Simulation and analysis of thermal management scheme for aero-engine fuel and lubrication system

Abstract In response to the current issue of excessive fuel and lubricant temperatures within the engine thermal management system, this paper introduces an air turbine cooling system for investigation. The thermal management system was simulated by using Amesim software, and the temperature variations of fuel and lubricant under different flight conditions were comparatively analyzed before and after the introduction of the air turbine cooling system. The results demonstrate the feasibility of enhancing the performance of the thermal management system by incorporating the air turbine cooling system. Prior to the introduction of the air turbine cooling system, the thermal management system experienced overheating during supersonic cruise and maximum thermal load phases due to insufficient heat sink capacity. The introduction of the air turbine cooling system effectively resolved the overheating issue during these phases. An exergy analysis was conducted to compare the exergy efficiency before and after the integration of the air turbine cooling system, revealing a significant improvement in exergy efficiency following the integration of the air turbine cooling system.