Patent ID: 7434765

Claim:
An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage; a wing; a propulsion system coupled to at least one of the wing and the fuselage; a first starter/generator coupled to the propulsion system; a second starter/generator coupled to the propulsion system; and a heat exchanger coupled to the first and second starter/generators, the heat exchanger including: a first flow path coupled to the first starter/generator to carry a first cooling fluid; a second flow path coupled to the second starter/generator to carry a second cooling fluid; and a third flow path for a third cooling fluid; wherein the first and second flow paths are positioned proximate to the third flow path to transfer heat between the third cooling fluid and both the first and second cooling fluids, and wherein the third flow path is configured to allow a transfer of heat between the second and third cooling fluids at a first transfer rate when the first cooling fluid carries heat at a first rate, and at a second transfer rate different than the first transfer rate based at least in part on the first cooling fluid not carrying heat or carrying heat at a second rate less than the first rate.