Turbine-compressor ejector

In combination with a fluid of one energy level and a fluid of a higher energy level, an improved device for increasing the energy of the fluid of said one energy level by the use of the fluid at the higher energy level comprising:

• a housing having a compressor and a turbine wheel mounted therein for rotation,
• shaft means interconnecting said compressor and said turbine wheel to drive the compressor to increase the tangential velocity of the fluid leaving the compressor, the increase being a direct function of the speed of the compressor,
• fluid inlet means in said housing for entrance of one of said fluids for flow to said compressor,
• discharge means in said housing for flow of fluid from said turbine,
• ejector means forming an inlet in said housing for flow of the other of said fluid,
• said ejector means being so located and positioned within said housing as to effect flow of fluid from said ejector means in the same tangential direction as the tangential direction of fluid from said compressor,
• housing means forming a mixing chamber in said housing receiving the fluid from said ejector and the fluid from said compressor and to effect energy exchange between the two fluids by a momentum exchange and to provide a flow of mixed fluid therethrough whose mass flow is greater than the mass flow through each of said compressor and ejector means, respectively, and
• means for flowing said fluid of increased mass flow from said mixing chamber to said turbine to drive the same.

A turbine-compressor-ejector turbomachine comprising:

• a housing and a compressor and turbine positioned in said housing,
• said turbine and compressor being interconnected in said housing for rotation together,
• bearing means supported within said housing for rotatably supporting said compressor and said turbine,
• said housing including an inlet port communicating with said compressor for flow of fluid through said compressor whereby a tangential velocity is imparted to said fluid as it flows through said compressor,
• ejector means located within said housing,
• said housing including ejector inlet nozzle means for flow of fluid to said ejector means,
• said ejector means being so located and positioned within said housing as to effect flow of fluid from said ejector in the same tangential direction as the tangential direction of fluid from said compressor,
• means within said housing forming a mixing region located to receive flow of fluid from said compressor and from said ejector means to effect intermixing thereof free of combustion,
• said turbine being positioned to receive flow of fluid from said mixing region, and
• means in said housing forming an outlet for fluid flowing through said turbine.

The method of increasing the pressure of fluid at one energy level by an energy exchange with a fluid at a higher energy level by flowing said fluids through a turbo-machine including a compressor driven by a turbine and wherein there is a mixing region therebetween which includes an ejector cooperating with said mixing region and compressor and turbine comprising the steps of:

• flowing the fluid at one energy level into said compressor for flow through said compressor into said mixing region,
• flowing said fluid at said higher energy level through said ejector and into said mixing region to effect an energy exchange between the two fluids by a momentum exchange and to provide a flow of mixed fluids whose energy is greater than the energy flowing through said compressor,
• flowing said mixed fluids through said turbine to drive said turbine and to provide an output fluid whose pressure is greater than the pressure of the fluid at said one energy level, and
• the volume flow of the fluid of said one energy level exceeding the volume flow of the fluid at said higher energy level.