Offset core with side ejector nacelle nozzles
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsJon Erik Sobanski, Jesse M. Chandler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a fan that is rotatable about a fan axis, a core engine that is configured for generating a gas flow utilized to generate shaft power for driving the fan, a nacelle that surrounds the core engine and the fan, a condenser where water in the gas flow is condensed into a liquid form, an exhaust duct assembly where the gas flow exhausted from the core engine is directed to the condenser, an ejector duct where a portion of a bypass airflow is thermally communicated with the condenser to cool the gas flow, and an evaporator assembly that is in thermal communication with the exhaust duct where water recovered by the condenser is heated to generate a steam flow that is subsequently communicated to the core engine.
Claims14
A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
- a fan rotatable about a fan axis;
- a core engine configured for generating a gas flow utilized to generate shaft power for driving the fan;
- a nacelle surrounding the core engine;
- a condenser where water in the gas flow is condensed into a liquid form, wherein the condenser comprises a first condenser portion and a second condenser portion;
- an exhaust duct assembly where the gas flow exhausted from the core engine is directed to the condenser, wherein the exhaust duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial duct parts that are circumferentially spaced apart and divided to communicate the gas flow to a corresponding one of the first condenser portion and the second condenser portion;
- an ejector duct where a portion of a bypass airflow is thermally communicated with each of the first condenser portion and the second condenser portion to cool the gas flow;
- and
- an evaporator assembly in thermal communication with the exhaust duct where water recovered by each of the first condenser portion and the second condenser portion is heated to generate a steam flow subsequently communicated to the core engine.
A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
- a fan rotatable about a fan axis;
- a core engine configured for generating a gas flow, the core engine is disposed about a core engine axis that is inclined relative to the fan axis;
- a power turbine where the gas flow from the core engine is expanded to generate shaft power utilized to drive the fan;
- a nacelle surrounding the core engine and the fan;
- a fan flow duct defining a bypass flow path around the core engine and the power turbine through the nacelle;
- a water recovery system including a condenser where water in the gas flow is condensed into a liquid and a water collector where the condensed water is separated from the gas flow;
- an exhaust duct assembly where the gas flow exhausted from the core engine is directed to the condenser, wherein the condenser a first condenser portion and a second condenser portion;
- an exhaust case where gas flow exhausted from the power turbine is communicated to the exhaust duct assembly, wherein the exhaust duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial duct parts that extend radially outward from the exhaust case toward the nacelle and the plurality of radial duct parts are circumferentially spaced apart and divided to communicate gas flow to a corresponding one of the first condenser portion and the second condenser portion;
- an ejector duct where a portion of a bypass airflow is thermally communicated with the condenser;
- and
- an evaporator assembly in thermal communication with the exhaust duct where water recovered from the water collector is heated to generate a steam flow that is communicated to the core engine.
A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- generating a gas flow with a core engine that is disposed about a core engine axis that is inclined relative to a fan axis;
- generating shaft power to drive the fan with a power turbine receiving the gas flow from the core engine;
- bypassing an airflow generated by the fan around the core engine and the power turbine through a fan flow duct defined within a nacelle;
- directing the gas flow to a condenser through an exhaust duct assembly;
- cooling the gas flow in the condenser with a portion of the airflow generated by the fan and directed through an ejector duct in thermal communication with the condenser, wherein the condenser comprises a first condenser portion and a second condenser portion disposed on opposite sides of the fan flow duct;
- directing a first part of the airflow generated by the fan into thermal communication with the first condenser portion and the second condenser portion through the ejector duct separate from airflow through the fan flow duct;
- generating a steam flow by heating water recovered by the condenser in an evaporator assembly in thermal communication with the gas flow;
- and
- injecting at least a portion of the generated steam flow into the core engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.