US-20260126006-A1 - METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ANTI-ICE HEAT SUPPLY FROM WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS

US20260126006A1US 20260126006 A1US20260126006 A1US 20260126006A1US-20260126006-A1

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for anti-ice heat supply from waste heat recovery systems are disclosed. An apparatus for an aircraft, the apparatus comprising a fuel heat exchange system, an anti-ice heat exchanger, a waste heat recovery heat exchanger, and a conduit coupled to the fuel heat exchange system, the anti-ice heat exchanger, and the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, the conduit including a first portion and a second portion distinct from the first portion, wherein the first portion of the conduit carries a first portion of a thermal transfer fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to the anti-ice heat exchanger in which the thermal transfer fluid supplies anti-ice heat to a portion of the aircraft, wherein the second portion of the conduit carries a second portion of the thermal transfer fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to the fuel heat exchange system.

Inventors

Jeffrey D. Clements
Arthur W. Sibbach
Daniel A. Niergarth

Assignees

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250825

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus for an aircraft, the apparatus comprising: a fuel heat exchange system; an anti-ice heat exchanger; a waste heat recovery heat exchanger positioned in an exhaust section of an engine; a first conduit coupled to the fuel heat exchange system, the anti-ice heat exchanger, and the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, the first conduit including a first portion and a second portion distinct from the first portion, wherein the first portion of the first conduit carries a first portion of a thermal transfer fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to the anti-ice heat exchanger in which the thermal transfer fluid supplies anti-ice heat to a portion of the aircraft, wherein the second portion of the first conduit carries a second portion of the thermal transfer fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to the fuel heat exchange system in which the second portion of the thermal transfer fluid supplies heat to a fuel to be injected into a combustor of an aircraft engine; and a second conduit that is fluidly separate from the first conduit, the second conduit to carry bleed air between a compressor section of the aircraft engine and the fuel heat exchange system, wherein the bleed air heats fuel in the fuel heat exchange system.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the first conduit are a first supply portion and a second supply portion, wherein the first conduit includes a return portion that carries at least one of the first portion or the second portion of the thermal transfer fluid from the fuel heat exchange system to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger after at least one of (i) the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid supplies the anti-ice heat in the anti-ice heat exchanger or (ii) the second portion of the thermal transfer fluid heats fuel in the fuel heat exchange system.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the return portion of the first conduit is a first return portion, wherein the first conduit includes a second return portion that carries the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid from the anti-ice heat exchanger to the fuel heat exchange system after the first supply portion of the conduit carries the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the anti-ice heat exchanger and before returning the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bleed air is a first portion of the bleed air, and wherein the second conduit carries a second portion of the bleed air to the anti-ice heat exchanger.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second conduit carries the second portion of the bleed air from the anti-ice heat exchanger to the fuel heat exchange system.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel heat exchange system includes a first fuel heat exchanger and a second fuel heat exchanger to receive the fuel downstream of the first fuel heat exchanger.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anti-ice heat exchanger is positioned in a wing of the aircraft.
9 . An aircraft system comprising: a waste heat recovery heat exchanger positioned in an aircraft engine, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger causes combustion gases produced by the aircraft engine to transfer heat to a thermal transfer fluid; a first conduit coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, an anti-ice heat exchanger, and a supplemental heat exchange system, the first conduit including a first portion and a second portion distinct from the first portion, wherein the first portion of the first conduit carries the thermal transfer fluid from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger to the anti-ice heat exchanger in which the thermal transfer fluid transfers heat to a portion of an aircraft, and wherein the second portion of the first conduit carries the thermal transfer fluid to the supplemental heat exchange system distinct from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger and the anti-ice heat exchanger; and a second conduit to carry bleed air between a compressor section of the aircraft engine and the supplemental heat exchange system, wherein the bleed air exchanges heat with a supplemental fluid in the supplemental heat exchange system, and wherein the supplemental fluid is distinct from the thermal transfer fluid.
10 . The aircraft system of claim 9 , wherein the first conduit returns the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger after the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid flows to the anti-ice heat exchanger, and wherein the first conduit returns the second portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger after the second portion of the thermal transfer fluid flows to the supplemental heat exchange system.
11 . The aircraft system of claim 10 , wherein the first conduit carries the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the supplemental heat exchange system after carrying the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the anti-ice heat exchanger and before returning the first portion of the thermal transfer fluid to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger.
12 . (canceled)
13 . The aircraft system of claim 9 , wherein the second conduit includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the second conduit carries the bleed air from the compressor section to the supplemental heat exchange system, wherein the second portion of the second conduit carries the bleed air from the compressor section to the anti-ice heat exchanger.
14 . The aircraft system of claim 9 , wherein the supplemental fluid is fuel, and wherein the thermal transfer fluid and the bleed air heat the fuel being delivered to the aircraft engine in the supplemental heat exchange system.
