Optimization and design of heat recovery system for aviation

Abstract

Heat recovery remains an active topic in energy system research because of the potential benefits in energy consumption and energy efficiency. Among the recent advances, the intercooled recuperated heat recovery concept has provided significant advancements in energy conversion for gas turbine engines. However, when applying this concept to aero engines, the lack of available space in the engine and the low tolerance for pressure loss are critical challenges in this complicated energy system. Therefore, an improved structure for a complex heat recovery energy system called the intercooled recuperated turbofan engine is proposed. In addition, a novel systematic optimization design method based on multidisciplinary theories is introduced. The new heat recovery system design is designed and analyzed with respect to the installation space and the engine performance. Because the system is very complex and strongly coupled, a sensitivity analysis has been conducted to decouple the parameters of this non-linear problem. By optimization, the structure of the engine is modified to adapt the heat recovery system′s demand for space (through a change in air flow). Its energy saving benefits are compared to a traditional turbofan engine; the new, optimized design has a lower fuel consumption. It achieves a high overall efficiency with a lower overall pressure ratio. This systematic design method is extremely important for complicated energy systems: it addresses the necessary compromises between structure and performance, which remains a critical challenge for energy systems.