Improving the efficiency of aviation turbofan engines by using an intercooler and a recuperative heat exchanger

Abstract

Continuous improvement of fuel efficiency of aircraft engines is the main global trend in modern engine construction. To date, aviation gas turbine engines have reached a high degree of thermodynamic and design-and technology perfection. One of the promising ways to further improve their fuel efficiency is the use of complex thermodynamic cycles with turbine exhaust heat regeneration and with intermediate cooling in the process of air compression. Until recently, the use of cycles with a recuperative heat exchanger and an intercooler in aircraft gas turbine engines was restrained by a significant increase in the mass of the power plant due to the installation of heat exchangers. Currently, it has become technologically possible to create compact, light, high-efficiency heat exchangers for use on aircraft without compromising their performance. An important target in the design of engines with heat recovery is to select the parameters of the working process that provide maximum efficiency of the aircraft system. The article focuses on the statement of the task of optimization and choice of rational parameters of the working process of a bypass three-shaft turbojet engine with an intercooler and a recuperative heat exchanger. On the basis of the developed method multi-criteria optimization was carried out by means of numerical simulations. The results of optimization of thermodynamic cycle parameters of a bypass three-shaft turbojet engine with an intercooler and a recuperative heat exchanger in the aircraft system according to such criteria as the total weight of the engine and fuel required for the flight, and the aircraft specific fuel consumption per ton - kilometer of the payload are presented. A passenger aircraft of the Airbus A310-300 type was selected. The developed mathematical model for calculating the mass of a compact heat exchanger, designed to solve optimization problems at the stage of conceptual design of the engine is presented. The developed methods and models are implemented in the ASTRA program. The possibility of improving the efficiency of turbofan engines due to the use of complex thermodynamic cycles is shown.

Design and finite volume evaluation of a counterflow recuperative spiral heat exchanger for additive manufacturing

“…The use of recuperative heat exchangers applies to a wide range of cases which include improving the efficiency of aviation turbofan engines [20], within a regenerative gas turbine cycle [21] and a MR J-T cryocooler [22,23]. Theoretical models include a Purge ventilation system [24] as well as the investigation of the use of wavy plates within recuperative heat exchangers [25].…”

Analysis of Methods for Increasing the Efficiency of Gas Turbine Unit Operation

“…The introduction of regeneration into the gas turbine unit reduces the negative effect of air cooling during the compression process since a significant part of the additional heat can be transferred to the air in the regenerator [17].…”

The effect of heat recovery on the optimal values of helicopter turboshaft engine parameters

“…Математическая задача многокритериальной оптимизации параметров рабочего процесса ГТД СТ с регенерацией теплоты в системе вертолёта формулируется следующим образом [11]:…”

“…Снижение массы топлива и массы силовой установки при постоянной взлётной массе вертолёта и дальности полёта означает увеличение коммерческой нагрузки, а при заданной коммерческой нагрузке и дальности полёта -уменьшение взлётной массы вертолёта. Этот критерий характеризует ту часть массы ЛА, которая непосредственно зависит от параметров СУ [11].…”