Gas turbine engine thermal management system
A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a heat exchanger and a valve that controls an amount of a first fluid that is communicated through the heat exchanger A first sensor senses a first characteristic of a second fluid that is communicated through the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the first fluid and a second sensor senses a second characteristic of the second fluid. A positioning of the valve is based on at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic.
1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a thermal management system that includes a first fluid circuit and a second fluid circuit that manage heat generated in at least a portion of the gas turbine engine;
a first heat exchanger incorporated into a first branch of said first fluid circuit and said second fluid circuit;
a second heat exchanger incorporated into a second branch of said first fluid circuit;
a valve configured to that controls aft a first amount of a first fluid that is communicated to said first heat exchanger and a second amount of said first fluid that, is communicated to said second heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to control a positioning of said valve, wherein said first amount of said first fluid communicated to said first heat exchanger is based on a first characteristic of a second fluid and said second amount of said first fluid communicated to said second heat exchanger is based on a second characteristic of said second fluid.
2. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first fluid circuit circulates oil.
3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said second fluid circuit circulates fuel.
4. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , comprising a first sensor that senses said first characteristic and a second sensor that senses said second characteristic.
5. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first fluid circuit incorporates a third heat exchanger.
6. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first fluid circuit communicates a conditioned first fluid to at least one engine system and said second fluid circuit communicates a conditioned second fluid to at least a combustor section of the gas turbine engine.
7. A method of controlling a thermal management system of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
sensing a first characteristic of a first fluid;
sensing a second characteristic of the first fluid;
controlling a first amount of a second fluid that is communicated through a first heat exchanger of the thermal management system based on the first characteristic of the first fluid; and
controlling a second amount of the second fluid that is communicated through a second heat exchanger of the thermal management system based on the second characteristic of the first fluid.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the step of controlling the first amount includes closing a valve of the thermal management system to prevent the flow of the second fluid to the first heat exchanger during engine idle conditions.
9. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the step of controlling the first amount includes modulating a valve of the thermal management system to an intermediate position to communicate the first amount of the second fluid to the first heat exchanger during engine cruise conditions.
10. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the step of controlling the first amount includes modulating a valve of the thermal management system to a fully open position to communicate the first amount of the second fluid to the first heat exchanger during engine takeoff conditions.
11. A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a first heat exchanger;
a second heat exchanger positioned in parallel with said first heat exchanger;
a valve configured to independently control flow of a first fluid to each of said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger;
a first sensor configured to sense a first characteristic of a second fluid that is communicated through said first heat exchanger for exchanging heat with said first fluid;
a second sensor configured to sense a second characteristic of said second fluid; and
a controller configured to control a positioning of said valve based on said first characteristic and said second characteristic.