# US 10,480,419 B2 · Intercooled cooling air with plural heat exchangers

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- Number: US 10,480,419 B2
- Document ID: US10480419B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/745,567
- Filed: 2015-06-22
- Published: 2016-10-27
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-24
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu; Jesse M. Chandler; Joseph Brent Staubach; Brian D. Merry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480419B2

## 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 25/12: Cooling
- F02C 3/13: having variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or stages of different rotors {(controlling flow ratio between different flows of multi-flow jet-propulsion plant, e.g. ducted fan F02K3/075)}
- F02C 6/08: the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor
- F02C 7/143: before or between the compressor stages
- F02C 7/185: {Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas}
- F02K 3/06: with front fan
- F04D 29/5826: {Cooling at least part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger}
- F04D 29/5833: {flow schemes and regulation thereto}
- F05D 2220/3212: the first stage of a turbine
- F05D 2220/3219: for the last stage of a compressor or a high pressure compressor
- F05D 2260/211: by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle
- F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
- F05D 2260/606: Bypassing the fluid
- F05D 2270/3062: of the auxiliary fluid for heating or cooling purposes
- 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)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- 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 gas turbine engine comprises a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream most end, and more upstream locations. A turbine section has a high pressure turbine. A first tap taps air from at least one of the more upstream locations in the main compressor section, passing the tapped air through a first heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor. A second tap taps air from a location closer to the downstream most end than the location of the first tap, and the first and second taps mix together and are delivered into the high pressure turbine. The cooling compressor is positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger, and upstream of a location where air from the first and second taps mix together.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas turbine engine comprising;
a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream most end, and more upstream locations;
a turbine section having a high pressure turbine;
a first tap tapping air from at least one of said more upstream locations in said main compressor section, passing said tapped air through a first heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor;
a second tap tapping air from a location in said main compressor section closer to said downstream most end than the location of said first tap, and said first and second taps mixing together and being delivered into said high pressure turbine;
said cooling compressor being positioned downstream of said first heat exchanger, and upstream of a location where air from said first and second taps mix together;
wherein there is a second heat exchanger downstream of said cooling compressor, and air passes through said second heat exchanger before being delivered to said high pressure turbine;
wherein air is tapped from a third tap downstream of said second heat exchanger, and delivered to a component on the gas turbine engine to be cooled; and
wherein the location of said third tap is upstream of a location where said first and second taps mix together.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said component to be cooled is a bearing compartment.

### Claim 3

A gas turbine engine comprising;
a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream most end, and more upstream locations;
a turbine section having a high pressure turbine;
a first tap tapping air from at least one of said more upstream locations in said main compressor section, passing said tapped air through a first heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor, said cooling compressor compressing air downstream of said first heat exchanger;
a second heat exchanger downstream of said cooling compressor;
a second tap tapping air from a location in said main compressor section closer to said downstream most end than the location of said first tap, wherein air from said first and second taps mixing together and being delivered into said high pressure turbine;
air being tapped from a third tap downstream of said second heat exchanger, and delivered to a component on the gas turbine engine to be cooled; and
wherein the location of said third tap is upstream of a location where said first and second taps mix together.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3, wherein a main fan delivers bypass air into a bypass duct and into said main compressor section and said first and second heat exchangers are positioned within said bypass duct to be cooled by bypass air.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 4, wherein air temperatures at said downstream most location of said high pressure compressor are greater than or equal to 1350° F.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second tap is at said downstream most end.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 4, wherein air from said first tap mixes with air from said second tap at a location downstream of said cooling compressor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said component to be cooled is a bearing compartment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said bearing compartment supports a shaft adjacent to a combustor within said gas turbine engine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 9, wherein air temperatures at said downstream most location of said high pressure compressor are greater than or equal to 1350° F.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second tap is at said downstream most end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3, wherein air temperatures at said downstream most location of said high pressure compressor are greater than or equal to 1350° F.