Hydrogen fuelled gas turbine engine
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsNicholas Grech, Jacopo Tacconi, Chloe J. Palmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine is configured to combust hydrogen fuel. The gas turbine engine comprises a fuel system comprising: a fuel pump configured to provide pressurised fuel to a core combustor of the gas turbine engine; a recuperator configured to heat fuel from combustion gases downstream of the core combustor; a fuel turbine downstream in fuel flow of the recuperator. The fuel turbine being configured to be driven by heated fuel and configured to power the fuel pump. Wherein the fuel turbine has an expansion ratio between 1.4 and 2.5.
Claims18
A method of operating a hydrogen-fueled gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- operating a fuel pump to provide pressurised fuel to a core combustor of the gas turbine engine;
- operating a recuperator to heat fuel using combustion gases downstream of the core combustor;
- operating a single stage fuel turbine downstream in fuel flow of the recuperator, the single stage fuel turbine being configured to be driven by heated fuel and configured to power the fuel pump, wherein the single stage fuel turbine comprises an aluminium alloy rotor and has an expansion ratio between 1.4 and 1.6;
- and
- operating a pre-heater configured to heat hydrogen fuel, wherein:
- the pre-heater is provided in hydrogen fuel flow between the fuel pump and the recuperator.
A gas turbine engine configured to combust hydrogen fuel, the gas turbine engine comprising a fuel system comprising:
- a fuel pump configured to provide pressurised fuel to a core combustor of the gas turbine engine;
- a recuperator configured to heat fuel using combustion gases downstream of the core combustor;
- a single stage fuel turbine downstream in fuel flow of the recuperator, the single stage fuel turbine being configured to be driven by heated fuel and configured to power the fuel pump;
- and
- a pre-heater configured to heat hydrogen fuel, wherein:
- the pre-heater is provided in hydrogen fuel flow between the fuel pump and the recuperator;
- and
- the single stage fuel turbine comprises an aluminium alloy rotor and has an expansion ratio between 1.4 and 1.6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.