System and method of providing clean filtered cooling air to a hot portion of a gas turbine engine

A system for providing clean cooling air to a hot portion of a gas turbine engine, said engine including a compressor, said system comprising:

• (a) a turbocompressor having a compressor section and a turbine section, wherein said compressor and turbine sections each include an inlet and an outlet;
• (b) a cyclonic filter for separating contaminants from cooling air supplied to an inlet thereof, said filter including a first outlet for supplying said clean cooling air and a second outlet for supplying dirty air containing said filtered contaminants;
• and
• (c) a heat exchanger, comprising:
• (1) a first inlet and a first outlet for a first fluid flow providing cooling to said heat exchanger, said first inlet being in fluid communication with a low temperature fluid;
• and
• (2) a second inlet and a second outlet for a second air flow receiving cooling from said heat exchanger said second inlet being in fluid communication with high temperature air from said engine compressor and said second outlet being in fluid communication with said inlet of said compressor section of said turbocompressor;
• wherein said outlet of said compressor section of said turbocompressor is in fluid communication with said filter inlet and said first outlet of said filter is in fluid communication with said engine hot portion.