General Electric Company

Unison Industries, Inc.

Alstom Technology Limited

General Electric Company Global Research

Carlos Enrique Diaz

William Dwight Gerstler

Michael Thomas Kenworthy

Michael Ralph Storage

Nikolai N Pastouchenko

Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos

Umesh Paliath

Hongbin Ju

Jürgen Gerhard Hoffmann

Mehdi Milani Baladi

Florian Stefan Hoefler

John Joseph Rahaim

Daniel Jean-Louis Laborie

William Joseph Antel, Jr

Jorge Carretero Benignos

Jorge De Luis

Noel Istvan Macsotai

Stephen Dennis Geary

Andreas Ullrich

Alvaro Enrique Hernandez

David William Kimball

An air intake system includes an exterior housing for a vehicle, the exterior housing including an outer surface including a recessed portion defined therein. The recessed portion includes an angled bottom member having a first end and a second end that is coupled to the outer surface. The recessed portion further includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall, and an inlet opening defined within the recessed portion. The inlet opening is bounded by the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the second end, and the inlet opening is configured to receive a fluid stream therethrough. The air intake system further includes an actuation component coupled to the angled bottom member. The actuation component includes a shape memory alloy, and the actuation component is responsive to a change in a thermal condition and configured to move the second end, thereby regulating the inlet opening.

Air intake systems and methods of assembly thereof

A method of forming a heat exchanger, for example a heat exchanger used in an aircraft, the method comprising extruding a metal body with at least one fluid passage in the metal body, forming a set of fins that are attached to the metal body and forming a set of heat transfer augmentation structures on the metal body.

Engine heat exchanger and method of forming

In an aircraft including a gas turbine engine having a compressor including a compressor booster, a turbine, and a nacelle, a system for cooling compressor discharge air provided to the turbine to cool the turbine includes a heat exchanger provided in a nacelle compartment of the gas turbine engine configured to cool the compressor discharge air by exchanging heat from the compressor discharge air to a cooling fluid; and a cooling fluid circuit configured to circulate cooling fluid through the heat exchanger and a heat sink, wherein the heat sink is at least one of an inlet of the nacelle compartment, an inlet of the compressor booster, or outlet guide vanes of the gas turbine engine.

Cooled cooling air system for a gas turbine

An apparatus for attenuating sound waves includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one opening defined by the second surface. The apparatus also includes a heat exchanger defining a plurality of cooling channels therein and including a plurality of fins. The plurality of cooling channels extend between the first surface and the second surface. The plurality of fins extend from the second surface. The apparatus further includes at least one cavity extending between the first surface and the second surface. The at least one cavity is in flow communication with the at least one opening. The at least one opening and the at least one cavity are configured to attenuate the sound waves. The apparatus also includes at least one passageway extending between the at least one opening and the at least one cavity and positioned between the plurality of cooling channels.

Apparatus including heat exchanger and sound attenuator for gas turbine engine

An apparatus for attenuating sound waves in a gas turbine engine includes a surface at least partially defining a pathway for airflow and a plurality of fins extending from the surface. The plurality of fins are configured to dissipate heat into the airflow. Each fin of the plurality of fins includes a fin surface. The fin surface is configured to direct the sound waves between the plurality of fins such that the plurality of fins attenuate the sound waves. The plurality of fins are arranged such that spacing between adjacent fins of the plurality of fins facilitates sound attenuation.

A heat exchanger for a turbine engine having a body including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one fluid passage configured to carry a flow of heated fluid proximal to the second surface and where the body is arranged to transfer heat from the heated fluid to a cooling fluid passing by the second surface.

A surface cooler includes a base component, a plurality of first fins, and a plurality of second fins. The base component has a first surface, a second surface, and a first thermally conductive material. The plurality of first fins extends substantially perpendicular from the first surface and each first fin is characterized by a first height and a first width. The plurality of second fins extends substantially perpendicular from the first surface and each second fin is characterized by a second height and a second width. One or more fins of the plurality of first fins are disposed between a pair of adjacent fins of the plurality of second fins and an average first height of the plurality of first fins is lower than an average second height of the plurality of second fins. The plurality of fins reduces air drag and augments heat transfer capacity of surface cooler.

