# US 10,371,455 B2 · Cooling system for rotor blade actuators

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- Number: US 10,371,455 B2
- Document ID: US10371455B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/646,527
- Filed: 2017-07-11
- Published: 2019-01-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-11
- Assignees: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
- Applicants: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
- Inventors: Charles R. Berezin; Christopher M. Sutton; William A. Welsh; Shyam Neerarambam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371455B2

## CPC

- F28D 15/0275: {Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores}
- B64C 7/00: Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for
- B64C 27/04: Helicopters
- B64C 27/58: Transmitting means, e.g. interrelated with initiating means or means acting on blades (means acting on blades B64C27/72)
- B64C 27/59: mechanical
- B64C 27/72: Means acting on blades
- B64D 29/00: Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings
- F28D 15/025: {having non-capillary condensate return means}
- F28D 15/0266: {with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers (F28D15/043 takes precedence)}
- B64C 2027/7205: {on each blade individually, e.g. individual blade control [IBC]}
- F28D 2021/0021: {for aircrafts or cosmonautics}
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT

## Abstract

A rotor system including a rotor hub, and a plurality of rotor blades. Each of the plurality of rotor blades includes a hub end. A plurality of rotor blade actuators is operatively connected to the hub end of a corresponding one of the plurality of rotor blades. A fairing is mounted to the rotor hub. The fairing includes an external surface and an internal surface defining an interior portion. The hub end and rotor blade actuator of each of the plurality of rotor blades is arranged in the interior portion. A cooling system is arranged in the interior portion. The cooling system includes a first heat exchanger thermally connected to each of the plurality of rotor blade actuators, a second heat exchanger mounted to the fairing, and at least one fluid conduit extending therebetween.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rotor system comprising:
a rotor hub;
a plurality of rotor blades supported by the rotor hub, each of the plurality of rotor blades including a hub end;
a plurality of rotor blade actuators, each rotor blade actuator being operatively connected to the hub end of a corresponding one of the plurality of rotor blades such that each rotor blade is individually actuated about an axis;
a fairing mounted to the rotor hub, the fairing including an external surface exposed to an external airflow and an internal surface defining an interior portion, the hub end and rotor blade actuator of each of the plurality of rotor blades being arranged in the interior portion and the blades extending out through the fairing; and
a cooling system arranged in the interior portion, the cooling system including a first heat exchanger thermally connected to each of the plurality of rotor blade actuators, a second heat exchanger mounted to the fairing, and at least one fluid conduit extending therebetween so as to remove heat generated by each rotor blade actuator to the external airflow at the exterior of the fairing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The rotor system according to claim 1, wherein the second heat exchanger includes a surface portion exposed at the external surface of the fairing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The rotor system according to claim 2, wherein the fairing includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the second heat exchanger being arranged at the lower portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The rotor system according to claim 2, wherein the fairing includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the second heat exchanger being arranged at the upper portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The rotor system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid conduit comprises a heat pipe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The rotor system according to claim 1, further comprising: a fluid arranged in the cooling system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The rotor system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid conduit includes a first fluid conduit delivering fluid from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger and a second fluid conduit delivering fluid from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The rotor system according to claim 7, further comprising: a pump fluidically connected to the second fluid conduit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The rotor system according to claim 1, wherein the second heat exchanger extends about at least a portion of the fairing, wherein the first heat exchanger of each rotor blade actuator is fluidically connected to the second heat exchanger.

### Claim 10

A method of cooling a rotor blade actuator operatively connected to a hub end of each of a plurality of rotor blades, the method comprising:
promoting a heat exchange between a cooling fluid in a first heat exchanger and the rotor blade actuator;
passing the cooling fluid to a second heat exchanger arranged on a fairing surrounding the hub end of each of the plurality of rotor blades; and
promoting a heat exchange between the cooling fluid in the second heat exchanger and ambient fluids in contact with an external surface of the second heat exchanger.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein passing the cooling fluid to the second heat exchanger includes passing the cooling fluid through a heat pipe.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein passing the cooling fluid to the second heat exchanger includes passing the cooling fluid to an annular heat exchanger having a surface externally exposed on the fairing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising: passing the cooling fluid from the second heat exchanger back to the first heat exchanger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein passing the cooling fluid back to the first heat exchanger includes pumping the cooling fluid back to the first heat exchanger.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein passing the cooling fluid back to the first heat exchanger includes guiding the cooling fluid with one of a centrifugal force and a gravitational force.