15 . The aircraft system of claim 9 , wherein the first conduit includes a junction between (i) an outlet of the waste heat recovery heat exchanger and (ii) the anti-ice heat exchanger and the supplemental heat exchange system, wherein the first portion of the first conduit and the second portion of the first conduit connect at the junction.
16 . An aircraft comprising: an aircraft engine; an anti-ice heat exchanger; a fuel heat exchange system; a waste heat recovery heat exchanger positioned in a core flow path of the aircraft engine; and a first conduit coupled to the anti-ice heat exchanger, the fuel heat exchange system, and the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, the first conduit to carry a thermal transfer fluid to the anti-ice heat exchanger, the fuel heat exchange system, and the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, wherein the thermal transfer fluid receives heat from exhaust gases in the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, wherein the thermal transfer fluid delivers a first portion of the heat to fuel in the fuel heat exchange system, and wherein the thermal transfer fluid delivers a second portion of the heat to a portion of the aircraft in the anti-ice heat exchanger; and a second conduit that is fluidly separate from the first conduit, the second conduit to carry bleed air between a compressor section of the aircraft engine and the fuel heat exchange system, wherein the bleed air heats the fuel in the fuel heat exchange system.
17 . The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the first conduit includes a first return portion and a second return portion, wherein the first return portion carries the thermal transfer fluid from the anti-ice heat exchanger to the fuel heat exchange system or the second return portion, and wherein the second return portion carries the thermal transfer fluid from the fuel heat exchange system to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger.
18 . (canceled)
19 . The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the bleed air heats the fuel in a first portion of the fuel heat exchange system, and wherein the thermal transfer fluid heats the fuel in a second portion of the fuel heat exchange system, wherein the second portion of the fuel heat exchange system is downstream of the first portion of the fuel heat exchange system.
20 . The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the second conduit carries the bleed air to the anti-ice heat exchanger.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION This patent arises from a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/935,194, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2024. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/935,194 is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/935,194 is hereby claimed. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for anti-ice heat supply from waste heat recovery systems. BACKGROUND A conventional commercial aircraft generally includes a fuselage, a pair of wings, and a propulsion system that provides thrust. The propulsion system typically includes one or more aircraft engines, such as turbofan jet engines. The aircraft engine(s) may be typically mounted to a respective one of the wings of the aircraft, such as in a suspended position beneath the wing. An aircraft engine generally includes, in serial flow order, an inlet section, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air enters the inlet section and flows to the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section, which creates combustion gases. The combustion gases flow from the combustion section through a hot gas path defined within the turbine section and then exit the turbine section via the exhaust section. During inclement weather, freezing rain, hail, sleet, and/or ice can accumulate on the wings and inlet components of aircraft engines. Accumulated ice can break off and be ingested into the engine. Further, large portions of ice can damage engine fan blades or other downstream components of the engine. Additionally, ice accumulation can reduce an ability of the wings to operate as designed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an aircraft including an anti-ice system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is another schematic cross-sectional view of an example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is another schematic cross-sectional view of an example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is another schematic cross-sectional view of an example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is another schematic cross-sectional view of an example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of another example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is another schematic representation of another example implementation of the anti-ice system of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a flow chart representing an example path for fluid flow and heat exchange in the anti-ice system of FIGS. 1-8. FIG. 10 is a flow chart representing an example path for fluid flow and heat exchange in the anti-ice system of FIGS. 1-8. FIG. 11 is a flow chart representing an example path for fluid flow and heat exchange in the anti-ice system of FIGS. 1-8. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. The figures are not necessarily to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Anti-ice systems in traditional tube and wing aircraft use bleed air from aircraft engines to convey heat from the aircraft engines to the wings and other portions of the aircraft to prevent or reduce the accumulation and/or formation of ice. Cooling bleed air can be utilized to reduce a level of airflow needed to maintain turbine materials within acceptable ranges. However, extracting the bleed air can reduce an efficiency of the engine. Examples disclosed herein provide anti-ice systems that convey heat from the aircraft engines to the wings and other portions of the aircraft to prevent or reduce the accumulation and/or formation of ice while reducing an effect of doing so on a performance of the aircraft engines. For example, the anti-ice systems disclosed herein can reduce a rate at which bleed air is extracted from the aircraft engine to prevent or reduce the accumulation and/or formation of ice. Inclusion of example anti-ice systems disclosed herein provides an anti-icing or de-icing mechanism that prevents the buildup and shedding of pieces of ice into the engine during, e.g., adverse weather conditions, resulting in safer operation of the gas turbine engine. Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side view of one example of an aircraft 10. As shown, the aircraft 10 includes a fuselage 12 and a pair of wings 14 (one is shown) extending outward from the fuselage 12. In the illustrated example, a gas turbine engine 100 is supported on each wing 14 to propel the aircraft through the air during flight. In the illustrated example, the gas turbine engine 100 is an aeronautical, turbofan jet engine, referred to herein as “