Cooling air cooler for a gas turbine engine

A system for cooling a turbine of a gas turbine engine having a compressor for pressurizing air and a lubrication system comprising:

• means for extracting a portion of the compressed air from the compressor;
• a heat exchanger connected to and rotatable with said compressor and turbine;
• means for routing the extracted portion of air into said heat exchanger;
• means for routing lubricant from said lubrication system into said heat exchanger wherein it is placed in heat exchange relationship with said extracted portion of air;
• and
• means for routing said extracted portion of air from said heat exchanger and into said turbine.

A gas turbine engine comprising a compressor for pressurizing air;

• a turbine;
• a shaft drivingly connecting said compressor and turbine;
• a lubrication system;
• an internal cavity defined in part by said compressor, said shaft and said turbine;
• and a first heat exchanger rotatable with said compressor and turbine disposed within said cavity, said first heat exchanger being in fluid communication with said compressor for receiving a portion of heated compressed air therefrom and with said lubrication system for receiving a relatively cool lubricant therefrom, said air and said lubricant being placed in heat exchange relationship within said first heat exchanger, thereby heating said lubricant and cooling said air.

A system for cooling a turbine of a gas turbine engine having a compressor for pressurizing air and a lubrication system, comprising:

• a radial inflow impeller rotatable with the compressor for extracting a portion of the compressed air therefrom;
• a heat exchanger having generally concentric inner and outer shells defining an annulus therebetween, a plurality of hollow finned tubes spaced circumferentially about the annulus, a pair of bulkheads extending between the inner and outer shells to support the tubes, and a generally annular duct surrounding the outer shells;
• means for routing the extracted portion of air through said generally annular duct and into the annular space between said tubes;
• means for routing lubricant from said lubrication system into said heat exchanger and through the hollow interior of said tubes;
• and
• means for routing said extracted portion of air from said heat exchanger and into said turbine.

A system for cooling a turbine of a gas turbine engine having a compressor for pressurizing air and a lubrication system, comprising:

• means for extracting a portion of the compressed air from the compressor;
• a heat exchanger having generally concentric inner and outer shells defining an annulus therebetween, a plurality of hollow finned tubes spaced circumferentially about the annulus, and a pair of bulkheads extending between the inner and outer shells to support the tubes;
• means for routing the extracted portion of air into said heat exchanger;
• and
• a collector having a generally corrugated wall defining a plurality of chutes, alternating chutes being in fluid communication with said lubrication system and the hollow interior of said tubes wherein the lubricant is placed in heat exchange relationship with the extracted portion of air, and the remaining chutes being in fluid communication with the annular space between tubes and said turbine to be cooled.