Gas turbine with coulombic thermal protection
AssigneeClearsign Combustion Corporation
InventorROBERT E. BREIDENTHAL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine is configured to operate with a high temperature combustion gas stream. The gas turbine may include a combustor that provides a combustion gas stream including charged particles and at least one turbine stage including at least one high temperature surface that may be driven with a voltage selected to repel the charged particles. The at least one high temperature surface may output a film-cooling layer including cool air, the film-cooling layer being stabilized by Coulombic forces between the voltage and the charged particles.
Claims39
A gas turbine, comprising:
- a combustor configured to output a combustion gas stream;
- and
- a turbine including at least one turbine stage configured to receive the combustion gas stream;
- one or more high temperature surfaces in the combustor, the turbine, or the combustor and the turbine;
- and
- a voltage source operatively coupled to at least one of the high temperature surfaces, and configured to at least intermittently apply a voltage having a polarity to the high temperature surface;
- wherein the combustion gas stream includes charged particles having a first sign the same as the polarity of the voltage to which the at least one high temperature surface is driven.
A method for operating a gas turbine, comprising:
- outputting a combustion gas stream from a combustor to a turbine, the combustion gas stream including charged particles having a first charge;
- and
- applying to at least one high temperature surface of the combustor or the turbine a first voltage selected to repel the charged particles having the first charge.
A method for propelling an aircraft, comprising:
- outputting a combustion gas stream to a turbine, the combustion gas stream including charged particles having a first charge;
- and
- applying to at least one high temperature surface of at least one stage of the turbine a first voltage selected to repel the charged particles having the first charge.
A method for generating electricity, comprising:
- outputting a combustion gas stream to a turbine, the combustion gas stream including charged particles having a first charge;
- and
- applying to turbine blades of at least one stage of the turbine a first voltage selected to repel the charged particles having the first charge.
An aircraft including a gas turbine, the gas turbine comprising:
- a combustor configured to output a combustion gas stream;
- and
- a turbine including at least one turbine stage configured to receive the combustion gas stream, wherein the combustion gas stream includes charged particles having a first sign when received by the at least one turbine stage;
- wherein the at least one turbine stage includes turbine blades held or driven to a voltage having a polarity the same as the charged particles having the first sign.
An electric power generator including a gas turbine, the gas turbine comprising:
- a combustor configured to output a combustion gas stream;
- and
- a turbine including at least one turbine stage configured to receive the combustion gas stream, wherein the combustion gas stream includes charged particles having a first sign when received by the at least one turbine stage;
- wherein the at least one turbine stage includes at least one high temperature surface held or driven to a voltage having a polarity the same as the charged particles having the first sign.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.