Compact compound engine package

• US 20070240427A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Ullyott, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/801
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/26 Double casings; Measures against temperature strain in casings
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 5/06 the working fluid being generated in an internal-combustion gas generated of the positive-displacement type having essentially no mechanical power output internal-combustion engines with prolonged expansion using exhaust gas turbines F02B
• 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 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/314 the axes being inclined in relation to each other
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1906 Nonparallel

Abstract

A compound cycle engine (10) comprises a compressor (19) and a turbine section (16 & 20), and at least one cycle topping device (12) cooperating with the turbine section (16 & 20) to provide power. The cycle topping device (12) has an output shaft (26) extending at an angle to the turbine shaft (28). Angled gearing (34) is provided for connecting the gas turbine shaft (28) and the cycle topping device (12).

Claims

1. A compound cycle engine comprising a compressor and a turbine section, said turbine section having a turbine shaft, and at least one cycle topping device providing an input to said turbine section and cooperating therewith to provide shaft horsepower, said at least one cycle topping device having an output shaft extending at an angle to said turbine shaft, and wherein a bevel gearbox mechanically links the turbine shaft and the cycle topping device output shaft together.

2. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said output shaft extends at an acute angle to said turbine shaft.

3. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein two cycle topping devices are disposed on opposed sides of said turbine shaft and oriented at about 90 degrees with respect thereto.

4. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 3, wherein a frontal air intake is defined between said two cycle topping devices.

5. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said bevel gearbox includes first and second bevel gears respectively rigidly mounted to said cycle topping device output shaft and said turbine shaft, and wherein a third bevel gear is mounted to said output shaft for meshing engagement with a fourth bevel gear associated to a load to be driven.

6. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said turbine section includes a free turbine, and wherein said at least one cycle topping device includes a rotary combustion engine fed with compressed air from said compressor section.

7. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 6, wherein said rotary combustion engine is a sliding vane internal combustion engine.

8. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said cycle topping device is fed with pressurized air from said compressor section, and wherein valve means is provided for selectively bypassing said cycle topping device.

9. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said turbine shaft and said output shaft of the cycle topping device commonly drive a load selected from a group consisting of at least one of:

a propeller, a generator a helicopter rotor, a starter, an oil pump, a fuel pump, a cooling fan, and a load compressor.

10. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one cycle topping device comprises a rotary combustion engine, and wherein a cooling airflow device is integrated to said output shaft.

11. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 10, wherein said rotary combustion engine has a casing, said casing defining a plurality of passages through which a coolant is circulated to pick up excess heat from the rotary combustion engine, and wherein said cooling fan forces air through a heat exchanger to extract heat from the coolant has it flows through the heat exchanger.

12. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 11, wherein said heat exchanger has a toroidal shape and surrounds the cooling fan inlet.

13. An aircraft engine comprising a compressor section and a turbine section turbocompounded with at least one cycle topping device oriented at an angle with respect thereto, the turbine section having a turbine shaft mechanically linked to an output shaft of the cycle topping device through bevel gearing to provide a common output.

14. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein said at least one cycle topping device is mounted on one side of said turbine shaft.

15. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein two cycle topping devices are mounted on opposed sides of said turbine shaft with respective output shafts oriented at an angle of about 90 degrees to said turbine shaft.

16. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein said bevel gearing includes first and second bevel gears respectively rigidly mounted to said cycle topping device output shaft and said turbine shaft, and wherein a third bevel gear is mounted to said output shaft for meshing engagement with a fourth bevel gear associated to a load to be driven.

17. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein said turbine section includes a free turbine, and wherein said at least one cycle topping device includes a rotary combustion engine turbocharged with pressurized air from said compressor section.

18. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 17, wherein said rotary combustion engine is a sliding vane internal combustion engine.

19. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein said cycle topping device is fed with pressurized air from said compressor section, and wherein valve means is provided for selectively bypassing said cycle topping device.

20. An aircraft engine as defined in claim 13, wherein said turbine shaft and said output shaft of the cycle topping device commonly drive a load selected from a group consisting of:

a propeller, a generator a helicopter rotor, a starter, an oil pump, a fuel pump, a cooling fan, and a load compressor.

21. A compound cycle engine comprising a compressor and a turbine section, topping means for providing an energy input to said turbine section to permit operation thereof, said topping means being oriented at an angle to said turbine section, and bevel gearing for mechanically linking said topping means and said turbine section in order to provide a common output to drive a load.

22. A compound cycle engine comprising a compressor and a turbine section, at least one cycle topping device providing an input to said turbine section and cooperating therewith to provide shaft horsepower, said at least one cycle topping device being fed with pressurized air from said compressor section, and wherein a valve is provided for selectively bypassing said cycle topping device.

23. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 22, wherein said valve is selectively connectable in fluid flow communication to a turbine volute to discharge compressed air from said compressor section to said turbine volute downstream of said at least one cycle topping device.

24. A compound cycle engine comprising a compressor and a turbine section, at least one cycle topping device providing an input to said turbine section and cooperating therewith to provide shaft horsepower, and gas turbine engine accessories, wherein said at least one cycle topping device drives said gas turbine engine accessories.

25. A compound cycle engine as defined in claim 24, wherein said gas turbine accessories are selected from a group consisting of:

a fuel pump, an oil pump, a starter, a load compressor. a tachometer, and a generator.