Back to results
US 8,522,560 B2Granted
Fuel-cooled heat exchanger with thermoelectric device compression
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsDavid C. Jarmon, Jun Shi, Steve Lozyniak, Bradley C. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes an inlet conduit assembly surrounding a gas flow path and a combustor arranged downstream of the inlet conduit assembly. The inlet conduit assembly includes a thermoelectric (TE) device configured to convert heat into electrical energy, a gas flow conduit arranged between the gas flow path and the TE device, and a resilient member configured to bias the TE device into contact with the gas flow conduit.
Claims27
An apparatus comprising:
- an inlet conduit assembly surrounding a gas flow path, the inlet conduit assembly comprising:
- a thermoelectric (TE) device configured to convert heat into electrical energy;
- a gas flow conduit arranged between the gas flow path and the TE device;
- and
- a resilient member configured to bias the TE device into contact with the gas flow conduit, wherein the resilient member is configured to apply a load on the TE device of approximately 140 to 350 kPa (20 to 50 psi);
- and
- a pressure plate arranged between the resilient member and the TE device, wherein the resilient member is in direct contact with the pressure plate;
- and
- a combustor arranged downstream of the inlet conduit assembly.
6 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a fuselage;
- and
- a ramjet connected to the fuselage and comprising a fuel-cooled heat exchanger surrounding a gas flow path of the ramjet, wherein the fuel-cooled heat exchanger comprises:
- a thermoelectric (TE) device configured to convert heat into electrical energy;
- a gas flow conduit arranged between the gas flow path and the TE device;
- and
- a resilient member configured to bias the TE device into contact with the gas flow conduit, wherein the resilient member is configured to apply a load on
- the TE device of approximately 140 to 350 kPa (20 to 50 psi);
- and
- a pressure plate arranged between the resilient member and the TE device, wherein the resilient member is in direct contact with the pressure plate.
7 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an inlet conduit assembly surrounding a gas flow path, the inlet conduit assembly comprising:
- a thermoelectric (TE) device configured to convert heat into electrical energy;
- a gas flow conduit arranged between the gas flow path and the TE device;
- and
- a resilient member configured to bias the TE device into contact with the gas flow conduit,
- wherein at least a portion of the gas flow conduit has a generally C-shape comprising uninterrupted first, second and third sides, and an interrupted fourth side, the first side comprising a first face adjacent the gas flow path and a second face in contact with the TE device;
- and
- wherein the first, second, third and fourth sides of the gas flow conduit enclose a space within which the TE device and the resilient member are arranged;
- and
- a combustor arranged downstream of the inlet conduit assembly.
7 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an inlet conduit assembly surrounding a gas flow path, the inlet conduit assembly comprising:
- a thermoelectric (TE) device configured to convert heat into electrical energy, wherein the TE device comprises a plurality of TE devices;
- a gas flow conduit arranged between the gas flow path and the TE device;
- and
- a resilient member configured to bias the TE device into contact with the gas flow conduit, wherein the resilient member comprises one or more resilient members;
- a backing plate;
- more than two supports extending between the backing plate and the gas flow conduit;
- a pressure plate arranged between the resilient member and the TE device;
- and
- a fastener configured to compress the resilient member against the pressure plate;
- wherein the resilient member is arranged between the backing plate and the pressure plate, and
- wherein at least one TE device and at least one resilient member is arranged between every pair of two supports;
- and
- a combustor arranged downstream of the inlet conduit assembly.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.