HEAT PIPE TURBINE VANE INTEGRATION IN GAS TURBINE ENGINES

The results of integrating heat pipes into the vanes of a turbofan engine are presented.These Heat Pipe Turbine Vanes (HPTV) are integrated into the compressor exit, turbine inlet, and exhaust flow for vane cooling and waste heat recovery.Thermodynamic analysis of HPTV turbofan engines is done and comparisons are made between heat pipe turbine vane cooling and conventional film cooling techniques.Heat transfer through the vanes is analyzed using a thermal network model.Limitations on the heat transfer caused by various limiting phenomena within the heat pipe are also determined.