Gas turbine engine driven by sCO2 cycle with advanced heat rejection

• US 10,443,544 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Vaisman, Igor, Bastnagel, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sutherland, Steven M
• Assistant Examiner(s): McGlynn, James P
• Application Number:
  US15/177,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20170058834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/10 with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle F01K17/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/103 Carbon dioxide F01K25/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/10 Closed cycles
• 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: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/077 the plant being of the multiple flow type, i.e. having three or more flows
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2210/10 Kind or type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/324 to drive unshrouded, low solidity propeller
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/213 by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a shaft comprising a first compressor, a fan assembly, and a power circuit that provides power to the shaft in a closed-loop system. An inner housing houses at least a portion of the shaft, the first compressor for compressing a core stream of air, and a combustor. A baffle encloses a portion of the inner housing and forms a first air passageway therebetween. A nacelle encloses a portion of the baffle and forms a second air passageway therebetween. A heat exchanger is positioned in the second air passageway that rejects heat from the power circuit into a heat rejection stream of air passing through the second air passageway. Air is accelerated as streams in parallel and via the fan assembly as the core stream into the inner housing, as a bypass flow stream of air through the first volume, and as the heat rejection stream.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a shaft having mounted thereto a first compressor, a second compressor, a turbine, and a fan assembly;

a power circuit that provides power to the shaft in a closed-loop system that includes a working fluid heated by a combustor, the power circuit comprising the turbine and the second compressor;

an inner housing that houses;

at least a portion of the shaft;

the second compressor;

the turbine;

the first compressor for compressing a core stream of air; and

the combustor to heat the working fluid when it enters the combustor;

a baffle that encloses a portion of the inner housing and forms a first air passageway therebetween;

a nacelle that encloses a portion of the baffle and forms a second air passageway therebetween; and

a heat exchanger positioned in the second air passageway that rejects heat from the working fluid into a heat rejection stream of air passing through the second air passageway;

wherein air is accelerated as streams in parallel and via the fan assembly;

as the core stream into the inner housing;

as a bypass flow stream of air through a first volume; and

as the heat rejection stream.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein:

the fan assembly includes a first fan and a second fan positioned in series along the shaft and mounted thereto, and mounted concentrically with respect to the turbine and the second compressor;

the first and the second fans of the fan assembly accelerate the core stream and the bypass flow stream; and

the first fan accelerates the heat rejection stream.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the first fan includes a fan blade radius that is greater than that of the second fan.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the power circuit includes carbon dioxide as at least a portion of the working fluid and is configured to operate as a super-critical (s-CO₂) system.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4, wherein the power circuit includes the second compressor mounted to the shaft for compressing the working fluid, and the turbine mounted to the shaft for expanding the working fluid to extract power therefrom.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the power circuit includes a first recuperative heat exchanger that exchanges heat from the working fluid after it exits the turbine to the working fluid before it enters the combustor.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, further comprising a second recuperative heat exchanger and a third compressor coupled to the shaft that compresses the working fluid before it enters the second recuperative heat exchanger.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is positioned having an extended axis at an acute angle with respect to a direction of the heat rejection stream.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the bypass flow stream of air and the heat rejection stream rejoin prior to an exit location of the core stream of air from the gas turbine engine.

10. A method of powering a gas turbine engine, comprising:

accelerating air as streams in parallel and via a fan assembly, the streams comprising;

a core stream;

a bypass flow stream; and

a heat rejection stream;

passing the core stream into an inner housing that houses;

at least a portion of a shaft, the shaft having mounted thereto a first compressor, a second compressor, a turbine, and the fan assembly;

the second compressor;

the turbine;

the first compressor for compressing the core stream; and

a combustor that provides a power input directly to a working fluid of a power circuit in a closed-loop arrangement by heating the working fluid;

passing the bypass flow stream external to the inner housing and into a first air passageway that is formed between a baffle and the inner housing;

passing the heat rejection stream through a heat exchanger that is positioned in a second air passageway that is formed by a nacelle, that encloses at least a portion of the baffle;

providing power to the shaft via the working fluid of the power circuit; and

cooling the working fluid in the heat rejection stream with the heat exchanger;

wherein the power circuit includes the turbine and the second compressor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the fan assembly includes a first fan and a second fan positioned in series along the shaft and mounted thereto, and mounted concentrically with respect to the turbine and the second compressor;

the first and the second fans of the fan assembly accelerate the core stream and the bypass flow stream; and

the first fan accelerates the heat rejection stream.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first fan includes a fan blade radius that is greater than that of the second fan.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the power circuit includes carbon dioxide as at least a portion of the working fluid, further comprising operating the power circuit as a super-critical (s-CO₂) system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the power circuit includes the second compressor mounted to the shaft for compressing the working fluid, and the turbine mounted to the shaft for expanding the working fluid to extract the power therefrom.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the power circuit includes a first recuperative heat exchanger that exchanges heat from the working fluid after it exits the turbine to the working fluid before it enters the combustor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a second recuperative heat exchanger and a third compressor coupled to the shaft that compresses the working fluid before it enters the second recuperative heat exchanger.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat exchanger is positioned having an extended axis at an acute angle with respect to a direction of the heat rejection stream.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising joining the bypass flow stream with the heat rejection stream within the gas turbine engine, and at an axial location upstream of where the core stream exits the gas turbine engine.

19. A power-producing device, comprising:

an inner housing for passing a core stream of air, the inner housing houses;

at least a portion of a shaft having mounted thereto a first compressor, a second compressor, a turbine, and a fan assembly;

the second compressor;

the turbine;

the first compressor for compressing a core stream of air; and

a combustor that receives a working fluid of a power circuit and provides a power input to the working fluid, the power circuit comprising the turbine and the second compressor;

a nacelle that encloses a portion of the inner housing and forms a first air passageway therebetween for passing a heat rejection stream of air; and

a heat exchanger positioned in the first air passageway that rejects heat from the power circuit into a heat rejection stream of air passing through the second air passageway;

wherein the core stream and the heat rejection stream are accelerated in parallel and via the fan assembly; and

wherein the power circuit includes carbon dioxide as at least a portion of the working fluid and is configured to operate as a super-critical (s-CO₂) system.

20. The power-producing device of claim 19, wherein:

the fan assembly includes a first fan and a second fan positioned in series along the shaft and mounted thereto, and mounted concentrically with respect to the turbine and the second compressor;

the first and the second fans of the fan assembly accelerate the core stream and the heat rejection stream; and

the first fan accelerates the heat rejection stream.

21. The power-producing device of claim 19, wherein the shaft includes a gear box as a power-producing device and a propeller for providing thrust.

22. The power-producing device of claim 19, wherein the power circuit includes the second compressor mounted to the shaft for compressing the working fluid, and the turbine mounted to the shaft for expanding the working fluid to extract the power therefrom.