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US 11,591,102 B2Granted
Aircraft with thermal energy storage system for multiple heat loads
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorDouglas J. Snyder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal energy system for use with an aircraft includes a cooling loop and a cooler. The cooling loop includes a fluid conduit and a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit to transfer heat from a heat source to the fluid in the fluid conduit to cool the heat source. The cooler includes an air-stream heat exchanger located in a duct and is in thermal communication with the fluid conduit to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and the air passing through the duct.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- providing a thermal energy system for use with an aircraft, the thermal energy system including a first heat source, a second heat source configured to operate at a lower temperature than the first heat source during use of the thermal energy system, a cooling loop, a cooler, and a thermal-storage fuel system, the cooling loop having a fluid conduit, a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit, a compressor located downstream of the second heat source and configured to compress the fluid in the fluid conduit, and a first expansion valve located upstream of the second heat source and configured to expand the fluid in the fluid conduit, the cooler including a duct configured to conduct air through the duct and an air-stream heat exchanger located in the duct and in thermal communication with the fluid in the cooling loop to transfer heat between the cooling loop and the air conducted through the duct, and the thermal-storage fuel system including a first fuel tank configured to store fuel therein and a fuel-tank heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fluid in the cooling loop;
- conducting the fluid through the cooling loop to transfer heat between the first heat source and the fluid in the cooling loop;
- conducting the fluid through the cooling loop to transfer heat between the second heat source and the fluid in the cooling loop;
- conducting the fluid in the cooling loop to the air-stream heat exchanger to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and the air passing through the duct;
- and
- conducting the fluid in the cooling loop to the fuel-tank heat exchanger to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and fuel stored in the first fuel tank.
3 more elements
A thermal energy system for use with an aircraft, the thermal energy system comprising:
- a first heat source;
- a second heat source configured to operate at a lower temperature than the first heat source during use of the thermal energy system;
- a cooling loop having a fluid conduit, a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit to transfer heat from the first heat source and the second heat source to the fluid to cool the first heat source and the second heat source, a compressor located downstream of the second heat source and configured to compress the fluid in the fluid conduit, and a first expansion valve located upstream of the second heat source and configured to expand the fluid in the fluid conduit;
- a cooler that includes a duct configured to conduct air through the duct and an air-stream heat exchanger located in the duct and in thermal communication with the fluid in the cooling loop to transfer heat between the cooling loop and the air conducted through the duct;
- and
- a thermal-storage fuel system that includes a first fuel tank configured to store fuel therein and a fuel-tank heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fluid and configured to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and fuel stored in the first fuel tank.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.