Gas turbine engine integrated heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger apparatus including at least one cooling channel formed within and about an engine booster lip or an engine nacelle and configured to receive a flow of a circulating working fluid; and at least one fluid port communicating with the at least one cooling channel and an exterior of the engine booster lip or the engine nacelle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 at least one cooling channel formed within and about an engine booster lip or an engine annular fan casing and configured to receive a flow of a circulating working fluid; and   at least one fluid port communicating with the at least one cooling channel and an exterior of the engine booster lip or the engine annular fan casing.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is embedded within the booster lip and in thermal contact with a root of at least one fan outlet guide vane or fan outlet strut. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of cooling channels are embedded within and about the booster lip and wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels is in thermal contact with the root of at least one fan outlet guide vane or fan outlet strut. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured about at least a portion of a circumference of the engine booster lip. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured about a complete circumference of the engine booster lip. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is embedded within and about the engine annular fan casing and in thermal contact with a thermal plate on an outer surface of the engine annular fan casing. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal plate is flush mounted to the outer surface of the engine annular fan casing. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal plate is integrally formed with the outer surface of the engine annular fan casing. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of cooling channels are embedded within and about the engine annular fan casing and wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels is in thermal contact with the thermal plate. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured about at least a portion of a circumference of the engine annular fan casing. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured about a complete circumference of the engine annular fan casing. 
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of cooling channels integrally formed within and about at least a portion of a circumference of one of an engine booster lip or an engine nacelle and wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels is configured to receive a flow of circulating working fluid; and   inlet and outlet ports communicating with the at least one cooling channel and an exterior of the engine booster lip or the engine nacelle.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of cooling channels comprises a plurality of channels oriented circumferentially about the one an engine booster lip or an engine nacelle. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels is embedded within the booster lip and in thermal contact with a base of at least one fan outlet guide vane or fan outlet strut. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cooling channels are configured about at least a portion of a circumference of the engine booster lip. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels is embedded within and about at least a portion of a circumference of the engine nacelle and in thermal contact with a thermal plate on an outer surface of the engine nacelle. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal plate is one of mounted to the outer surface of the engine nacelle or integrally formed with the outer surface of the engine nacelle. 
     
     
         18 . An engine comprising:
 a core engine; and   a heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
 at least one cooling channel integrally formed within and about an engine booster lip or an engine annular fan casing and configured to receive a flow of a circulating working fluid; and 
 at least one fluid port communicating with the at least one flush mounted cooling channel and an exterior of the engine booster lip or the engine annular fan casing, 
 wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured to provide an increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger apparatus while minimizing aerodynamic losses and specific fuel consumption (SFC). 
   
     
     
         19 . The engine of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is configured about at least a portion of a circumference of the engine booster lip. 
     
     
         20 . The engine of  claim 18 , wherein at least one cooling channel is embedded within and about the engine annular fan casing and in thermal contact with a thermal plate on an outer surface of the engine annular fan casing.