Constant volume combustor having rotating wave rotor
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsPhilip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A constant volume combustor device includes, in one form, a detonative combustion. The apparatus includes inlet and outlet ports that interface with a plurality of fluid flow passageways on a rotor. A buffer gas is routed through some of the inlet and outlet ports and into and out of the plurality of fluid flow passageways. One of the inlet ports is a buffer gas inlet port that when placed in registry with a fluid flow passageway allows the flow of buffer gas into the respective passageway. Fuel is delivered into the buffer gas proximate the buffer gas inlet port so that only a portion of the buffer gas inlet port receives any fuel. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
Claims9
A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine;
- (b) rotating the wave rotor;
- (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways;
- (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas;
- (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine;
- (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging;
- (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition;
- providing an independent drive operative coupled with the wave rotor;
- and wherein at least a portion of said rotating occurring through the independent drive;
- which further includes supporting the wave rotor with electromagnetic forces, and wherein the at least a portion of said rotating includes controlling the electromagnetic forces to cause said rotating.
A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine;
- (b) rotating the wave rotor;
- (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways;
- (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas;
- (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine;
- (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging;
- (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition;
- providing an independent drive operative coupled with the wave rotor;
- and wherein at least a portion of said rotating occurring through the independent drive,
- which further includes introducing a working fluid into the combustor, wherein the combustor is a substantially constant volume combustor;
- wherein said combustor is defined by detonative combustion;
- wherein said at least a portion of said rotating includes a start up portion wherein the wave rotor is driven by the drive;
- which further includes providing at least one electromagnetic radial bearing;
- and
- which further includes supporting the wave rotor with the at least one electromagnetic radial bearing.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a compressor for increasing the pressure of a working fluid passing therethrough, said compressor having a compressor discharge;
- a constant volume combustor in fluid communication with said compressor discharge, said constant volume combustor including a rotatable wave rotor and a fuel deliverer, said wave rotor including a plurality of cells for receiving at least a portion of the working fluid from said compressor discharge and a fuel from said fuel deliverer that undergoes combustion within said cells to produce an exhaust gas flow;
- a turbine in flow communication with the exhaust fluid flow from said constant volume combustor;
- and
- at least one active electromagnetic radial bearing operable to support said wave rotor.
A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine;
- (b) rotating the wave rotor;
- (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways;
- (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas;
- (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine;
- (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging;
- (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition;
- and
- introducing a working fluid into the combustor, wherein the combustor is a substantially constant volume combustor;
- which further includes providing a drive operatively coupled with the wave rotor;
- wherein said combustor is defined by detonative combustion;
- wherein said rotating includes a start up portion wherein the wave rotor is driven by the drive;
- which further includes providing at least one electromagnetic radial bearing;
- and
- which further includes supporting the wave rotor with the at least one electromagnetic radial bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.