GAS TURBINE START ARCHITECTURE
First Claim
1. A gas turbine start architecture for starting a gas turbine engine having at least a first spool, the gas turbine start architecture comprising:
- an electric power distribution bus that distributes electric power provided by an electrical power source;
a motor that converts electric power provided by the electric power distribution bus to mechanical power;
a compressor that converts mechanical energy provided by the motor to pneumatic power;
a pneumatic distribution circuit that distributes pneumatic power provided by the compressor;
an air turbine starter that converts pneumatic power provided by the pneumatic distribution circuit to mechanical power; and
a first tower shaft that communicates mechanical energy developed by the air turbine starter to the first spool to start the gas turbine engine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas turbine starting architecture is used to start a gas turbine engine having at least a first spool. The architecture includes an electric power distribution bus, a motor, a compressor, a pneumatic distribution circuit, an air turbine starter, and a first tower shaft. The motor converts electric power provided by the electric power distribution bus to mechanical power. In turn, the mechanical power provided by the motor is converted to pneumatic power by the compressor for provision to a pneumatic distribution circuit. The air turbine starter converts pneumatic power from the pneumatic distribution circuit to mechanical power is provided via the first tower shaft to the at least one spool on the gas turbine engine.
80 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A gas turbine start architecture for starting a gas turbine engine having at least a first spool, the gas turbine start architecture comprising:
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an electric power distribution bus that distributes electric power provided by an electrical power source; a motor that converts electric power provided by the electric power distribution bus to mechanical power; a compressor that converts mechanical energy provided by the motor to pneumatic power; a pneumatic distribution circuit that distributes pneumatic power provided by the compressor; an air turbine starter that converts pneumatic power provided by the pneumatic distribution circuit to mechanical power; and a first tower shaft that communicates mechanical energy developed by the air turbine starter to the first spool to start the gas turbine engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A gas turbine start architecture for starting a gas turbine engine that includes a low-pressure (LP) spool and a high-pressure (HP) spool, the gas turbine start architecture comprising:
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an electric power distribution bus for distributing electrical power generated by an electric power source; a pneumatic power distribution circuit for distributing pneumatic power; a low-pressure (LP) tower shaft connected to the LP spool; a high-pressure (HP) tower shaft connected to the HP spool; a starter/generator connected to the electric power distribution bus and to the LP tower shaft, wherein the starter/generator converts electric power received from the electric power distribution bus to mechanical power when operating in a starter mode and converts mechanical power provided by the LP tower shaft to electric power when operating in a generator mode; a compressor connected to the LP tower shaft that converts mechanical power provided by the starter/generator to pneumatic power provided to the pneumatic power distribution circuit; and an air turbine starter that converts pneumatic power provided via the pneumatic power distribution circuit to mechanical power provided to the HP spool via the HP tower shaft to start the gas turbine engine. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of starting a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
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receiving electric power from an electric power source for distribution via an electric power distribution bus; providing electric power from the electric power distribution bus to a motor that converts the electric power to mechanical power; providing mechanical power provided by the motor to a compressor that converts the mechanical power to pneumatic power for distribution via a pneumatic power distribution circuit; providing pneumatic power from the pneumatic power distribution circuit to an air turbine starter that converts pneumatic power to mechanical power; communicating mechanical power provided by the air turbine starter to the gas turbine engine for starting the gas turbine engine. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification