# US 10,371,063 B2 · Turbine engine and method of cooling thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,063 B2 - Document ID: US10371063B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/363,530 - Filed: 2016-11-29 - Published: 2018-05-31 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-29 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz; Jeff Glover; Joseph Rose; Jeffrey Donald Clements - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371063B2 ## CPC - F02C 9/18: by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} - F01D 21/12: responsive to temperature - F01D 25/14: Casings modified therefor (double casings F01D25/26) - F01D 25/24: Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) - F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) - F02C 7/18: the medium being gaseous, e.g. air {(F02C7/125 takes precedence)} - F02K 3/06: with front fan - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2260/20: Heat transfer, e.g. cooling - F05D 2270/112: by limiting temperatures - F05D 2270/52: by electrical means, e.g. relays or switches - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A turbine engine including a core engine cowl including a compartment, a cooling airflow source positioned within the compartment, and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system coupled in communication with the cooling airflow source. The FADEC system is configured to determine a flight status of the turbine engine, and actuate the cooling airflow source when the turbine engine is not in flight, and before the turbine engine has been shut down, such that heat is exhausted from the compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A turbine engine comprising: a fan assembly; a core engine cowl comprising a compartment; a cooling fan positioned within said compartment aft of the fan assembly; and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system coupled in communication with said cooling fan, wherein said FADEC system is configured to: determine a flight status of the turbine engine; and actuate said cooling fan when the turbine engine is not in flight, and before the turbine engine has been shut down, such that heat is exhausted from said compartment, wherein said cooling fan comprises a timer device configured to shut down said cooling fan at a time after actuation of said cooling fan, said timer device configured to operate independent of FADEC system control. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said compartment comprises a forward portion and a rearward portion, said cooling fan positioned within said forward portion and oriented such that airflow is channeled from said forward portion towards said rearward portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said cooling fan is further oriented such that the airflow flows helically relative to a centerline of the turbine engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said compartment is configured to house said FADEC system therein, the turbine engine further comprising an airflow conduit extending between said cooling fan and said FADEC system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said timer device comprises a flywheel configured to store energy during turbine engine operation, and configured to use the energy to power said cooling fan for a limited time after turbine engine shutdown. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said timer device comprises an electronic timer having an independent power supply, said electronic timer configured to operate said cooling fan for a preset time after turbine engine shutdown. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cooling airflow source comprises: a bypass conduit configured to channel bleed air into said compartment from a source of bleed air, said bypass conduit comprising a bleed air outlet positioned within said compartment; and at least one valve positioned between the source of bleed air and said bleed air outlet, wherein said FADEC system is configured to control actuation of said at least one valve. ### Claim 8 A cooling system for use within a core engine cowl of a turbine engine, said cooling system comprising: a cooling fan positioned within a compartment of the core engine cowl aft of a fan assembly; and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system coupled in communication with said cooling fan, wherein said FADEC system is configured to: determine a flight status of the turbine engine; and actuate said cooling fan when the turbine engine is not in flight, and before the turbine engine has been shut down, such that heat is exhausted from the compartment, wherein said cooling fan is configured to operate for a preset time after the turbine engine has been shut down. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cooling system in accordance with claim 8 further comprising an airflow conduit extending from said cooling fan, said airflow conduit oriented to channel airflow from said cooling fan towards predetermined high temperature regions within the core engine cowl. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The cooling system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said cooling fan comprises a timer device configured to shut down said cooling fan at a time after actuation of said cooling fan, said timer device configured to operate independent of FADEC system control. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cooling system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said timer device comprises a flywheel configured to store energy during turbine engine operation, and configured to use the energy to power said cooling fan for a limited time after turbine engine shutdown. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The cooling system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said timer device comprises an electronic timer having an independent power supply, said electronic timer configured operate said cooling fan for a preset time after turbine engine shutdown. ### Claim 13 A method of cooling a turbine engine, said method comprising: determining a flight status of the turbine engine; and actuating, via full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system control, a cooling fan when the turbine engine is not in flight, and before the turbine engine has been shut down, wherein the cooling fan is positioned aft of a fan assembly within a compartment of a core engine cowl such that heat is exhausted from the compartment, and wherein actuating a cooling fan comprises operating the cooling fan for a preset time after the turbine engine has been shut down. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein actuating a cooling fan comprises transmitting a start signal from a FADEC system to the cooling fan. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising operating the cooling fan independent of FADEC system control. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein actuating a cooling fan comprises operating the cooling fan for a preset time after receiving the start signal from the FADEC system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein transmitting a start signal comprises transmitting the start signal before executing an engine shutdown sequence.