U.S. patent application number 12/695526 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-04 for bypass lip seal.
This patent application is currently assigned to PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.. Invention is credited to Bryan OLVER.
Application Number | 20100278642 12/695526 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39133591 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100278642 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OLVER; Bryan |
November 4, 2010 |
BYPASS LIP SEAL
Abstract
A cooling apparatus for cooling a fluid in a bypass gas turbine
engine comprises a heat exchanger disposed within a bypass duct and
accommodated by a sub-passage defined by a flow divider affixed to
an annular wall of the bypass duct. The sub-passage defines an open
upstream end and an open downstream end to direct a portion of the
bypass air flow to pass therethrough. A sealing assembly for the
bypass duct is also provided.
Inventors: |
OLVER; Bryan; (Nobleton,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OGILVY RENAULT LLP (PWC)
1, PLACE VILLE MARIE, SUITE 2500
MONTREAL
QC
H3B 1R1
CA
|
Assignee: |
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA
CORP.
Longueuil
CA
|
Family ID: |
39133591 |
Appl. No.: |
12/695526 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11511443 |
Aug 29, 2006 |
|
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12695526 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
415/180 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01D 25/18 20130101;
Y02T 50/60 20130101; F05D 2240/12 20130101; F02K 3/04 20130101;
Y02T 50/675 20130101; F02C 7/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/180 |
International
Class: |
F01D 5/08 20060101
F01D005/08 |
Claims
1. A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine bypass duct cooler,
said assembly comprising: a bypass duct cooler having a peripheral
recess; a body having an opening, said opening bounded by a
peripheral flange arranged angularly to a surface of said body,
said recess and flange being configured such that said flange is
receivable within said recess; and a seal disposed within said
recess substantially continuously around the periphery, said seal
adapted to sealingly engage said flange when said recess is mated
with said flange.
2. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover means
includes a peripheral groove for receiving said secondary seal.
3. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said seal includes a
groove having a V-shaped profile.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a Division of Applicant's U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/511,443 filed on Aug. 29, 2006.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines and
more particularly, to an improved cooling apparatus for cooling of
a fluid used in a turbofan bypass gas turbine engine.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
[0003] Lubricating oil used in aircraft gas turbine engines must be
cooled. Without proper cooling, poor cooling and/or poor
lubrication of gears and bearings result, which may cause problems
for engine operation. In addition to employing conventional
radiator-type oil coolers, the prior art also describes directing
oil through inlet guide vanes or support struts to achieve a
cooling benefit from air ingested by the engine. The cooling of
engine fluid is also achieved by directing the fluid flowing
directly along a surface defining a periphery of a bypass duct of a
turbofan bypass gas turbine engine, to thereby permit heat exchange
between the fluid and bypass air passing through the bypass duct.
However, efforts have been made to further improve the cooling of
lubricating fluids of gas turbine engines.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved cooling
apparatus for use in gas turbine engines, particularly in turbofan
bypass gas turbine engines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with one aspect, the present invention
provides a seal assembly for a gas turbine engine bypass duct
cooler, the assembly comprising a bypass duct cooler having a
peripheral recess; a body having an opening, the opening bounded by
a peripheral flange arranged angularly to a surface of the body,
the recess and flange being configured such that the flange is
receivable within the recess; and a seal disposed within the recess
substantially continuously around the periphery, the seal adapted
to sealingly engage the flange when the recess is mated with the
flange.
[0006] Further details of these and other aspects of the present
invention will be apparent from the detailed description and
figures included below.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures depicting
aspects of the present invention, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a turbofan
bypass gas turbine engine, showing an exemplary application of a
fluid cooling apparatus;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the fluid
cooling apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line
3-3 of FIG. 2, showing a traverse section of the sub-passage
defined by the fluid divider;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the outer bypass casing of
the turbofan engine of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a
heat exchanger of the fluid cooling apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an enlarged partially cut away view of the sealing
arrangement of FIG. 5; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a side view of the sealing arrangement of FIG.
