# US 12,589,876 B2 · Aircraft component with a surface exposed to an ambient air-flow and a heat transfer device and a method for operating a heat transfer device with a aircraft component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,589,876 B2 - Document ID: US12589876B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/430,383 - Filed: 2024-02-01 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2026-03-31 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-02 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Applicants: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Inventors: Carlos Hannover Galindo-Lopez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12589876B2 ## CPC - B64D 13/06: the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) - F02C 7/14: of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} - F02C 7/185: {Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas} - F02K 3/115: by means of indirect heat exchange - F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN 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) - 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 The invention relates to an aircraft component, in particular an aircraft gas turbine, having a face which can be flowed over or around by ambient air, in particular a housing of the aircraft gas turbine and a heat exchange apparatus having at least one heat exchange face, characterized in that the at least one heat exchange face is arranged on or in the face in such a manner that it is in contact with the ambient air. The invention further relates to a method for operating heat exchange apparatuses. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft component, having a face over or around which ambient air flows, and a heat exchange apparatus including at least one heat exchange face, wherein the at least one heat exchange face is arranged to face externally, to be in contact with the ambient air; wherein the face of the aircraft component is positioned adjacent to and/or at least partly surrounds the at least one heat exchange face; wherein the heat exchange apparatus includes a thermal insulation layer positioned on a side of the heat exchange apparatus facing internally, away from the ambient air. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the face is configured to allow during operation of the aircraft component a convective heat exchange and/or a heat exchange via radiation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face terminates flush with the face of the aircraft component and/or is free from structure for increasing the heat exchange face. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face has a same curvature and/or surface structure as the face of the aircraft component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the face of the aircraft component is a housing surrounding a bypass channel of a gas turbine and the at least one heat exchange apparatus is arranged in the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the face of the aircraft component is a housing of an aircraft gas turbine and the at least one heat exchange face is arranged in the housing axially between an inlet region and a thrust reversal region of the aircraft gas turbine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange face is part of the external wall of an aircraft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face is integrated in a region of the face of the aircraft component, which is formed from composite material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face includes or is formed from aluminum copper and/or magnesium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange apparatus includes at least one channel for a fluid, wherein the at least one channel is thermally coupled to the at least one heat exchange face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aircraft component according to claim 10, wherein the at least one channel is arranged in an axial direction of the aircraft gas turbine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The aircraft component according to claim 10, wherein the heat exchange apparatus is configured as at least one channel of a counter-current heat exchanger or cross-flow heat exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The aircraft component according to claim 10, wherein the fluid is an oil, a lubricant, a coolant or a fuel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The aircraft component according to claim 10, wherein the at least one channel has a rectangular cross section, with a ratio of height to width between 1:2 and 1:10. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange apparatus is coupled for cooling to at least one electric or electronic unit in an aircraft gas turbine and/or aircraft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aircraft component according to claim 15, wherein the at least one at least one electric or electronic unit includes an apparatus for variable frequency energy supply. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein a size of the at least one heat exchange face is between 0.07 and 0.30 m2. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange apparatus is thermally coupled to an additional heat exchange apparatus that is arranged at the side of the heat exchange apparatus facing internally away from the ambient air, and further comprising a control apparatus configured for adjusting a heat exchange between the heat exchange apparatus and the additional heat exchange apparatus in accordance with an operating parameter of the aircraft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face is arranged in a region of a flow which is generated by a propeller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The aircraft component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchange face is thermally coupled to a secondary circuit of a second fluid which is thermally coupled to a primary circuit with a first fluid via a second heat exchange apparatus. ### Claim 21 A method for operating heat exchange apparatuses in conjunction with an aircraft component with at least one heat exchange apparatus comprising: providing: an aircraft component, having a face over or around which ambient air flows, and a heat exchange apparatus including at least one heat exchange face wherein the at least one heat exchange face is arranged to face externally, to be in contact with the ambient air; wherein the face of the aircraft component is positioned adjacent to and/or at least partly surrounds the at least one heat exchange face; wherein the heat exchange apparatus includes a thermal insulation layer positioned on a side of the heat exchange apparatus facing internally away from the ambient air; wherein the heat exchange apparatus is thermally coupled to an additional heat exchange apparatus that is arranged at the side of the heat exchange apparatus facing internally, away from the ambient air; a control apparatus configured for adjusting heat exchange between the heat exchange apparatus and the additional heat exchange apparatus; using the control apparatus to control the heat exchange in accordance with an operating parameter of the aircraft. ### Claim 22 An aircraft component, having a face over or around which ambient air flows, and a heat exchange apparatus including at least one heat exchange face, wherein the at least one heat exchange face is arranged to face externally, to be in contact with the ambient air; wherein the face of the aircraft component is positioned adjacent to and/or at least partly surrounds the at least one heat exchange face; wherein the at least one heat exchange face is thermally coupled to a secondary circuit of a second fluid which is thermally coupled to a primary circuit with a first fluid via a second heat exchange apparatus.