Air bottoming cycle driven propulsor
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsStephen H. Taylor, Alan Retersdorf, Oliver V. Atassi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section for powering a primary propulsor. The aircraft propulsion system further includes a tap that is at a location upstream of the combustor section where a bleed airflow is drawn, a heat exchanger where the bleed airflow is heated by the gas flow, a power turbine through which heated bleed airflow is expanded to generate a work output, and a secondary propulsor that is driven by the work output that is generated by the power turbine.
Claims20
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a core engine including a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section for powering a primary propulsor;
- a tap at a location upstream of the combustor section where a bleed airflow is drawn;
- a heat exchanger where the bleed airflow is heated by the gas flow;
- a power turbine through which heated bleed airflow is expanded to generate a work output;
- and
- a secondary propulsor driven by the work output generated by the power turbine.
An aircraft assembly comprising:
- an airframe structure including a fuselage and wings;
- a propulsion system mounted to the airframe structure, the propulsion system including a core engine including a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section, a tap at a location upstream of the combustor section where a bleed airflow is drawn, a heat exchanger where the bleed airflow is heated by the gas flow;
- a power turbine through which heated bleed airflow is expanded to generate a work output;
- a primary propulsor driven by the turbine section of the core engine, the primary propulsor comprises a fan section with a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an engine longitudinal axis;
- and
- a secondary propulsor driven by the work output generated by the power turbine and is located separate from the core engine and the primary propulsor.
A method of powering an aircraft comprising:
- generating a gas flow by igniting a fuel mixed with a core airflow;
- expanding the gas flow through a turbine section coupled to a primary propulsor;
- communicating a portion of the core airflow as a bleed airflow through a tap;
- heating the bleed airflow with the gas flow within a heat exchanger;
- generating shaft power by expanding at least a portion of heated bleed airflow exhausted through a power turbine;
- driving the primary propulsor about an engine longitudinal axis with the turbine section;
- and
- driving a secondary propulsor about a secondary axis spaced apart from the engine longitudinal axis with energy generated through rotation of the power turbine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.