5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a turbofan bypass gas turbine engine
which includes a housing 10, a core casing 13, a low pressure spool
assembly seen generally at 12 which includes a shaft 15
interconnecting a fan assembly 14, a low pressure compressor 16 and
a low pressure turbine assembly 18, and a high pressure spool
assembly seen generally at 20 which includes a shaft 25
interconnecting a high pressure compressor assembly 22 and a high
pressure turbine assembly 24. The core casing 13 surrounds the low
and high pressure spool assemblies 12 and 20 to define a main fluid
path (not indicated) through the engine. In the main fluid path
there is provided a combustion section 26 having a combustor 28
therein. An annular bypass duct 30 is defined between an inner
bypass duct wall, formed for example by the core casing 13, and an
outer bypass duct wall 32 formed by an outer bypass duct casing
located within the housing 10. A stream of bypass air which is
compressed by the fan assembly 14, is directed through the annular
bypass duct 30 and is discharged therefrom to produce thrust.
[0016] The engine has a lubricating system (not indicated)
including a pump (not shown) and a heat exchanger 34 positioned
within the annular bypass duct 30, according to one embodiment of
the present invention. The heat exchanger 34 is connected in fluid
communication with a fluid circuit (not shown) such as a
lubricating system of the engine, to allow relatively hot oil to
flow therethrough and be thereby cooled by a fast moving stream of
bypass air passing through the annular bypass duct area 30.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1-5 and in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention, a section of the outer bypass duct wall
32 is defined by an outer bypass duct casing or annular body 31,
preferably made of sheet metal or other suitable material. The
front end of the annular body 31 has an opening with a radially
extending flange 36 to be connected to an intermediate casing 38
(see FIG. 1) which in turn is connected to a fan casing 39. The
rear end of the annular body 31 has a radially outwardly extending
flange 40 to be connected with an engine exhaust duct 42 (see FIG.
1).
[0018] The annular body 31 has an open area 44, for example in a
rectangular shape, as shown in FIG. 3. The open area 44 is
preferably defined in a portion 46 of the outer annular wall 32 of
the bypass duct 30 which is radially outwardly protuberant relative
to the remaining portion of the annular body 31, for reasons
discussed further below. The protuberant portion 46 may be
integrated with the remaining portion of the outer annular wall 32.
However, in this embodiment, the protuberant portion 46 is
fabricated in a process separate from the manufacturing of the
remaining portion of the annular outer wall 32, and is then
attached, for example by welding, to the remaining portion of the
outer annular wall 32. The protuberant portion 46 of the outer
annular wall 32 preferably includes outwardly extending flanges 45
along the edge of the rectangular open area 44. Preferably, the
protuberant portion 46 flares outwardly around the rectangular open
area 44 to provide the flanges 45.
[0019] A fluid divider 48 which is preferably made of a metal plate
pressed in a smoothly curved aerodynamic configuration as shown in
FIG. 2, is affixed, for example by welding, to the inner side of
the outer annular wall 32 of the bypass duct 30, preferably in a
location adjacent the protuberant portion 46. The fluid divider 48,
in combination with the outer annular wall 32 of the bypass duct
30, particularly the protuberant portion 46 thereof, thereby forms
a flow sub-passage 50 within the bypass duct 32. The flow
sub-passage 50 defines an upstream open end 52 and a downstream
open end 54 and is accessible from outside of the annular body 31
(the outer bypass duct casing) through the open area 44. The fluid
divider 48, together with protuberant portion 46, provides an inlet
scoop function, projecting partially into the bypass flow, and an
outlet venturi function for to develop the required pressure
differential needed to drive air through the cooler.
[0020] The protuberant portion 46 forms an additional space which
is added to the annular bypass duct 30 to receive the heat
exchanger 34. Therefore, the heat exchanger 34 is almost buried
within the additional space to not substantially intrude into the
annular bypass duct 30. The fluid divider 48 is smoothly curved in
a configuration such that the slightly inwardly extending front and
rear portions of the fluid divider 48, in combination with the
protuberant portion 46, form the upstream and downstream open ends
52, 54 within the annular bypass duct 30 near the outer annular
wall 32 (see FIG. 2), while the middle portion of the fluid divider
48 is shaped and positioned preferably in a close relationship with
an outer duct diameter 33 (see FIG. 3).
