Hydrogen fueled turbine engine pinch point water separator
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorJoseph B. Staubach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas generating core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A power turbine engine is forward of the core engine and is coupled to drive a propulsor. A hydrogen fuel system supplies hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path. A condenser extracts water from the exhaust gas flow. A water separator is in communication with the condenser and directs the extracted water to a water storage tank. An evaporator receives a portion of the water that is extracted by the condenser and generates a steam flow. The steam flow is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.
Claims20
A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
- a gas generating core engine including a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a hydrogen based fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section;
- a power turbine engine forward of the core engine;
- a propulsor coupled to the power turbine;
- a hydrogen fuel system configured to supply hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path;
- a condenser arranged along the core flow path and configured to extract water from the exhaust gas flow;
- a water separator in communication with the condenser directing the extracted water to a water storage tank;
- and
- an evaporator arranged along the core flow path and configured to receive a portion of the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow, wherein the steam flow is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.
A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
- a gas generating core engine including a core flow path axially arranged through a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section, wherein the turbine section is engine forward of the compressor section;
- a hydrogen fuel system configured to supply a hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path;
- a condenser arranged engine forward of the turbine section and configured to extract water from an exhaust gas flow;
- a water separator in communication with the condenser and directing the extracted water radially outward through an outlet to a water storage tank;
- and
- an evaporator arranged along the core flow path and configured to receive a portion of the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow, wherein the steam flow is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.