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Differentially geared regenerative reverse flow turbo shaft engine

  • US 4,141,212 A
  • Filed: 06/20/1977
  • Issued: 02/27/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A gas turbine engine having forward and rear portions comprising:

  • a housing having an interior duct through which air may pass, said duct having upstream and downstream portions relative to the direction of airflow through the duct;

    a compressor shaft rotably mounted within the housing, said compressor shaft being constructed with a coaxial interior passage;

    a compressor impeller mounted on the compressor shaft for rotation therewith, said impeller extending into the interior duct to increase the velocity of the air flowing in the duct upon rotation of the impeller, said impeller discharging the airflow radially;

    a forward header secured to the housing downstream of the compressor and having an interior passage forming part of the duct, said interior passage connected to receive the radially flowing air from the compressor and constructed to diffuse said airflow and direct it axially rearward;

    an annularly shaped regenerator mounted in the housing downstream of the diffuser, said regenerator forming part of the duct and being connected to receive the rearward flowing air and also being constructed to transmit heat to said airflow, said regenerator surrounding a radially interior cavity;

    a rear header removably secured to the housing rearward and downstream of the regenerator and having an interior passage forming part of the duct, said interior passage connected to receive the rearward flowing air from the regenerator and direct it radially inward;

    a cylindrical combustion chamber mounted in the housing and extending in the forward direction within the interior cavity of the annular regenerator and constructed to receive the airflow from the rear header passage, said combustion chamber having means to mix fuel with the airflow, and having means to ignite said mixture in order to rapidly heat the airflow, said combustor exhausting the rapidly heated airflow in the forward direction;

    a power turbine shaft rotably mounted within the housing and extending toward the forward portion of the engine through the inner passage of the compressor shaft;

    a power turbine mounted within the regenerator cavity on the power turbine shaft for rotation therewith, said power turbine having blades extending into the interior duct in the path of the heated forward flowing air from the combustor, the airflow exerting a force on said turbine blades to cause rotation of the power turbine shaft;

    a compressor turbine mounted within the regenerator cavity on the compressor shaft for rotation therewith, said compressor turbine having blades extending into the interior of the duct downstream of the power turbine in the path of the heated forward flowing air from the power turbine, the airflow exerting a force on said compressor turbine blades to cause rotation of the compressor shaft;

    a differential gear assembly mounted in the forward portion of the engine and interconnected to the power turbine shaft and the compressor shaft to provide a forward power output to utilize the power imparted to the turbine shaft by the airflow; and

    means for radially exhausting the airflow from the duct downstream and forward of the compressor turbine through the regenerator to provide heat thereto.

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