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US 11,905,914 B2Granted
Liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen fueled powerplant
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorWalter A. Ledwith, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powerplant is provided that includes a pre-burner, a combustor, a power turbine, a mechanical load and a propellant system. The combustor is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner. The power turbine is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor. The mechanical load is rotatably driven by the power turbine. The propellant system is configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner. The propellant system is also configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner.
Claims16
A powerplant, comprising:
- a pre-burner;
- a combustor fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner;
- a second pre-burner fluidly coupled with and upstream of the combustor;
- a power turbine fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor;
- a mechanical load rotatably driven by the power turbine;
- and
- a propellant system configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner, and the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner;
- and
- the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid oxygen and the fluid hydrogen to the second pre-burner to provide a second oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the second pre-burner, and the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within second combustion products received from the second pre-burner.
6 more elements
A powerplant, comprising:
- a pre-burner;
- a combustor fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner;
- a power turbine fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor;
- a mechanical load rotatably driven by the power turbine;
- and
- a propellant system configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner, and the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner, wherein the propellant system comprises
- an oxygen reservoir;
- an oxygen turbopump including a turbopump turbine and a turbopump pump, the turbopump turbine fluidly coupled with and between the pre-burner and the combustor, the turbopump pump rotatably driven by the turbopump turbine, and the turbopump pump configured to direct the fluid oxygen from the oxygen reservoir to the pre-burner;
- and
- a heater configured for heating the fluid oxygen within the oxygen reservoir.
7 more elements
A powerplant, comprising:
- a pre-burner;
- a combustor fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner;
- a power turbine fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor;
- a mechanical load rotatably driven by the power turbine;
- and
- a propellant system configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner, and the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner, wherein the propellant system comprises
- a hydrogen reservoir;
- a hydrogen turbopump including a turbopump turbine and a turbopump pump, the turbopump turbine fluidly coupled with and between the pre-burner and the combustor, the turbopump pump rotatably driven by the turbopump turbine, and the turbopump pump configured to direct the fluid hydrogen from the hydrogen reservoir to the pre-burner and to the combustor;
- and
- a heater configured for heating the fluid hydrogen within the hydrogen reservoir.
7 more elements
A powerplant, comprising:
- a pre-burner;
- a combustor fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner;
- a power turbine fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor;
- a mechanical load rotatably driven by the power turbine;
- a propellant system configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner, and the propellant system further configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner, wherein the propellant system comprises
- a hydrogen reservoir;
- and
- a hydrogen turbopump including a turbopump turbine and a turbopump pump, the turbopump turbine fluidly coupled with and between the pre-burner and the combustor, the turbopump pump rotatably driven by the turbopump turbine, and the turbopump pump configured to direct the fluid hydrogen from the hydrogen reservoir to the pre-burner and to the combustor;
- an exhaust fluidly coupled with and downstream of the power turbine;
- and
- an overpressure vent configured to fluidly couple the hydrogen reservoir to the exhaust.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.