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US 10,294,967 B2Granted
Systems and methods for heat balance and transport for aircraft hydraulic systems
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJianmin Liao, Ty Aaby Larsen, Bruce L. Drolen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal management system includes a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature and a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. The thermal management system also includes a sealed heat transfer device coupled between the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system. The sealed heat transfer device is not in flow communication with either of the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system. The sealed heat transfer device is configured to transfer heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid.
Claims15
A thermal management system comprising:
- a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature;
- a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
- and
- at least one thermosyphon coupled between said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, said at least one thermosyphon is not in flow communication with either of said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, wherein said at least one thermosyphon is configured to transfer heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid, and wherein said at least one thermosyphon comprises:
- a cold interface coupled to said first hydraulic system;
- a hot interface coupled to said second hydraulic system;
- a sealed tube extending longitudinally between said cold interface and said hot interface;
- and
- a working fluid disposed within said tube in an amount such that said working fluid exists partially in a liquid phase and partially in a vapor phase within said tube throughout an operating temperature range of said at least one thermosyphon.
6 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature;
- a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
- and
- at least one thermosyphon coupled between said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, said at least one thermosyphon is not in flow communication with either of said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, wherein said at least one thermosyphon is configured to transfer heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid, and wherein said at least one thermosyphon comprises:
- a cold interface coupled to said first hydraulic system;
- a hot interface coupled to said second hydraulic system;
- a sealed tube extending longitudinally between said cold interface and said hot interface;
- and
- a working fluid disposed within said tube in an amount such that said working fluid exists partially in a liquid phase and partially in a vapor phase within said tube throughout an operating temperature range of said at least one thermosyphon.
6 more elements
A method for managing temperatures in a machine, said method comprising:
- circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature through a first hydraulic system coupled to the machine;
- circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature through a second hydraulic system coupled to the machine, wherein a cold interface of at least one thermosyphon is coupled to the first hydraulic system, a hot interface of the at least one thermosyphon is coupled to the second hydraulic system, and a sealed tube of the at least one thermosyphon is coupled longitudinally between the cold interface and the hot interface, and wherein the tube contains a working fluid therein in an amount such that the working fluid exists partially in a liquid phase and partially in a vapor phase within the tube throughout an operating temperature range of the at least one thermosyphon;
- and
- transferring heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid through the at least one thermosyphon coupled between the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system, wherein the at least one thermosyphon that is not in flow communication with either of the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system.
1 more element
A thermal management system comprising:
- a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature;
- a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
- and
- at least one thermosyphon coupled between said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, said at least one thermosyphon is not in flow communication with either of said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, wherein said at least one thermosyphon is configured to transfer heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid, wherein said at least one thermosyphon comprises:
- a cold interface coupled to said first hydraulic system;
- a hot interface coupled to said second hydraulic system;
- a surface interface coupled to a structural surface;
- a thermostat;
- a first tube extending between said hot interface and said thermostat;
- a second tube extending between said thermostat and said cold interface;
- and
- a third tube extending between said thermostat and said surface interface, wherein said thermostat is configured to selectively switch said first tube between flow communication with said second tube, such that said first tube and said second tube form a first thermosyphon extending between said hot interface and said cold interface, and flow communication with said third tube, such that said first tube and said third tube form a second thermosyphon extending between said hot interface and said surface interface.
9 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature;
- a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
- and
- at least one thermosyphon coupled between said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, said at least one thermosyphon is not in flow communication with either of said first hydraulic system and said second hydraulic system, wherein said at least one thermosyphon is configured to transfer heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid, and wherein said at least one thermosyphon comprises:
- a cold interface coupled to said first hydraulic system;
- a hot interface coupled to said second hydraulic system;
- a surface interface coupled to a structural surface;
- a thermostat;
- a first tube extending between said hot interface and said thermostat;
- a second tube extending between said thermostat and said cold interface;
- and
- a third tube extending between said thermostat and said surface interface, wherein said thermostat is configured to selectively switch said first tube between flow communication with said second tube, such that said first tube and said second tube cooperate to form a first thermosiphon extending between said hot interface and said cold interface, and flow communication with said third tube, such that said first tube and said third tube cooperate to form a second thermosiphon extending between said hot interface and said surface interface.
9 more elements
A method for managing temperatures in a machine, said method comprising:
- circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature through a first hydraulic system coupled to the machine;
- circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature through a second hydraulic system coupled to the machine;
- and
- transferring heat from the second hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic fluid through at least one thermosyphon coupled between the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system, wherein the at least one thermosyphon is not in flow communication with either of the first hydraulic system and the second hydraulic system, and wherein the at least one thermosyphon includes a cold interface coupled to the first hydraulic system, a hot interface coupled to the second hydraulic system, a surface interface coupled to a structural surface, a first tube coupled between the hot interface and a thermostat, a second tube coupled between the thermostat and the cold interface, and a third tube coupled between the thermostat and the surface interface;
- and
- configuring the thermostat to selectively switch the first tube between (i) flow communication with the second tube, such that the first tube and the second tube cooperate to form a first thermosiphon extending between the hot interface and the cold interface, and (ii) flow communication with the third tube, such that the first tube and the third tube cooperate to form a second thermosyphon extending between the hot interface and the surface interface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.