Micro gas turbine engine
AssigneeFairlane Tool Company
InventorsRichard W. Gordon, Richard Chute
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a turbo heater which utilizes a gas turbine engine and a heat exchanger assembly. The gas turbine engine is adapted to efficiently operate over a prolonged period of time and at varying power outputs without adverse or detrimental effects to the components thereof. For example, the gas turbine engine includes bearing assemblies and a fuel delivery systems which are uniquely designed for the demands of repeated cycling (i.e. starting and stopping), as well as operation at various power outputs without damage to the gas turbine engine. In addition, the use of exhaust gas from the gas turbine engine eliminates direct impingement of combustion on the heat exchanger element, thereby significantly increasing the durability and life span of the turbo heater.
Claims28
A gas turbine engine for use in a turbo heater comprising:
- an engine housing;
- a compressor and a turbine disposed on a shaft assembly;
- a combustor in fluid communication with said compressor and said turbine;
- and
- a bearing assembly rotatably supporting said shaft assembly within an engine housing, the bearing assembly including:
- an inner race formed on the shaft assembly;
- an outer race supported within a bearing holder;
- a plurality of bearings interdisposed between said inner race and said outer race for rotatably supporting said shaft assembly about a center of rotation;
- and
- a bearing cage interdisposed between said inner race and said outer race for retaining said plurality of bearings, said bearing cage having a plurality of radial holes formed therethrough to provide fluid communication between said inner race and said outer race such that a bearing lubricant issuing from said plurality of radial holes generates a force which centers said bearing cage about said center of rotation.
A gas turbine engine for use in a turbo heater comprising:
- a turbine nozzle assembly disposed within an engine housing and supporting a nozzle hub;
- a shaft assembly disposed within said nozzle hub and defining an annulus therebetween;
- a bearing assembly disposed within said annulus and rotatably supporting said shaft assembly in said nozzle hub;
- a turbine operably disposed on a first end of said shaft assembly;
- a compressor operably disposed on a second end of said shaft assembly;
- an annular combustor concentrically disposed about the shaft assembly between the compressor and the turbine;
- a fuel feed tube for delivering fuel to said annulus through a first fuel passageway formed in said nozzle hub and a second fuel passageway formed in a portion of said bearing assembly;
- a scavenger blower assembly disposed within said annulus, said scavenger blower assembly including a scavenger blower coupled to said shaft assembly for rotation therewith and having a plurality of blades, a scavenger blower cover positioned adjacent to said scavanger blower, and a fuel shield positioned adjacent said second fuel passageway;
- and
- said nozzle hub having a compressed air passageway formed therethrough such that said scavenger blower assembly is operable to direct compressed air from said compressor past said second fuel passageway for mixing fuel with said compressed air to form an air-fuel mixture and passing said air-fuel mixture through said bearing assembly for cooling and lubricating said bearing assembly.
A gas turbine engine for use in a turbo heater comprising:
- a turbine nozzle assembly disposed within an engine housing and supporting a nozzle hub;
- a shaft assembly disposed within said nozzle hub and defining an annulus therebetween;
- a bearing assembly disposed within said annulus and rotatably supporting said shaft assembly in said nozzle hub;
- a turbine operably disposed on a first end of said shaft assembly;
- a compressor operably disposed on a second end of said shaft assembly;
- an annular combustor concentrically disposed about the shaft assembly between the compressor and the turbine;
- a fuel feed tube for delivering fuel to said annulus;
- a fuel slinger coupled to said shaft assembly for rotation therewith, said fuel slinger having an inner cavity and a plurality of passageways formed therein to provide fluid communication between said annulus and said annular combustor, each of said plurality of passageways including an axial bore and at least one fuel hole formed therein such that rotation of said fuel slinger causes fuel to be cylindrically distributed into said combustor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.