[0021] The heat exchanger 34 can be selected from a variety of
configurations. For example, coil tubes (not shown) are arranged in
a sinusoidal pattern to define a fluid passage which is exposed to
and is thus cooled by air flow passing through spaces between the
coil tubes. The heat exchanger 34, however, according to this
embodiment and illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, is configured with a
plurality of tubes 56, preferably made of sheet metal or other
suitable material. Metal is preferred in order to provide good heat
transfer properties. Each tube 56 extends transversely and reverses
at opposite sides to form a layer preferably in a rectangular
configuration. Each layer (3 layers in this embodiment) of the
tubes 56 are in fluid communication by vertical tubes 57 at the
corners of the rectangular configuration. The rectangular
configuration is sized to be received within the flow sub-passage
50 through the open area 44 of the outer annular wall 32 of the
bypass duct 30. A plurality of corrugated metal sheets 59 and metal
fins (not shown) are preferably placed between and contact the
layers of tubes 56 to increase heat exchange surfaces. The
corrugated metal sheets 59 thus define a plurality of air passages
58 extending through the heat exchanger 34.
[0022] An over-sized cover plate 60 is preferably attached to the
top layer of tubes 56. The cover plate 60 includes a fluid inlet 62
and a fluid outlet 64 which are in fluid communication with the
tubes 56, thereby defining at least one fluid passage 66 through
the heat exchanger 34, as illustrated by the hollow arrows in FIG.
2. Preferably, the inlet and outlet are arranged such that flow
through the fluid passage 66 is in the opposite direction to the
bypass flow through the device, to improve heat transfer. A small
tank (shown in FIG. 5 but not indicated) is preferably attached to
the heat exchanger 34 at each of the opposite sides thereof in
fluid communication with and as a part of the fluid passage 66.
[0023] The inlet and outlet 62, 64 extend out of the outer side of
the cover plate 60 for connection to a fluid circuit, for example
the lubricating system of the engine. The cover plate 60 is shaped
and sized so as mate with the outwardly extending flanges 45 on the
edge of the open area 44, to seal the open area 44. A plurality of
mounting holes (not indicated) are preferably provided in the cover
plate 60 to permit mounting screws or bolts (not shown) to pass
therethrough in order to mount the cover plate 60, together with
the heat exchanger 34, to the outer annular wall 32 of the bypass
duct 30. The cover plate 60 functions not only as a cover for the
open area 44 of the outer annular wall 32 of the bypass duct 30,
but also as a base support of the heat exchanger 34 when placed in
position within the bypass duct 30.
[0024] The heat exchanger 34 can be installed within the bypass
duct 30 and positioned in the flow sub-passage 50 with the
following installation procedure. From outside the bypass duct, the
heat exchanger 34 is inserted into the open area 44 until the open
area 44 is covered by the cover plate 60. The cover plate 60 is
securely connected to the annular body 31 by the mounting screws or
bolts, and thus securely supports the heat exchanger 34 in position
within sub-passage 50. Preferably after the heat exchanger 44 is
securely supported in position, the flow inlet and outlet 62, 64
can be connected to the suitable fluid circuit of the engine. The
simplicity of installation and removal of the heat exchanger 34
provided by positioning the heat exchanger on the outer bypass duct
and permitting it to be installed from outside the outer bypass,
reduces maintenance and inspection time and thus operation costs
thereof because further disassembly of the engine and/or
complicated tools are not required. The device thus may be a line
replaceable unit (LRU) which can be removed and/or placed without
engine removal from its operational setting (e.g. "on the
wing").
[0025] During engine operation, a portion of bypass air flow
indicated by arrows 68 is divided from the main bypass air flow 70
at the upstream open end 52 of the flow sub-passage 50 because the
upstream open end 52 is located within the annular bypass duct 30,
performing a "scoop" function. The portion of bypass air flow 68 is
directed along the flow sub-passage 50 and passes through the heat
exchanger 34 to be discharged from the downstream open end 54 into
the main bypass air flow 70 through a venturi section, as described
further below. The engine fluid such as oil for lubrication is
directed to flow through the fluid passage 66 defined within the
container 56, from the inlet 62 to the outlet 64. Therefore, the
relatively hot oil contacts the inner surface of the container
walls and surrounds the air tubes 58. Meanwhile, the portion of
bypass air flow 68 passing through the heat exchanger 34, which is
much cooler than the hot oil, passes along the side walls of the
container 56 and through the air tubes 58, thereby causing heat
exchange between the hot oil and the rapid bypass air flow 68,
through the metal walls of the container 56 and the plurality of
metal air tubes 58. Heat is also added to the diverted air, thereby
reducing the already negligible performance loss introduced by the
present device to the overall gas turbine system.
