System and method for controlling the temperature and infrared signature of an engine
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F02K-003/06
F02K-003/00
출원번호
US-0830193
(2004-04-22)
발명자
/ 주소
Iya,Sridhar K.
Roe,George M.
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
Alston &
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
12인용 특허 :
6
초록▼
A system and method for cooling at least a portion of an engine are provided. The engine is cooled using a fuel, such as a high heat sink fuel, that is subsequently used for combustion in the engine. The fuel can be used to cool one or more of the gases and/or components in the engine, thereby cool
A system and method for cooling at least a portion of an engine are provided. The engine is cooled using a fuel, such as a high heat sink fuel, that is subsequently used for combustion in the engine. The fuel can be used to cool one or more of the gases and/or components in the engine, thereby cooling the engine including an exhaust nozzle. For example, the fuel can be circulated through one or more heat exchanging devices that are disposed inside or outside a passage of the engine, and the fuel can absorb thermal energy from the engine or air that flows in the engine passage. In any case, the cooling of the engine can result in a reduction to the infrared signature of the engine.
대표청구항▼
That which is claimed: 1. A system for reducing the infrared signature of a gas-turbine engine, the system comprising: a gas-turbine engine passage extending between an inlet end and an exhaust end and structured to receive at least one gas therethrough; a fuel source configured to supply a fuel fo
That which is claimed: 1. A system for reducing the infrared signature of a gas-turbine engine, the system comprising: a gas-turbine engine passage extending between an inlet end and an exhaust end and structured to receive at least one gas therethrough; a fuel source configured to supply a fuel for combustion in the engine passage; at least one combustion device in the engine passage configured to combust the fuel in the engine passage; a nozzle at the exhaust end of the engine passage structured to receive the gas from the engine passage and discharge the gas; and a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of a fluid and a flow of the fuel before the fuel is combusted, transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the fuel to cool the fluid, and deliver the cooled fluid to the nozzle, thereby cooling the nozzle and reducing the infrared signature of the engine; and further comprising a transducer disposed in the heat exchanger between the flow of the fluid and flow of the fuel, the transducer configured to convert thermal energy from the fluid directly into electricity. 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the engine passage defines a central passage and a fan duct extending in a longitudinal direction of the engine passage, the fan duct being configured to receive air therethrough, the heat exchanger being disposed in the fan duct and configured to receive air passing therethrough and transfer thermal energy from the air to the fuel to cool the air in the fan duct. 3. A system according to claim 2, further comprising an augmentor configured to receive the fuel and discharge the fuel into the central passage for combustion at a longitudinal location between the turbine and the nozzle, the heat exchanger being disposed in the fan duct at a position that is longitudinally proximate to the augmentor. 4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is an augmentor configured to receive the fuel and operate selectively in first and second modes, the augmentor in the first mode being configured to circulate the fuel therethrough and transfer thermal energy to the fuel, and the augmentor in the second mode being configured to receive the fuel and discharge the fuel into the engine passage for combustion therein. 5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is positioned outside the engine passage and configured to receive a flow of air, transfer thermal energy from the air to the fuel, and deliver the cooled air to the engine passage. 6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising a turbocooler, the turbocooler having a compressor and a turbine, the compressor of the turbocooler being configured to compress the air and provide the air to the heat exchanger, and the turbine configured to receive the air from the heat exchanger, expand and cool the air, and deliver the air to the engine passage. 7. A system according to claim 5 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive the air from a compressor in the engine passage, the air being compressed by the compressor in the engine passage during operation of the engine. 8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the fuel to a temperature of at least 300째 F. 9. A system according to claim 1 wherein the fuel source is configured to supply a high heat sink fuel that is stable at a temperature greater than 300째 F. 10. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a precooler heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of compressed air from a compressor in the engine passage and a flow of the fuel, the air being compressed by the compressor in the engine passage during operation of the engine, and the precooler heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the air to the fuel. 11. A gas-turbine engine for reducing the infrared signature of an engine, the system comprising: a gas-turbine engine passage defining a central passage and a fan duct extending in a longitudinal direction between an inlet end and an exhaust end; a fuel source configured to supply a fuel for combustion in the central passage; at least one combustion device in the central passage configured to combust the fuel to form an exhaust gas; a nozzle at the exhaust end of the engine passage structured to receive the exhaust gas from the central passage and discharge the exhaust gas; and a heat exchanger disposed in the engine passage and configured to receive a flow of the fuel from the fuel source and circulate the fuel to the combustion device, the heat exchanger being configured to transfer thermal energy from the engine to the fuel, to thereby cool at least a portion of the engine and reduce the infrared signature of the engine; and further comprising a transducer disposed in the heat exchanger and configured to be heated by the nozzle's transferred thermal energy and convert said transferred thermal energy from the nozzle directly into electricity. 12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in the fan duct and configured to receive air passing therethrough such that the air thermally communicates with the fuel in the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the air in the fan duct. 13. A system according to claim 11 wherein the heat exchanger is an augmentor configured to receive the fuel and operate selectively in first and second modes, the augmentor in the first mode being configured to circulate the fuel therethrough and transfer thermal energy to the fuel, and the augmentor in the second mode being configured to receive the fuel and discharge the fuel into the central passage. 14. A system according to claim 11 wherein the heat exchanger is configured to heat the fuel to a temperature of at least 300째 F. 15. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a precooler heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of the fuel and a flow of compressed air from a compressor in the engine passage, the air being compressed by the compressor in the engine passage during operation of the engine, the precooler heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the air to the fuel. 16. A system according to claim 11 wherein the fuel source is configured to supply a high heat sink fuel that is stable at a temperature greater than 300째 F. 17. A method for reducing the infrared signature of a gas-turbine engine, the method comprising: combusting fuel and air in a gas-turbine engine passage to form an exhaust gas that is discharged from the engine passage through a nozzle; circulating a flow of the fuel through a heat exchanger disposed in the engine passage; and delivering the fuel from the heat exchanger to the combustion device for combustion, wherein the heat exchanger thermally communicates with and the nozzle and transfers thermal energy therefrom to the fuel to thereby cool the nozzle and reduce the infrared signature of the engine; and further comprising heating a transducer with the nozzle's transferred thermal energy and converting said transferred thermal energy directly into electricity. 18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said circulating step comprises circulating the fuel through the heat exchanger in a fan duct of the engine passage to cool a flow of the air through the fan duct. 19. A method according to claim 17 wherein said circulating step comprises circulating the fuel through an augmentor in a central passage of the engine passage, and further comprising selectively operating the augmentor in first and second modes, the augmentor in the first mode circulating the fuel therethrough and transferring thermal energy to the fuel, and the augmentor in the second mode discharging at least a portion of the fuel into the central passage for combustion therein. 20. A method according to claim 17 wherein said circulating step comprises heating the fuel to a temperature of at least 300째 F. 21. A method according to claim 17, further comprising circulating the fuel through a precooler heat exchanger and delivering a flow of compressed air from a compressor in the engine passage to the precooler heat exchanger, the precooler heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the air to the fuel. 22. A method according to claim 17, further comprising providing the fuel as a high heat sink fuel that that is stable at a temperature greater than 300째 F.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Orlando Robert J., Compressor system and methods for reducing cooling airflow.
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