall portion spaced from the inner flow path wall, the first lateral wall portion extending between and connecting the outer wall portion and the inner flow path wall at the first lateral side, the second lateral wall portion extending between and connecting the outer wall portion and the inner flow path wall at the second lateral side.

8 . The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

a nacelle external skin forms the inner flow path wall; and

the outer flow path wall includes an outer wall portion spaced from the inner flow path wall.

9 . An aircraft propulsion system comprising:

a nacelle forming an aerodynamic cover for the propulsion system, the nacelle including an external skin; and

a heat exchanger assembly disposed on the external skin, the heat exchanger assembly including:

a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path outside of the nacelle from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a convex inner venturi surface of the venturi channel, and the outer flow path wall forming a convex outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;

a heat exchanger forming a portion of the air flow path downstream of the venturi channel, the heat exchanger including a plurality of heat transfer surface structures positioned within the air flow path and extending between the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall, the plurality of heat transfer surface structures connected to the outer flow path wall;

a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel; and

a strut mounted to the nozzle housing, the strut extending though the inner flow path wall, and the strut including an outer strut portion disposed between and connecting the nozzle housing and the outer flow path wall;

wherein the external skin forms the inner flow path wall, the outer flow path wall includes an outer wall portion, a first lateral wall portion, a second lateral wall portion, and the outer wall portion is spaced from the inner flow path wall.

10 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 9 , further comprising a gas turbine engine housed within the nacelle, the gas turbine engine including a compressor section, the compressor section configured to direct compressor bleed air to the nozzle.

11 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger body and a heat transfer plenum, the heat exchanger body forming a heat transfer panel between the air flow path and the heat transfer plenum, the heat transfer panel forming a portion of the inner flow path wall, the heat transfer plenum configured to receive a fluid from the gas turbine engine.

12 . An aircraft propulsion system comprising:

a heat exchanger assembly including:

a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a rounded inner venturi surface of the venturi channel, and the outer flow path wall forming a rounded outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;

a heat exchanger forming a portion of the air flow path downstream of the venturi channel;

a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel, and the nozzle disposed upstream of the heat exchanger; and

a control valve connected in fluid communication with the nozzle inlet, the control valve configured to control a first flow rate of pressurized air directed to the nozzle inlet; and

a control system including a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

control a position of the control valve to control a second flow rate of air along the air flow path;

identify a hotel mode of operation for gas turbine engine; and

control the position of the control valve by opening the control valve in response to identification of the hotel mode of operation.

13 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 12 , wherein the gas turbine engine includes a propeller and the propeller is stationary during the hotel mode of operation for the gas turbine engine.

14 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify a second mode of operation for gas turbine engine, the second mode of operation different than the hotel mode of operation; and

control the position of the control valve by shutting the control valve in response to identification of the second mode of operation.

15 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 14 , wherein the propeller is rotating during the second mode of operation for the gas turbine engine.

16 . The aircraft propulsion system of claim 12 , wherein:

the heat exchanger assembly further includes a temperature sensor disposed at the heat exchanger, the temperature sensor connected in signal communication with the control system; and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to control the position of the control valve based on a temperature output signal of the temperature sensor.