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US 2005/0229602 A1Published application
Forced air cooling system
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorMichael Whiting
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A forced air cooling system for an APU comprising at least an oil cooler, a plenum in fluid communication with the oil cooler, and a compressor rotated by a rotating shaft of the APU such that the compressor and rotating shaft rotate at a same speed, the rotating compressor inducing a cooling air flow through the oil cooler. A method for cooling an auxiliary power unit is also provided.
Claims22
A forced air cooling system for an APU housed within a compartment, the forced air cooling system comprising:
- at least one inlet opening for providing air to an oil cooler;
- an exhaust opening in the compartment;
- the oil cooler being located in the compartment;
- a plenum in fluid communication with the exhaust opening and with the oil cooler;
- and
- a compressor rotated by a rotating shaft of the APU such that the compressor and rotating shaft rotate at a same speed, the rotating compressor induces a cooling air flow through the oil cooler.
3 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- at lease one rotating shaft;
- at least a first compressor rotated by the rotating shaft;
- a combustor in fluid communication with the first compressor, the combustor producing an exhaust flow;
- at least one turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, the turbine extracting energy from the exhaust flow and driving the rotating shaft;
- an oil cooler receiving lubrication oil from at least the turbine section in a closed circuit;
- an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the turbine section for evacuating the exhaust flow;
- a cooling air passage providing serial communication between the oil cooler and the exhaust opening;
- and
- an auxiliary compressor directly driven by the rotating shaft, the auxiliary compressor being located downstream of the turbine and within the cooling air passage, the auxiliary compressor reducing an air pressure between the auxiliary compressor and the oil cooler, thereby inducing a cooling air flow through the oil cooler and out of the exhaust opening.
6 more elements
A method for cooling a gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:
- rotating a turbine section of the gas turbine engine such as to drive a rotating shaft;
- flowing oil lubricating parts of at least the turbine section of the gas turbine engine through an oil cooler;
- driving an auxiliary compressor with the rotating shaft, the auxiliary compressor being located downstream of the turbine section;
- generating a pressure differential between opposed sides of the oil cooler with the compressor;
- inducing a cooling air flow through the oil cooler with the pressure differential;
- and
- cooling the oil within the oil cooler with the cooling air flow, thereby cooling the gas turbine engine.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.