Cryogenic fuel semi-closed recirculating bottoming cycle
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsBrandon M. Evans, Neil J. Terwilliger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft propulsion system includes a cryogenic fuel system and a fuel flow path where a fuel flow is circulated from upstream in a direction downstream to a combustor of the core engine. A first heat exchanger inputs heat into the fuel flow downstream of the first heat exchanger is used to heat the fuel flow from the fuel storage tank and a second heat exchanger inputs thermal energy from a heat source into the fuel flow from the core engine downstream of the first heat exchanger. A turboexpander is configured to generate shaft power from expansion of the fuel flow exhausted downstream from at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.
Claims9
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a core engine comprising a combustor where a cryogenic fuel is mixed with compressed air and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow;
- a propulsive fan driven by shaft power generated by the core engine;
- a cryogenic fuel system comprising a cryogenic fuel storage tank;
- a fuel flow path where a fuel flow is circulated from upstream at the cryogenic fuel storage tank in a direction downstream to the combustor of the core engine;
- a first heat exchanger where heat input into the fuel flow downstream of the first heat exchanger is used to heat the fuel flow from the cryogenic fuel storage tank;
- a second heat exchanger where thermal energy from a heat source from the core engine is the heat input into the fuel flow downstream of the first heat exchanger, wherein the heated fuel flow from the second heat exchanger flows into the first heat exchanger to heat the fuel flow from the cryogenic fuel storage tank;
- and
- a turboexpander configured to generate shaft power from expansion of the fuel flow exhausted downstream from the first heat exchanger, wherein the turboexpander is configured to receive the fuel flow downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.