Condenser for steam-injected engine
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorAbbas A. Alahyari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine engine assembly includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow is expanded to generate a mechanical power output, a condenser system that includes a water tank that is configured for extracting water from the exhaust gas flow by communicating the exhaust gas flow directly through a volume of water within the water tank, and an evaporator system that is at least partially exposed to the exhaust gas flow where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser system for injection into a core flow path.
Claims17
A turbine engine assembly comprising:
- a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed;
- a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow;
- a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow is expanded to generate a mechanical power output;
- a condenser system including a water tank configured for extracting water from the exhaust gas flow by communicating the exhaust gas flow directly through a volume of water within the water tank, wherein the water tank includes an annular shaped portion where the exhaust gas flow and a water flow generate a rotational flow for condensing and separating water from the exhaust gas flow;
- and
- an evaporator system at least partially exposed to the exhaust gas flow where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water extracted by the condenser system for injection into a core flow path.
A steam generation system for an aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a condenser system including a water tank where water is extracted from an exhaust gas flow by communication directly through a volume of water within the water tank, wherein the water tank includes an annular shaped portion where at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow and a water flow are introduced tangentially to generate a rotational flow where water from the exhaust gas flow is condensed and separated from the exhaust gas flow;
- and
- an evaporator system where thermal energy is utilized to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water extracted by the condenser system.
A method of generating a steam flow for a turbine engine, the method comprising:
- introducing a water containing exhaust gas flow into a volume of water contained in a water tank including an annular shaped portion, wherein the water containing exhaust gas flow is introduced tangentially into the annular shaped portion of the water tank to induce a rotational flow;
- cooling the exhaust gas flow to condense water with the volume of water;
- extracting water from the exhaust gas flow into the volume of water;
- separating liquid water from the exhaust gas flow utilizing the rotational flow within the annular shaped portion of the water tank;
- and
- heating a portion of the water extracted from the exhaust gas flow to generate a steam flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.