IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,958,623
Granted Patent B2
US 11,958,623 · App. 17/979,393 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Thermal management system for gas turbine engine

Inventor: Gary D. Roberge (Tolland, CT)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
B64D33/08B22F5/009B22F10/20B64D29/00F01D25/12F01D25/14F01D25/18F02K3/06B22F10/12B22F10/14B22F10/18B22F10/25B22F10/28F05D2230/22F05D2260/213F05D2260/22141F28D2021/0026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,958,623
App. No.
17/979,393
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes an additively manufactured nacelle component, at least a portion of the additively manufactured nacelle component forming an additively manufactured heat exchanger that extends into a fan bypass flow.

Claims (32)

1. A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a core cowl, at least a portion of the core cowl forming an integral heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprises an external surface of the core cowl with a multiple of fins each being elongate and extending along the external surface of the core cowl and having a fin height extending from the external surface of the core cowl to interact with a fan bypass airflow, wherein the multiple of fins extend along the external surface along a length that is greater than the fin height, wherein at least one of the multiple of fins contains at least one passage.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a multiple of external features that extend from at least one of the multiple of fins.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of the multiple of external features comprises a chevron.

4. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of the multiple of external features comprises a bump.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the multiple of fins define a non-linear path with respect to the fan bypass airflow.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 , further comprising a multiple of external features that extend from at least one of the multiple of fins.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one passage comprises a multiple of passages each comprising a tailored cross-sectional geometry that corresponds with the external surface of the core cowl.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the tailored cross-sectional geometry is of a “T” shape.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an inner feature within the at least one passage.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a tank formed into the core cowl door so as to extend from an internal surface of the core cowl, the tank being in fluid communication with the at least one passage.

11. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the inner feature is of an airfoil shape.

12. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the inner feature is a load bearing structure.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein each fin of the multiple of fins is defined by two spaced walls extending parallel to each other along the length, and extending from the external surface of the core cowl to define the fin height.

14. A core cowl door for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a heat exchanger that comprises an external surface of the core cowl door, the heat exchanger comprises a multiple of fins that extend outward into a fan bypass airflow;

a multiple of passages that comprise a tailored cross-sectional geometry, at least one of the multiple of fins contains at least one passage of the multiple of passages; and

a tank within the core cowl door, the tank in fluid communication with at least one of the multiple of passages.

15. The core cowl door as recited in claim 14 , wherein the external surface comprises the multiple of fins.

16. The core cowl door as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a flexible conduit in communication with the tank and at least one of the multiple of passages.

17. The core cowl door as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a distribution manifold that receives heated oil from a gas turbine engine and distributes the oil to the heat exchanger to extract heat therefrom, the distribution manifold in communication with the flexible conduit.

18. A core cowl assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:

an articulatable first core cowl door;

an articulatable second core cowl door;

a first heat exchanger that comprises an external surface of the first core cowl door, the first heat exchanger comprises a first multiple of fins that extend outward from the first core cowl door into a fan bypass airflow, at least one of the first multiple of fins contains a passage that comprises a tailored cross-sectional geometry;

a second heat exchanger that comprises an external surface of the second core cowl door, the second heat exchanger comprises a second multiple of fins that extend outward from the second core cowl door into the fan bypass airflow, at least one of the second multiple of fins contains a passage that comprises a tailored cross-sectional geometry; and

a distribution manifold operable to receive heated oil from a gas turbine engine and distribute the oil to the first and second heat exchangers to extract heat therefrom.

19. The core cowl assembly as recited in claim 18 , wherein the distribution manifold is in communication with the first and second heat exchangers via a respective flexible conduit.

20. The core cowl assembly as recited in claim 18 , further comprising:

a first tank within the first core cowl door, the first tank in fluid communication with the passage of the first core cowl door; and

a second tank within the second core cowl door, the second tank in fluid communication with the passage of the second core cowl door.

21. The core cowl assembly as recited in claim 20 , wherein the passage in the first core cowl door is a serpentine passage and the passage in the second core cowl door is a serpentine passage to enable a generally downward flow of oil along the first and second core cowl door toward the respective first and second tank.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16207799 · Dec 3, 2018
Related Publication 20230058015A1 · Feb 23, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,654,871