Surface cooler and an associated method thereof

A turbine engine assembly is provided. The assembly includes a booster compressor that discharges a flow of first compressed air at a first temperature, and a high-pressure compressor (HPC). The HPC receives a first portion of the flow of first compressed air and discharges the first portion at a second temperature higher than the first temperature such that a flow of second compressed air is formed. The assembly also includes a heat exchanger (HEX) that receives a second portion of the flow of first compressed air from the booster compressor and a first portion of the flow of second compressed air from the HPC such that heat is transferred therebetween. The HEX discharges the first portion of the flow of second compressed air at a third temperature lower than the second temperature and higher than the first temperature such that a flow of cooled bleed air is formed.

Turbine engine assembly and method of manufacturing

A heat exchanger apparatus including a surface cooler and a passive automatic retraction and extension system coupled to the surface cooler. The surface cooler having disposed therein one or more fluid flow channels configured for the passage therethrough of a heat transfer fluid to be cooled. The heat transfer fluid in a heat transfer relation on an interior side of said one or more fluid flow channels. The surface cooler including a plurality of fins projecting from an outer surface thereof. The passive automatic retraction and extension system including a thermal actuation component responsive to a change in temperature of at least one of the heat transfer fluid and a cooling fluid flow so as to actuate a change in a geometry of the surface cooler. Further disclosed is an engine including the heat exchanger apparatus.

Variable geometry heat exchanger apparatus

An aviation bypass valve for use in a heat exchanger apparatus, including a shape memory alloy material. The heat exchanger apparatus further including an air-cooled oil cooler disposed in a bypass fan duct of an aircraft engine. The heat exchanger apparatus including a bypass valve in fluid communication with the air cooled oil cooler. The bypass valve including a valve body, a piston disposed in the valve body and moveable therein and an actuation component. The actuation component including a shape memory alloy. The actuation component responsive to a change in at least one of a thermal condition and a pressure exerted thereon so as to move the piston, thereby opening and closing the bypass valve.

Aviation bypass valve including a shape memory alloy material

A surface cooler includes a plate-like layer and a plurality of spaced-apart fins extending substantially perpendicular from an uppermost layer of the plate-like layer. The plurality of fins defining a plurality of air flow paths. The plurality of spaced-apart fins are configured to augment heat transfer of the surface cooler by increasing the turbulence levels of a fluid flowing through the airflow paths by promoting increased mixing with a resulting increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the surface cooler. A method of forming the surface cooler and an engine including the surface cooler.

Plate-like air-cooled engine surface cooler with fluid channel and varying fin geometry

A decongealing channel for use in a heat exchanger apparatus, including a supersaturated solution contained therein and an actuation component in fluid communication with a lubricating fluid coupled to the decongealing channel. The actuation component is responsive to a change in pressure exerted thereon by the lubricating fluid so as to actuate an exothermic response in the supersaturated solution. The heat exchanger apparatus is disposed in a bypass fan duct of an aircraft engine. The heat exchanger apparatus including a manifold portion, one or more flow through openings extending therethrough the manifold portion to define one or more flow through channels having contained therein the lubricating fluid. In addition, the manifold portion including one or more additional openings extending therethrough to define one or more decongealing channels. Further disclosed is an engine including the heat exchanger apparatus and a method of decongealing a lubricating fluid in the heat exchanger apparatus.

Method and apparatus for decongealing a lubricating fluid in a heat exchanger apparatus

In an aircraft including a gas turbine engine, a system for cooling the gas turbine engine includes a tank provided in a wing of the aircraft, the tank being configured to store a cooling fluid supply; and a heat exchanger provided in the gas turbine engine configured to exchange heat from the compressor discharge air to the cooling fluid.

Return fluid air cooler system for turbine cooling with optional power extraction

A thermally actuated venting system includes a thermally actuated vent for opening a vent outlet in a gas turbine engine associated compartment with a passive thermal actuator located in the compartment based on a temperature of the compartment. Outlet may be located at or near a top of a core engine compartment, a fan compartment, or a pylon compartment. Actuator may be operably connected to a hinged door of vent for opening outlet. Actuator may be actuated by a phase change material disposed in a chamber and having a liquid state below a predetermined actuation temperature and a gaseous state above the predetermined actuation temperature. Actuator may include a thermal fuse for closing door during a fire. Thermal fuse may include at least a portion of piston rod or a cylinder wall of actuator being made of a fuse material having a melting point substantially above the predetermined actuation temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Munich, Germany

Carlos Enrique Diaz