Heat regeneration for a turbofan, a Velarus Propulsion

• US 20100180568A1
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Humberto W. Sachs
• Original Assignee: Humberto W. Sachs
• Inventors: Sachs, Humberto W.
• Application Number:
  US12/357,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.511
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 5/02 characterised by the arrangement of the combustion chamber in the chamber in the plant combustion chambers per se F23R
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/10 by means of regenerative heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/28 characterised by the fuel supply burners F23D
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/42 characterised by the arrangement or form of the flame tubes or combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/50 Combustion chambers comprising an annular flame tube within an annular casing toroidal combustion chambers F23R3/52

Abstract

The invention adds details and alternate design supplementing the concept established with my patent application Ser. No. 12/013,431, Aircraft Propulsion System (APS). The APS ultimate fuel economy objectives requires long term design development, and this invention compromises some fuel economy for the expediency of short term implementation of a heat regeneration for turbofans via the re-arrangement of existing components and a few unique items readily designed. While this Velarus Propulsion (VPx) attains only 42% fuel economy, it retains the original APS fundamental architecture implementing heat regeneration for a turbofan engine, as well as the additional benefits of noise and emission abatement. This invention consists of the three APS technologies as follows:

• • a) A novel arrangement of the power generation core features the turbine exhaust entering directly into the thrust chamber, thus providing heat regeneration with an appropriate configuration of the thrust chamber.
  • b) The design of a modified combustor introduces the concept of a supersonic nozzle driving the turbines which allows for greater combustor'"'"'s chamber temperature while injecting the gases at temperatures acceptable to current turbine blade metallurgy. This feature increases the engine thermal efficiency.
  • c) The hub design allows for two options, a simpler fixed fanblade design or an advanced controllable pitch fan blade, increasing the mission and performance flexibility of a given turbofan size.
    In addition, this invention adds functionality to the aft cone, such as debris purge, accessories installation, and thrust reversers free from hot gases.

Claims

1. What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is the invention of a turbofan with an opened cycle heat regeneration, supplementing the Aircraft Propulsion System (APS—

Ser. No. 12/013,431) patent'"'"' claims. The uniqueness of this invention is embodied in this Velarus Propulsion (VPx) architecture, configuration and functional integration providing the user with a more efficient turbofan engine than current technology. This invention provides alternate designs to the generic APS to achieve thrust generation without a tail jet nozzle, a most significant departure from today'"'"'s fanjet design. This invention may be installed in existing or incorporated into new aircraft design, subsonic or supersonic.

2. Without the weight and volume penalty typical of industrial heat regeneration, the unique architecture of the VPx allows for an efficient and simple method to achieve heat regeneration, thus avoiding the thermal loss typical with turbofan'"'"'s jet nozzles. An essential element of this invention, the architecture of the turbines arrangement combined with the unique exhaust manifold design injects the turbine exhaust directly into the whirling air stream in the thrust generator (TG) via porting in the core'"'"'s shroud, thus augmenting the thrust generated by the fanblades.

3. Although the designer may or may not implement the high temperature combustor, I also claim the uniqueness of such combustor characterized by a supersonic nozzle. It requires the flame tube designed with this invention. The higher combustion temperature increases the engine'"'"'s thermal efficiency.

4. Furthermore, it is here claimed that this VPx architecture simplifies the engine design because of its effective debris purge subsystem integrated with the inlet manifold and the aft cone. The design of the air inlet manifold, another essential element of this invention, allows the heat regeneration technology to be implemented while facilitating the design of a debris purge subsystem (foreign object damage protection) without the need for filtering or other add-on equipment.

5. The aft cone and inlet manifold integration facilitates the design of an efficient venting system. As a side benefit, the aft cone, now free from high temperature exhaust gases, can house a robust and simple thrust reverser. While the detail design of the thrust reverser is standard mechanical engineering, its configuration and location is here claimed as an element of this invention.

6. Also, the designer may implement the novel, optional fanblade, turbine and compressor'"'"'s blade root attachment shown with this design, here claimed to simplify the engine'"'"'s manufacturing.

7. Therefore, I claim that this invention will deliver aircraft propulsion with significant fuel economy compared to existing turbofans while reducing manufacturing and ownership costs. The fuel economy is complemented with lower noise and contaminants pollution than existing designs without the need for add-on equipment. This claim is warranted because the invention enables regeneration of the turbine exhaust and waste heat while also increasing the turbines thermal efficiency.