[0026] At the downstream open end 56 of the flow sub-passage 50,
the portion of bypass air flow 68 is discharged back into the main
bypass air flow 70. The shape of the sub-passage 50, as defined by
the protuberant portion 46, together with the velocity of the main
bypass air flow 70, creates a venturi effect at the downstream open
end 54 of the flow sub-passage 50 to cause a local low pressure
area such that the pressure differential between the upstream open
end 52 and the downstream open end 54 of the flow sub-passage 50 is
increased. This increased pressure differential over the flow
sub-passage 50 facilitates air flow through sub-passage 50, and
thereby improves the heat exchange between the portion of the
bypass air flow 68 and the heat exchanger 34 (and thus the hot
fluid passing therethrough).
[0027] As described, the heat exchanger 34 is almost buried in the
additional space defined by the protuberant portion 46 and does not
substantially intrude into the annular bypass duct 30, and more
particularly, the middle section of the fluid divider 48 is in a
close relationship with the outer diameter 33 of the bypass duct
30. The bypass duct main flow 70 is not significantly interfered
with by the installation of the cooling apparatus of this
invention.
[0028] A further advantage of this invention is lack of ducting
which additionally reduces size, weight and pressure loss of the
engine.
[0029] FIG. 6 illustrates the overall arrangement in its
environment in which it is used. Numeral 30 represents the bypass
duct area of the engine as discussed herein previously. In the
embodiment shown, the arrangement includes the cover 80 of the
air-cooled oil cooler which may be fastened to the access area 82
at 84. In the arrangement shown, cover 80 includes a continuous
peripheral groove 86 which groove includes a preferably silicone
rubber seal 88. The rubber seal 88 extends continuously within the
groove 86 and further includes an inwardly extending channel or
groove 90, the latter which is shown best in FIG. 7. The groove 90
is continuous through seal 88.
[0030] In greater detail concerning the seal 88, in the example the
arrangement provides for a top segment 92 and orthogonally oriented
spaced apart sides 94 and 96. As is evident from FIG. 7, the seal
88 is configured to locate and position within the similarly shaped
continuous peripheral groove 86 of cover 80. It is evident that
this arrangement provides for a number of sealing areas, at least
three of which are provided by the straight segments 92, 94 and 96,
with a further sealing assembly created by the walls 98 and 100
inherent with the groove 90 extending inwardly of the rubber seal
88.
[0031] Groove 90 is dimensioned and configured to locate, for
purposes of positioning, bypass duct cover 80 by engaging a
peripheral flange or lip segment 102 extending around the access
area 82. The lip 102 is preferably continuous about the access area
82. By the provision of the multiple sealing capacity of the seal
of FIGS. 6 and 7, the flange need not be continuous. The continuous
aspect is what is typical in this component.
[0032] In the use of the overall system, FIG. 7 illustrates the
mating relationship between the seal 88 and lip 102 of the bypass
duct globally denoted as numeral 30. As illustrated in FIG. 7, lip
102 is located and partially received within channel 90. Cover 80,
when positioned in overlying relation with seal 88 and pressurably
contacted therewith by the application of suitable pressure (by
fasteners, etc.), results in deformation of seal 88 about lip 102
and subsequently about the periphery of the access area to provide
a continuous seal about the entire periphery of the system. In this
manner, the lip 102 and groove 86 of seal 88 are effectively
compressively mated by the application of pressure to provide a
plurality of sealed surfaces.
[0033] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one
skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the
embodiments described without departure from the scope of the
invention disclosed. For example, the heat exchanger can be
otherwise configured as an air cooled fluid cooler of any suitable
type, and need not be the above-described radiator type and the
illustrated container type. The cooling apparatus of the present
invention can be used as an air cooled oil cooler of a gas turbine
engine, but also can be used to cool other fluids such as fuel or
hydraulic fluids of the gas turbine engine. Although the flow
sub-passage is defined between a flow divider and a portion of the
outer annular wall of the bypass duct, particularly for convenience
of installation, the cooling apparatus of the present invention can
be positioned within the bypass duct in combination with an inner
annular wall of the bypass duct. Alternately, a cooling apparatus
according to the above teachings may be positioned in any suitable
configuration so as to communicate with the by pass flow, such as
within a strut, fairing, etc. Still other modifications which fall
within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art in light of a review of this disclosure, and
such modifications are intended to fall within the appended
claims.
* * * * *