Microturbomachinery

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding rise in static air pressure;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a turbine having a rotatable turbine disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes, and having an engine exhaust port;
• wherein the compressor diffuser, combustion chamber, turbine nozzle guide vanes, and turbine elements each substantially comprise silicon carbide.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding rise in static air pressure;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a turbine having a rotatable turbine disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes, and having an engine exhaust port;
• wherein the compressor, diffuser, combustion chamber, turbine nozzle guide vanes, and turbine elements each substantially comprise silicon.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding rise in static air pressure;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a turbine having a rotatable turbine disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes and having an engine exhaust port;
• wherein the compressor, diffuser, combustion chamber, turbine nozzle guide vanes, and turbine elements each substantially comprise silicon nitride.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding rise in static air pressure;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a turbine having a rotatable turbine disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes, and having an engine exhaust port;
• wherein the compressor, diffuser, combustion chamber, turbine nozzle guide vanes, and turbine elements each substantially comprise a semiconductor material.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding static rise in air pressure;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a turbine having a rotatable disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes, and having an engine exhaust port;
• wherein the compressor, diffuser, combustion chamber, turbine nozzle guide vanes, and turbine elements each comprise a microfabricated element, and a ratio of engine radial height to engine axial length is at least about 1.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotor comprising a shaft having a substantially untapered compressor disk on a first end of the shaft with compressor blades defining a centrifugal compressor and a substantially untapered turbine disk on an opposite end of the shaft with turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine, the rotor further comprising a material characterized by a strength-to-density ratio enabling a rotor speed of at least about 500,000 rotations per minute;
• an annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the compressor disk for receiving compressed air from the compressor;
• an annular combustor located radially outward of the rotor shaft, having a combustor inlet radially outward of the diffuser, and having an exhaust outlet radially outward of the turbine disk;
• and
• a plurality of radial inflow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust and directing the exhaust to the turbine.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotor comprising a shaft having a compressor disk on a first end of the shaft with compressor blades defining a centrifugal compressor and a turbine disk on an opposite end of the shaft with turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine;
• an annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the compressor disk for receiving compressed air from the compressor;
• an annular, linerless combustor having a combustion chamber located radially outward of the rotor shaft, having a combustor inlet radially outward of the diffuser, and having an exhaust outlet radially outward of the turbine disk, the combustion chamber having dimensions characterized by a ratio of chamber annular height to chamber axial length that is at least about 1;
• and
• a plurality of radial in-flow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust from the combustion chamber and directing the exhaust to the turbine.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor disk having radial-flow compressor blades defining a centrifugal compressor;
• a turbine disk located in a plane coincident with the compressor disk and having radial-flow turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine;
• an annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the compressor disk for receiving compressed air from the compressor;
• a combustor having a combustion chamber with a combustor inlet in communication with the diffuser for receiving compressed air from the diffuser and an exhaust vent in the plane of the turbine disk;
• and
• a plurality of radial inflow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust and directing the exhaust to the turbine disk.

A combustion power generator comprising:

• a first pump disk having pump blades defining a rotary fuel pump;
• a second pump disk located in a plane coincident with the first pump disk and having pump blades defining a rotary oxidizer pump;
• a turbine disk located in a plane coincident with the first and second pump disks and having turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine;
• a first annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the first pump disk for receiving fuel from the fuel pump;
• a second annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the second pump disk for receiving oxidizer from the oxidizer pump;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber with a combustor inlet in communication with the first and second diffusers for receiving fuel and oxidizer, and an exhaust vent in the plane of the turbine disk;
• a plurality of radial inflow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust and directing the exhaust to the turbine disk;
• and
• a generator having a generator rotor defined by the turbine and having stator electrodes defined by conducting regions located on a generator endwall opposite the turbine disk and interconnected to define a stator excitation configuration of at least one excitation phase.

A combustion power generator comprising:

• a pump disk having pump blades defining a rotary fuel pump;
• a turbine disk located in a plane coincident with the pump disk and having turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine;
• an annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the pump disk for receiving fuel from the fuel pump;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber with a combustor inlet in communication with the diffuser for receiving fuel, and an exhaust vent in the plane of the turbine disk;
• a plurality of radial inflow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust and directing the exhaust to the turbine disk;
• and
• a generator having a generator rotor defined by the turbine and having stator electrodes defined by conducting regions located on a generator endwall opposite the turbine disk and interconnected to define a stator excitation configuration of at least one excitation phase.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a silicon compressor having an engine inlet port and a rotatable compressor disk for compressing inlet air;
• a silicon diffuser located to receive compressed air from the compressor and produce a corresponding rise in static air pressure;
• a silicon carbide combustor comprising a combustion chamber located to receive the compressed air from the diffuser through a combustor inlet to combust the compressed air with a fuel;
• a plurality of silicon carbide turbine nozzle guide vanes located to receive combusted air exhausted from the combustor;
• and
• a silicon carbide turbine having a rotatable turbine disk located to receive combusted air from the turbine nozzle guide vanes, and having an engine exhaust port.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a rotor comprising a shaft having a compressor disk, of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm in diameter, on a first end of the shaft with compressor blades defining a centrifugal compressor, and a turbine disk, of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm in diameter, on an opposite end of the shaft with turbine blades defining a radial inflow turbine;
• an annular, radial out-flow diffuser located radially outward of the compressor disk for receiving compressed air from the compressor;
• an annular combustor located radially outward of the rotor shaft, having a combustor inlet radially outward of the diffuser, having an exhaust outlet radially outward of the turbine disk and having a combustion chamber with an annular height of between about 2 mm and about 20 mm and an axial length of between about 0.5 mm and about 12 mm;
• and
• a plurality of radial inflow turbine nozzle guide vanes located radially outward of the turbine disk and having an inlet for accepting combustion exhaust and directing the exhaust to the turbine.