IP Library Granted Patent US 11,299,279
Granted Patent B2
US 11,299,279 · App. 16/361,482 · Granted Apr 12, 2022

Chilled working fluid generation and separation for an aircraft

Inventor: Michael Winter (New Haven, CT)
Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
B64D13/08B01D45/08B01D53/002B03C1/288B64D13/06B64D27/12B64D33/08F01D15/00F01D25/12F02C6/08F02C7/141F02C7/143F02C7/16F02C7/185F02C9/18F02K3/06F17C7/02F17C7/04F25B9/14F25J3/04254F25J3/04975B64D37/32B64D2013/0614B64D2013/0659B64D2013/0674B64D2013/0677B64D2013/0681F05D2220/323F05D2260/205F05D2260/211F05D2260/232F05D2260/60F25J2240/42F25J2240/80F25J2290/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,299,279
App. No.
16/361,482
Granted
Apr 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for an aircraft includes an engine bleed source of a gas turbine engine. The system also includes a means for chilling an engine bleed air flow from the engine bleed source to produce a chilled working fluid. The system further includes a means for providing the chilled working fluid for an aircraft use.

Claims (33)

1. A system for an aircraft, the system comprising:

an engine bleed source of a gas turbine engine;

a means for chilling an engine bleed air flow from the engine bleed source to produce a chilled working fluid at a temperature below a boiling point of oxygen and above a boiling point of nitrogen;

a means for separating gaseous nitrogen from the chilled working fluid as a gaseous nitrogen supply and separating liquid oxygen from the chilled working fluid as a liquid oxygen supply; and

a plumbing system comprising:

a feeder line coupled to an output of the means for chilling the engine bleed air flow;

a pump in fluid communication with the feeder line, the pump operable to urge the chilled working fluid for an aircraft use through the plumbing system; and

a valve operable to direct a portion of the chilled working fluid to the means for separating gaseous nitrogen.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for chilling the engine bleed air flow is a cryogenic cooling system comprising a compressor operable to further compress the engine bleed air flow as compressed air and at least one turbine operable to expand and cool the compressed air as the chilled working fluid.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft use comprises cooling one or more components of the aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft use comprises an increased airflow to one or more of: components of the gas turbine engine, a cabin of the aircraft, and electronics of the aircraft.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for separating gaseous nitrogen and liquid oxygen is an impact plate-based separator comprising an impact plate positioned proximate to an input port to alter a flow direction of the chilled working fluid.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for separating gaseous nitrogen and liquid oxygen is a stagnation plate-based separator comprising a stagnation plate with variations in curvature and flow paths to alter a flow velocity and pressure of the chilled working fluid.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for separating gaseous nitrogen and liquid oxygen is a magnetic-based separator comprising a magnetic field generator operable to produce a magnetic field to attract the liquid oxygen towards a liquid oxygen output port.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the gaseous nitrogen supply is provided to one or more of: a fuel system of the aircraft and a location downstream of a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the liquid oxygen supply is provided to one or more of: a cabin of the aircraft and a compressor stream of the gas turbine engine.

10. A method comprising:

providing an engine bleed air flow from an engine bleed source of a gas turbine engine to a cryogenic cooling system;

chilling the engine bleed air flow using the cryogenic cooling system to produce a chilled working fluid at a temperature below a boiling point of oxygen and above a boiling point of nitrogen;

urging, by a pump in fluid communication with a feeder line of a plumbing system, the chilled working fluid from the feeder line for an aircraft use of an aircraft through the plumbing system, wherein the feeder line is coupled to an output of the cryogenic cooling system;

directing, by a valve of the plumbing system, a portion of the chilled working fluid to a cryogenic air separator;

separating, by the cryogenic air separator, gaseous nitrogen from the chilled working fluid as a gaseous nitrogen supply; and

separating, by the cryogenic air separator, liquid oxygen from the chilled working fluid as a liquid oxygen supply.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

compressing the engine bleed air flow as compressed air by a compressor of the cryogenic cooling system; and

expanding and cooling the compressed air as the chilled working fluid by at least one turbine of the cryogenic cooling system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aircraft use comprises cooling one or more components of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aircraft use comprises an increased airflow to one or more of: components of the gas turbine engine, a cabin of the aircraft, and electronics of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein separating gaseous nitrogen and liquid oxygen is performed using an impact plate-based separator comprising an impact plate positioned proximate to an input port to alter a flow direction of the chilled working fluid.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing at least a portion of the gaseous nitrogen supply to one or more of: a fuel system of the aircraft and a location downstream of a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing at least a portion of the liquid oxygen supply to one or more of: a cabin of the aircraft and a compressor stream of the gas turbine engine.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2019
From: WINTER, MICHAEL
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048670/0614 →
Continuity (8)
Provisional Application 62656453 · Apr 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62656451 · Apr 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62653604 · Apr 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62653599 · Apr 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62653602 · Apr 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62647060 · Mar 23, 2018
Provisional Application 62647055 · Mar 23, 2018
Related Publication 20190292982A1 · Sep 26, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,351,318 US 12,358,630