Gas turbine engine

• US 6,865,891 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Paul, Walsh, Philip P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casaregola, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/431,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.5, 60/391.63, 60/391.7, 60/392.5, 602/69, 607/26, 607/91, 607/92
• US Class Current: 60/792
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/162 for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line F01D17/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/165 for radial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially parallel to the rotor centre line F01D17/167 takes precedence
• 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 3/113 with variable power transmission between rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/13 having variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or stages of different rotors controlling flow ratio between different flows of multi-flow jet-propulsion plant, e.g. ducted fan F02K3/075
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/305 Increasing the power, speed, torque or efficiency of a gas turbine or the thrust of a turbojet engine by injecting or adding water, steam or other fluids F01K21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/08 Heating air supply before combustion, e.g. by exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine (10) comprises a first compressor (16), a combustor (22) and a first turbine (24) arranged in flow series. The first turbine (24) is arranged to drive the first compressor (16). The first compressor (16) has variable inlet guide vanes (38) and the first turbine (24) has variable inlet guide vanes (42). A second compressor (48) is arranged upstream of the first compressor (16). An auxiliary intake (12) is arranged upstream of the first compressor (16) and downstream of the second compressor (48). A valve (54) is arranged upstream of the first compressor (16) and downstream of the second compressor (48). The valve (54) is movable between a first position in which the second compressor (48) supplies air to the first compressor (16) and a second position in which the second compressor (48) does not supply fluid to the second compressor (16) and the auxiliary intake (12) supplies fluid to the first compressor (16). A drive means (60,62,64,66) is arranged to selectively drive the second compressor (48).

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine comprising a first compressor, a combustor and a first turbine arranged in flow series, the first turbine being arranged to drive the first compressor, the first compressor having variable inlet guide vanes, the first turbine having variable inlet guide vanes, a second compressor being arranged upstream of the first compressor, an auxiliary intake being arranged upstream of the first compressor and downstream of the second compressor, valve means being arranged upstream of the first compressor and downstream of the second compressor, the valve means being movable between a first position in which the second compressor supplies fluid to the first compressor and a second position in which the second compressor does not supply fluid to the second compressor and the auxiliary intake supplies fluid to the first compressor and selective drive means being arranged to selectively drive the second compressor.

2. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein a second turbine is arranged downstream of the first turbine, the second turbine having variable inlet guide vanes.

3. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second turbine is arranged to drive an output shaft.

4. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second turbine is arranged to drive the output shaft via a gearbox.

5. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second turbine is arranged to drive the second compressor via the gearbox.

6. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first turbine is arranged to drive an output shaft.

7. A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first turbine is arranged to drive the output shaft via a gearbox.