Partial exhaust condensation regenerator
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsNeil J. Terwilliger, Abbas A. Alahyari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is divided into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. A desiccation system transfers water vapor from the first exhaust gas flow into the second exhaust gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the second exhaust gas flow and an evaporator system uses thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser for injection into the core flow path.
Claims20
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 that is communicated through a core flow path;
- a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein the exhaust gas flow is divided into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow;
- a desiccation system where water vapor from the first exhaust gas flow is concentrated and released into the second exhaust gas flow, wherein the desiccation system includes a first part and a second part that are interchanged between exposure to the first exhaust gas flow and the second exhaust gas flow;
- a condenser where water from the second exhaust gas flow is extracted;
- and
- an evaporator system 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 for injection into the core flow path.
An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- a propulsor section;
- a core engine that defines a core flow path where an inlet airflow is compressed, mixed with fuel, and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that generates shaft power to drive the propulsor section, wherein the exhaust gas flow is divided into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow;
- a desiccation system where a desiccant material absorbs water vapor from the first exhaust gas flow and releases the absorbed water vapor into the second exhaust gas flow, wherein the desiccation system comprises a means of interchanging different parts of the desiccant material between the first exhaust gas flow and the second exhaust gas flow;
- a condenser configured for extracting water from the second exhaust gas flow;
- an evaporator system configured to use thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow to vaporize water into a steam flow from at least a portion of water extracted by the condenser for injection into the core flow path.
A method of operating a turbine engine comprising:
- generating an exhaust gas flow containing water vapor and dividing the exhaust gas flow into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow;
- absorbing water vapor from the first exhaust gas flow with a desiccant material;
- releasing water vapor from the desiccant material into the second exhaust gas flow;
- condensing and extracting water for the second exhaust gas flow in a condenser;
- and
- heating a portion of the extracted water flow to generate a steam flow for injection into a core flow path of the turbine engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.