Fuel air heat exchanger

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor section;
• an annular high pressure plenum in fluid flow communication with a discharge of the compressor section for receiving compressed air;
• a combustor contained in the high pressure plenum;
• a heat exchanger located in the high pressure plenum, the heat exchanger including:
• at least one fuel conduit and at least one air conduit extending in heat exchange relationship with one another, each fuel conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with a fuel source of the engine and an outlet in fluid communication with fuel distribution conduits of the combustor, each air conduit having an inlet and an outlet,
• a distribution conduit for distribution of air to a component to be cooled, the distribution conduit being in fluid communication with the outlet of each air conduit,
• a secondary air inlet in fluid communication with the distribution conduit, and
• a flow selection member selectively movable between first and second configurations, the flow selection member in the first configuration closing the fluid communication between the secondary inlet and the distribution conduit, the flow selection member in the second configuration opening the fluid communication between the secondary air inlet and the distribution conduit.

A method of regulating a cooling of an engine component of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

• circulating compressed air from a compressor discharge of the engine to a high pressure plenum containing a combustor of the engine;
• circulating fuel from a fuel source of the engine through at least one fuel conduit of a heat exchanger located in the high pressure plenum;
• and
• modulating a flow of the compressed air circulating from the high pressure plenum through at least one air conduit of the heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with the at least one fuel conduit thereof and into a distribution conduit in heat exchange relationship with the engine component.