Bowed rotor prevention system using waste heat

• US 10,125,636 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Dube, David P., Hayford, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sutherland, Steven
• Application Number:
  US15/042,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20170234166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/00 Shutting-down of machines or engines, e.g. in emergency; Regulating, controlling, or safety means not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/36 using electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/14 Gas-turbine plants having means for storing energy, e.g. for meeting peak loads
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/12 Cooling of plants of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/275 Mechanical drives
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/60 making use of surplus or waste energy
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/941 particularly aimed at mechanical or thermal stress reduction
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/114 by limiting mechanical stresses
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor prevention system includes a thermoelectric generator system operable to produce electricity from waste heat of the gas turbine engine. The bowed rotor prevention system also includes a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine using the electricity produced by the thermoelectric generator system.

Claims

1. A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine using waste heat, the bowed rotor prevention system comprising:

a thermoelectric generator system operable to produce electricity from waste heat of the gas turbine engine;

a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine using the electricity produced by the thermoelectric generator system; and

a battery operable to store an excess portion of the electricity and regulate delivery of the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor.

2. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor is an electric motor.

3. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to selectively apply the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

4. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric generator system comprises a plurality of thermoelectric generator devices thermally coupled to the gas turbine engine.

5. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 4, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric generator devices are coupled to a case of the gas turbine engine.

6. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor drives rotation of a drive gear that rotates a high pressure spool of the gas turbine engine.

7. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the gas turbine engine is a turbofan engine.

8. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the gas turbine engine is an industrial gas turbine engine.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a drive gear configured to be coupled to a spool of the gas turbine engine; and

a bowed rotor prevention system comprising;

a thermoelectric generator system operable to produce electricity from waste heat of the gas turbine engine;

a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine through the drive gear using the electricity produced by the thermoelectric generator system; and

a battery operable to store an excess portion of the electricity and regulate delivery of the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor.

10. The gas turbine engine as in claim 9, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor is an electric motor.

11. The gas turbine engine as in claim 9, further comprising a controller operable to selectively apply the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

12. The gas turbine engine as in claim 9, wherein the thermoelectric generator system comprises a plurality of thermoelectric generator devices thermally coupled to the gas turbine engine.

13. The gas turbine engine as in claim 9, wherein the gas turbine engine is a turbofan engine.

14. The gas turbine engine as in claim 9, wherein the gas turbine engine is an industrial gas turbine engine.

15. A method of bowed rotor prevention for a gas turbine engine using waste heat, the method comprising:

generating electricity using a thermoelectric generator system coupled to the gas turbine engine;

selectively applying the electricity to a bowed rotor prevention motor to drive rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine;

storing an excess portion of the electricity in a battery; and

regulating delivery of the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor through the battery.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein selectively applying the electricity to the bowed rotor prevention motor is based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor drives rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine at less than a starting speed of the gas turbine engine when powered by the thermoelectric generator system.