Durable High Performance Precooler for High Mach Flight

ABSTRACT: A major challenge in developing air-breathing engines for high speed flight is the high temperature of the air that is ingested at high Mach numbers. Precooler heat exchangers in front of the fan have been attempted at various times since the 1960s, but none of these concepts have ever flown. SPIRITECH proposes an innovative annular precooler heat exchanger to cool propulsion system inlet air at high Mach numbers to simulate the lower temperature flow conditions associated with lower Mach flight. This innovative precooler allows use of current-technology turbojet engines to facilitate high speed flight. This system employs low temperature helium in a precooler/heat exchanger to chill the incoming air. Unique features of the precooler include: 1) lightweight construction techniques to facilitate high internal pressures in a lightweight design, 2) counterflow flow arrangement with aspects of crossflow added to enhance heat transfer and, ultimately, precooler effectiveness, and 3) unique shaping of tube bundles to provide improved cooling effectiveness while minimizing pressure drop. In addition, use of additive manufacturing for the headers/manifolds allows them to be integrated efficiently into the overall precooler design, which is expected to provide benefits in weight, cost, and integration.; BENEFIT: The development of precooled propulsion is a key enabler for new high Mach platform capabilities of particular interest to the Air Force. The ability to achieve high speed flight using a gas turbine engine with a precooler would be a major game-changer in high speed flight. If successful, this market could explode with demand for aircraft and missiles. In addition, technologies derived from this precooler concept could be used to replace heat exchangers on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), and the Sixth-Generation Jet Fighter, to name a few. Potential customers in this field include both military and commercial customers. Military customers include Air Force, Navy, Army, NASA and DARPA. Commercial customers include aircraft, propulsion, automotive, and power generation companies, as well as any company that uses heat exchangers to cool components.