GAS TURBINE ENGINE POWER PLANTS

• US 3,630,022 A
• Filed: 09/11/1969
• Issued: 12/28/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert Jubb
• Original Assignee: Albert Jubb
• Inventors: Jubb, Albert
• Application Number:
  US04/857,026
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• US Class Current: 376/391
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/10 Closed cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/24 Control of the pressure level in closed cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 5/06 with engine working medium circulating through reactor core
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/00 Energy generation of nuclear origin

Abstract

A closed-cycle gas turbine engine power plant employing a nuclear reactor to heat its working fluid, helium, is provided with a bypass valve whereby a variable amount of the helium compressed by the compressor or compressors may be caused to bypass the nuclear reactor and flow directly to the inlet of the turbine or turbines, thus enabling the turbine inlet temperature, and therefore the power output of the power plat, to be varied much more quickly than can be achieved by varying the heat output of the nuclear reactor.

Claims

2. A power plant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turbine means comprises in flow series, a high-pressure turbine drivingly connected to the compressor means and a power turbine, the control valve means being responsive to the rotational speed of the high-pressure turbine.

3. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided further compressor means arranged, in parallel with the first-mentioned compressor means, to supply compressed working fluid to be heated by the nuclear reactor means, a further high-pressure turbine which is drivingly connected to the further compressor means and arranged to receive and be driven by working fluid heated by the nuclear reactor means and which is in flow series with the power turbine, and further control valve means operative to permit part of the working fluid compressed by the further compressor means to bypass the nuclear reactor means and flow to the inlet of the further high pressure turbine in dependence upon the rotational speed of the further high-pressure turbine.

4. A power plant as claimed in claim 3, where there is provided control means adapted to produce a signal dependent upon the difference between the rotational speeds of the high-pressure turbines, said signal being operative to adjust one or other of the control valve means so as to reduce said difference.

5. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control valve means is operative to prevent the rotational speed of the high-pressure turbine from exceeding a predetermined value.

6. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control valve means is arranged to be operated by at least two rotational speed governors driven by the high-pressure turbine.

7. A power plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control valve means is also responsive to the rotational Speed of the power turbine.

8. A power plant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control valve means comprises a plurality of simultaneously operable control valves connected in parallel with each other.