Partial exhaust bottoming cycle
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsNeil J. Terwilliger, Lance L. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft propulsion system includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, and a condenser where water is extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, and a bottoming cycle where extracted water is transformed into a steam flow and injected into the core flow path.
Claims18
A method of operating a turbine engine for aircraft propulsion, the turbine engine comprising a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, the first exhaust gas flow continues through the turbine section and out through an aft turbine exit and the second exhaust gas flow is drawn from a location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section, a condenser configured to extract water from the second exhaust gas flow, a bottoming cycle comprising a thermal transfer medium circulating within a closed circuit, the bottoming cycle further comprising an evaporator configured to heat the thermal transfer medium and a heat exchanger configured to cool the thermal transfer medium, wherein a portion of the second exhaust gas flow is cooled in the evaporator before being communicated to the condenser, the method comprising:
- generating the exhaust gas flow with a core engine including the compressor section where inlet airflow is compressed, the combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate the exhaust gas flow that is expanded through the turbine section and exhausted through the aft exit of the turbine section;
- cooling the second exhaust gas flow drawn from the location upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section with the thermal transfer medium circulating within the closed circuit of the bottoming cycle;
- extracting water from the second exhaust gas flow in the condenser;
- and
- generating a steam flow from the extracted water with thermal energy from the second exhaust gas flow.
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed;
- a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path;
- a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, the first exhaust gas flow continues through the turbine section and out through an aft turbine exit and the second exhaust gas flow is drawn from a location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section;
- a condenser configured to extract water from the second exhaust gas flow;
- and
- a bottoming cycle comprising a thermal transfer medium circulating within a closed circuit, an evaporator configured to heat the thermal transfer medium and a heat exchanger configured to cool the thermal transfer medium, wherein a portion of the second exhaust gas flow is cooled in the evaporator before being communicated to the condenser.
A turbine engine assembly for aircraft propulsion comprising:
- a core engine defining a core flow path and configured to generate an exhaust gas flow, the core engine comprising:
- a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed;
- a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through the core flow path;
- and
- a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, the first exhaust gas flow continues through the turbine section and out through an aft turbine exit and the second exhaust gas flow is drawn from a location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section;
- a fuel system configured to provides a flow of cryogenic fuel to the core engine;
- a condenser configured to receive a partial portion of the exhaust gas flow and to extract water from the second exhaust gas flow to generate a water flow;
- and
- a bottoming cycle comprising a thermal transfer medium circulating within a closed circuit, an evaporator configured to heat the thermal transfer medium and the water flow from the condenser, the evaporator configured to generate a steam flow from the water flow for injection into the core flow path, and a heat exchanger configured to cool the thermal transfer medium, wherein a portion of the second exhaust gas flow is cooled in the evaporator before being communicated to the condenser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.