Intercooled gas turbine engine

• US 5,553,448 A
• Filed: 09/06/1994
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Farrell, William M., Leonard, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertsch, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ted
• Application Number:
  US08/301,363
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 60/39.161, 60/39.163, 60/726, 60/728, 74/DIG. 5, 415/179, 29/888.011, 29/888.021, 29/888, 29/401.1
• US Class Current: 60/792
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/10 with another turbine driving an output shaft but not driving the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/107 with two or more rotors connected by power transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/143 before or between the compressor stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49229 Prime mover or fluid pump making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A gas turbine engine having improved output horsepower and a method of achieving it. The engine has, in order, a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine. The high pressure turbine is drivingly connected to both compressors with a speed reducing gear box therebetween. An intercooler between the compressors reduces the horsepower requirement of the high pressure compressor. Flow from the combustor is sufficiently heated to enable the high pressure turbine to drive both compressors with the output horsepower of the low pressure turbine devoted to the engine load.

Claims

1. A derivative gas turbine engine derived from a non-intercooled gas turbine engine designed for a specified non-intercooled Brayton engine cycle comprising:

a low pressure compressor;

a high pressure compressor disposed downstream of said low pressure compressor;

a combustor disposed downstream of said high pressure compressor in direct flow communication therewith;

a high pressure turbine disposed downstream of said combustor and connected to said high pressure compressor by a first shaft;

a low pressure turbine disposed downstream of said high pressure turbine in flow communication therewith;

said low pressure compressor, high pressure compressor, combustor, high pressure turbine, and low pressure turbine originating from said non-intercooled engine and being effective for operating in said non-intercooled cycle having a specified design point for combustion gases discharged from said combustor into said high pressure turbine, said design point including a design temperature, a design pressure, and a design mass flow, and said non-intercooled cycle being based on said low pressure turbine being connected to said low pressure compressor by a second shaft except that said derivative gas turbine engine is characterized by the absence of said second shaft;

said low pressure compressor instead being connected to said high pressure compressor by a speed reduction gear box for driving said low pressure compressor at a lower speed than said high pressure compressor;

an intercooler disposed in flow communication between said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor for cooling compressed air discharged from said low pressure compressor and provided to said high pressure compressor to reduce horsepower required for said high pressure compressor;

said combustor being effective for providing additional heating by additional fuel so that said intercooled cycle includes at least said design point of said non-intercooled cycle, and said high pressure turbine is effective for producing about the same horsepower as in said non-intercooled cycle and for powering both said high pressure compressor and said low pressure compressor at said design point, with horsepower developed in said low pressure turbine being available for powering a load.

2. The gas turbine engine claimed in claim 1 wherein said intercooler comprises a duct between said low pressure and high pressure compressors and a heat exchanger within said duct.

3. The gas turbine engine claimed in claim 1 wherein said speed reduction gear box causes said low pressure compressor to rotate at from about 1/5 to about 4/5 the speed of said high pressure compressor.

4. The gas turbine engine claimed in claim 1 wherein said speed reduction gear box causes said low pressure compressor to rotate at from about 1/3 to about 1/2 the speed of said high pressure compressor.

5. An engine according to claim 1 wherein said gear box has input and output shafts connected to said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor by flexible couplings.

6. An engine according to claim 1 wherein said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor are multistage axial compressors.

7. An engine according to claim 1 further comprising means originating from said non-intercooled gas turbine engine for cooling said high pressure turbine using discharge air from said low pressure compressor;

and

said combustor is effective for receiving yet additional fuel to increase inlet temperature of said high pressure turbine to a temperature greater than said non-intercooled cycle design temperature to further increase output power and efficiency in said intercooled gas turbine engine.

8. An engine according to claim 7 wherein said high pressure turbine inlet temperature is increased by an amount corresponding to at least the amount by which said intercooler cools said compressed air.

9. An engine according to claim 1 further comprising inlet guide vanes for said low pressure compressor, inlet guide vanes for said high pressure compressor, an inlet nozzle for said high pressure turbine, and an inlet nozzle for said low pressure turbine, all having angular orientations for achieving maximum output horsepower from said intercooled gas turbine engine without exceeding design limits thereof.

10. An engine according to claim 1 wherein said low pressure turbine is connected directly to said load.

11. An engine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a separate power turbine disposed downstream of said low pressure turbine, with said low pressure turbine and said power turbine originating from said non-intercooled engine operable in said non-intercooled cycle; and

said low pressure turbine is connected directly to said power turbine for collectively powering said load connectable thereto.

12. A method of converting a non-intercooled gas turbine engine designed for a specified non-intercooled Brayton engine cycle to an intercooled gas turbine engine having an intercooled Brayton engine cycle for increasing output power, said non-intercooled engine including:

a low pressure compressor;

a high pressure compressor disposed downstream of said low pressure compressor;

a combustor disposed downstream from said high pressure compressor in direct flow communication therewith;

a high pressure turbine disposed downstream of said combustor and connected to said high pressure compressor by a first shaft;

a low pressure turbine disposed downstream of said high pressure turbine in flow communication therewith and connected to said low pressure compressor by a second shaft; and

said non-intercooled cycle having a specified design point for combustion gases discharged from said combustor into said high pressure turbine, said design point including a design temperature, a design pressure, and a design mass flow;

said method comprising;

eliminating said second shaft between said low pressure compressor and said low pressure turbine;

connecting said low pressure compressor to said high pressure compressor by a speed reduction gear box for driving said low pressure compressor at a lower speed than said high pressure compressor;

providing an intercooler in flow communication between said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor for cooling compressed air discharged from said low pressure compressor and provided to said high pressure compressor to reduce horsepower required for said high pressure compressor; and

adjusting heating ability of said combustor by additional fuel so that said intercooled cycle includes at least said design point of said non-intercooled cycle, and said high pressure turbine is effective for producing about the same horsepower as in said non-intercooled cycle and for powering both said high pressure compressor and said low pressure compressor at said design point, with horsepower developed in said low pressure turbine being available for powering a load.

13. The method claimed in claim 12 including the step of directly connecting said low pressure turbine to said load.

14. The method claimed in claim 12 wherein said non-intercooled gas turbine engine is of the type having a separate power turbine downstream of said low pressure turbine and connected directly to said load, and including the step of connecting said low pressure turbine directly to said power turbine for collectively powering said load.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein said gear box has input and output shafts connected to said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor by flexible couplings.

16. A method according to claim 12 wherein said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor are multistage axial compressors.

17. A method according to claim 12 wherein:

said non-intercooled gas turbine engine further includes means for cooling said high pressure turbine using discharge air from said low pressure compressor; and

said combustor is effective for receiving yet additional fuel to increase inlet temperature of said high pressure turbine to a temperature greater than said non-intercooled cycle design temperature to further increase output power and efficiency in said intercooled gas turbine engine.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said high pressure turbine inlet temperature is increased by an amount corresponding to at least the amount by which said intercooler cools said compressed air.

19. A method according to claim 12 wherein said non-intercooled gas turbine engine further includes inlet guide vanes for said low pressure compressor, inlet guide vanes for said high pressure compressor, an inlet nozzle for said high pressure turbine, and an inlet nozzle for said low pressure turbine, and said method further comprises providing angular adjustments in said inlet guide vanes of said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor, and in said inlet nozzles of said high pressure turbine and said low pressure turbine for achieving maximum output horsepower from said intercooled gas turbine engine without exceeding design limits thereof.