# US 11,028,773 B2 · Compressed gas integrated power and thermal management system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,773 B2 - Document ID: US11028773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/140,067 - Filed: 2018-09-24 - Published: 2020-01-23 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-22 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. - Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. - Inventors: Michael Karam; Robert Duge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028773B2 ## CPC - F02C 1/04: the working fluid being heated indirectly {(in a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205)} - B64D 27/10: of gas-turbine type (jet aircraft B64D27/16) - F02C 6/003: {Gas-turbine plants with heaters between turbine stages} - F02C 7/08: Heating air supply before combustion, e.g. by exhaust gases - F02C 7/18: the medium being gaseous, e.g. air {(F02C7/125 takes precedence)} - F02C 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries - H02K 7/1823: {structurally associated with turbines or similar engines} - B64D 27/026: {comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine (Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33)} - F02C 6/16: for storing compressed air - F02C 6/20: Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for driving vehicles - F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator - Y02E 60/16: Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided that use compressed gas to power a turbine, which in turn powers a generator, where an expansion of the compressed gas provides cooling for an electrical load that is powered by the generator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power and thermal management system of an aircraft, the power and thermal management system comprising: a tank of compressed gas; a heat exchanger configured to receive a portion of the compressed gas from the tank at a lower pressure than in the tank; a first expansion valve upstream of the heat exchanger; a first turbine configured to be driven by the compressed gas from the tank that passes through the heat exchanger; a second expansion valve downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the first turbine; a controller configured to adjust a flow of the compressed gas through the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve in order to control a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger; a first electric generator configured to be mechanically powered by the first turbine; a second electric generator; and a second turbine configured to mechanically power the second electric generator, wherein the second turbine is configured to be driven by the compressed gas exhausted from the first turbine, wherein the power and thermal management system for the aircraft is configured as a primary electric power source for a directed energy weapon external to the power and thermal management system, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool the directed energy weapon from an expansion of the compressed gas released from the tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger in the tank, wherein the heat exchanger in the tank is configured to transfer heat received from the directed energy weapon to the compressed gas within the tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a combustor configured to receive compressed gas from the tank via the heat exchanger, the combustor further configured to burn fuel mixed with the compressed gas from the tank, and the combustor further configured to exhaust into the first turbine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second electric generators is configured to generate AC, and the other of the first and second electric generators is configured to generate DC. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is an integrated power and thermal management system. ### Claim 6 A power and thermal management system comprising: a tank of compressed gas; a heat exchanger configured to receive a portion of the compressed gas from the tank at a lower pressure than in the tank; a first expansion valve upstream of the heat exchange; a turbine configured to be driven by the compressed gas from the tank that passes through the heat exchanger; a second expansion valve downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the turbine; a controller configured to adjust a flow of the compressed gas through the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve in order to control a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger; and an electric generator configured to be mechanically powered by the turbine, wherein the system is configured as a primary electric power source for a load, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool the load from an expansion of the compressed gas released from the tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the load comprises a directed energy weapon, and wherein the system is configured as a sole electric power source for the directed energy weapon. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the tank, the turbine, the electric generator, and the heat exchanger are included in an apparatus configured to be worn by a person. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 further comprising a heat exchanger inside of the tank, wherein the heat exchanger inside of the tank is configured to transfer heat to the compressed gas within the tank via a coolant loop. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the turbine is a first turbine, wherein the system further comprises a second turbine and a gearbox, wherein the first and the second turbines are configured to mechanically power the electric generator via the gearbox, and wherein the second turbine is further configured to be driven by the compressed gas exhausted from the first turbine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 further comprising a combustor configured to receive compressed gas from the tank via the heat exchanger, the combustor further configured to burn fuel mixed with the compressed gas from the tank, and the combustor further configured to exhaust into the turbine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the combustor and the turbine are a first combustor and a first turbine, respectively, wherein the system further comprises a second combustor and a second turbine, the second combustor configured to receive compressed gas exhausted from the first turbine, the second combustor further configured to burn fuel mixed with the compressed gas, and the second combustor further configured to exhaust into the second turbine. ### Claim 13 A method of providing power and thermal management, the method comprising: releasing compressed gas from a tank into a heat exchanger; controlling, via a controller, a flow of the compressed gas through a first expansion valve upstream of the heat exchanger; transferring heat to the compressed gas in the heat exchanger from a load; controlling, via the controller, the flow of the compressed gas through a second expansion valve downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of a turbine; controlling, via the controller, a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger by adjusting the flow of the compressed gas through the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve; driving the turbine by the compressed gas that is heated in the heat exchanger; powering an electric generator mechanically by the turbine; and providing electric power generated by the electric generator to the load as a primary power source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the releasing, the transferring, the driving, the powering, and the providing are performed at an altitude greater than 30,000 feet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising transferring heat from the load to the compressed gas in the tank via a heat exchanger located inside of the tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the driving the turbine by the compressed gas comprises mixing the compressed gas with fuel to form a mixture, combusting the mixture in a combustor, and driving the turbine with exhaust from the combustor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising reaching a target power generated by the turbine by controlling an amount of the compressed gas that flows to the turbine from the heat exchanger.