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US 12,692,009 B2Granted
Heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorEric S. Durocher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft includes a housing, a heat exchanger, and a nozzle. The housing includes an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall. The inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall form an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger body, a heat transfer plenum, a plenum inlet, and a plenum outlet. The heat exchanger body is disposed downstream of the venturi channel within the air flow path. The heat exchanger is configured to direct a fluid from through the heat transfer plenum from the plenum inlet to the plenum outlet. The nozzle includes a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path. The nozzle housing forms a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet. The nozzle outlet is disposed within the venturi channel.
Claims16
A heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft, the heat exchanger assembly comprising:
- a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a rounded inner venturi surface of the venturi channel and the outer flow path wall forming a rounded outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;
- a heat exchanger including a heat exchanger body, a heat transfer plenum, a plenum inlet, and a plenum outlet, the heat exchanger body disposed downstream of the venturi channel within the air flow path, the heat exchanger configured to direct a fluid from through the heat transfer plenum from the plenum inlet to the plenum outlet to effect heat transfer between the fluid and the air along the air flow path;
- and
- a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel, a strut mounted to the nozzle housing, the strut extending though the inner flow path wall, and the strut including an outer strut portion disposed between and connecting the nozzle housing and the outer flow path wall.
1 more element
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a nacelle forming an aerodynamic cover for the propulsion system, the nacelle including an external skin;
- and
- a heat exchanger assembly disposed on the external skin, the heat exchanger assembly including:
- a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path outside of the nacelle from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a convex inner venturi surface of the venturi channel, and the outer flow path wall forming a convex outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;
- a heat exchanger forming a portion of the air flow path downstream of the venturi channel, the heat exchanger including a plurality of heat transfer surface structures positioned within the air flow path and extending between the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall, the plurality of heat transfer surface structures connected to the outer flow path wall;
- a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel;
- and
- a strut mounted to the nozzle housing, the strut extending though the inner flow path wall, and the strut including an outer strut portion disposed between and connecting the nozzle housing and the outer flow path wall;
- wherein the external skin forms the inner flow path wall, the outer flow path wall includes an outer wall portion, a first lateral wall portion, a second lateral wall portion, and the outer wall portion is spaced from the inner flow path wall.
6 more elements
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a heat exchanger assembly including:
- a housing including an inner flow path wall and an outer flow path wall, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall forming an air inlet, an air outlet, and a venturi channel, the inner flow path wall and the outer flow path wall configured to direct air along an air flow path from the air inlet, through the venturi channel, and to the air outlet, the inner flow path wall forming a rounded inner venturi surface of the venturi channel, and the outer flow path wall forming a rounded outer venturi surface of the venturi channel;
- a heat exchanger forming a portion of the air flow path downstream of the venturi channel;
- a nozzle including a nozzle housing disposed within the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, the nozzle housing forming a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, the nozzle outlet disposed within the venturi channel, and the nozzle disposed upstream of the heat exchanger;
- and
- a control valve connected in fluid communication with the nozzle inlet, the control valve configured to control a first flow rate of pressurized air directed to the nozzle inlet;
- and
- a control system including a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- control a position of the control valve to control a second flow rate of air along the air flow path;
- identify a hotel mode of operation for gas turbine engine;
- and
- control the position of the control valve by opening the control valve in response to identification of the hotel mode of operation.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.