HEAT PIPE INTERCOOLING SYSTEM FOR TURBOMACHINE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat pipe intercooler for a turbomachine.SOLUTION: A turbomachine 100 includes a compressor 110 including an intake portion 202 and an outlet portion 204. The compressor compresses air received at the intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into the outlet portion. A combustor 120 is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine 130 is operably connected with the combustor. The turbine receives a combustion gas flow from the combustor. An intercooler 220 is operatively connected to the compressor, and at least a portion of the intercooler is placed in an inter-stage gap between rotor blades and stator vanes of the compressor. The intercooler has a plurality of heat pipes 222 that extend into the inter-stage gap. The plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to one or more manifolds 224. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow to a plurality of heat exchangers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2