Small diameter gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a monorotor journaled for rotation and including opposed ends, one of said ends including compressor blades defining a mixed flow rotary compressor, the other of said ends including turbine blades defining a radial turbine wheel;
• an axial diffuser just radially outward of said monorotor and in fluid communication with said mixed flow rotary compressor to receive compressed air therefrom;
• a plenum containing said axial diffuser;
• a reverse flow annular combustor concentric with said turbine wheel and within said plenum having radially inner and outer walls connected by a dome;
• an annular turbine nozzle at said outlet and in proximity to said turbine blades, said turbine nozzle having axial nozzle blades;
• and
• a rear turbine shroud, shrouding said turbine blades;
• said radially inner wall and said rear turbine shroud being formed as an integral, one piece unit so that said radially inner wall additionally defines a turbine exhaust nozzle, said turbine exhaust nozzle narrowing in the direction away from said rear turbine shroud to maximize the height of said dome.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a monorotor including opposed ends, one of said ends including compressor blades defining a mixed flow rotary compressor, the other of said ends including turbine blades definning a radial turbine wheel;
• an axial diffuser just radially outward of said monorotor and in fluid communication with said mixed flow rotary compressor to receive compressed air therefrom,
• a plenum containing said axial diffuser;
• a reverse flow annular combustor having an outlet about said turbine wheel and within said plenum;
• an annular turbine nozzle at said outlet and in proximity to said turbine blades, said turbine nozzle having axial nozzle blades;
• a housing including a bore adjacent said one end of said monorotor;
• a shaft in said bore journaling said monorotor for rotation;
• a fuel pump driven by said shaft for providing fuel under pressure;
• and
• a pressure responsive surface associated with said shaft within said housing and in fluid communication with said fuel pump, said surface being oppositely facing from said monorotor other end so that pressurized fuel applied to said surface will generate a force in opposition to thrust force generated at said monorotor other end.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotor journaled for rotation and including a compressor end and an opposite turbine end;
• compressor blades on said compressor end and having discharge ends, the compressor blades at said discharge ends having substantial radial and axial components to define a mixed flow rotary compressor;
• turbine blades on said turbine end and having radially outer gas receiving ends to define a radial turbine;
• a shroud in close proximity to said turbine blades along the length thereof for confining gases thereagainst;
• a sleeve-like partition spaced radially outward of said shroud;
• axially elongated nozzle blades extending between said shroud and said partition adjacent the radially outer ends of said turbine blades to define an annular turbine nozzle;
• an annular combustor having inner and outer walls respectively joined to said shroud and said partition on an end thereof opposite from said turbine blades;
• and a radially extending wall interconnecting said inner and outer walls and remote from said annular nozzle;
• a plurality of axially spaced air inlets to said combustor located in said radially outer wall and disposed to introduce air generally circumferentially into said combustor;
• means for injecting fuel into said combustor in a generally circumferential direction;
• a combustor case disposed about and spaced radially outward of said radially outer wall;
• and
• a diffuser including a plurality of axially disposed vanes near said discharge ends and supported between said partition and said combustor case.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotor journaled for rotation and including a compressor end and an opposite turbine end spaced by a land;
• compressor blades on said compressor end and having discharge ends, the compressor blades at said discharge ends having substantial radial and axial components to define a mixed flow rotary compressor;
• turbine blades on said turbine end and having radially outer gas receiving ends to define a radial turbine;
• a shroud in close proximity to said turbine blades along the length thereof for confining gases thereagainst;
• a sleeve-like partition spaced radially outward of said shroud and having an end in overlying relation to said land;
• a labyrinth seal located on at least one of said partition end and said land to prevent gas flow across said rotor;
• axially elongated nozzle blades extending between said shroud and said partition adjacent the radially outer ends of said turbine blades to define an annular turbine nozzle;
• an annular combustor having inner and outer walls respectively joined to said shroud and said partition on an end thereof opposite from said turbine blades;
• and a radially extending wall interconnecting said inner and outer walls and remote from said annular nozzle, said radially outer wall diverging away from said radially inner wall as said radially extending wall is approached;
• a plurality of axially spaced air inlets to said combustor located in said radially outer wall and disposed to introduce air generally circumferentially into said combustor;
• means for injecting fuel into said combustor in a generally circumferential direction;
• a cylindrical combustor case disposed about and spaced radially outward of said radially outer wall;
• and
• a diffuser including a plurality of axially disposed vanes near said discharge ends and supported between said partition and said combustor case.