Hybrid gas turbine and internal combustion engine

• US 8,141,360 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huber, David J
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Thai Ba
• Application Number:
  US11/254,207
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: 606/06, 606/16, 606/18, 60597-598, 290/40.B
• US Class Current: 60/606
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/08 comprising more than one engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/431 Gas turbine engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/44 Exhaust turbines driving generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 15/02 for driving vehicles, e.g. locomotives
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/065 : the combustion taking place in an internal combustion piston engine, e.g. a diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 : peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 : Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A hybrid engine having a gas turbine engine and an internal combustion engine, both engines driving a common drive shaft. The compressor delivers compressed air to the combustor and to an inlet of the internal combustion engine, the compressed air picks up heat from the internal combustion engine either from the combustion process or through a heat exchanger, and is delivered to the combustor. When the gas turbine engine is not operating by burning fuel, the heated compressed air from the internal combustion engine is used to maintain the shaft speed sufficient for starting the gas turbine engine without the need to bring the turbine engine up to speed prior to ignition. The apparatus and process of the present invention provides a hybrid engine that is light weight, fuel efficient, and with enough available power for high powered situations.

Claims

1. A process of operating a hybrid engine, the hybrid engine including a gas turbine engine and an internal combustion engine both connected to a common drive train, the process comprising the steps of:

supplying compressed air from the compressor of the gas turbine engine to the internal combustion engine;

transferring heat from the internal combustion engine to the compressed air and delivering the heated compressed air to the combustor of the gas turbine engine; and

,

using the heated compressed air delivered to the combustor to maintain the turbine at a shaft speed sufficient for starting the gas turbine engine.

2. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

supplying compressed air from the compressor to an inlet of the internal combustion engine; and

,

delivering an exhaust of the internal combustion engine to the combustor to maintain the shaft speed sufficient for starting the gas turbine engine.

3. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of

supplying compressed air from the compressor to a heat exchanger in the internal combustion engine;

and,

delivering the compressed air from the heat exchanger to the combustor to maintain the shaft speed sufficient for starting the gas turbine engine.

4. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

regulating the flow of compressed air from the compressor to the internal combustion engine and to the combustor by a plurality of flow control valves.

5. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

maintaining the turbine at a shaft speed sufficient for instantly starting the gas turbine engine.

6. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

operating the internal combustion engine continuously and oily operating the gas turbine engine when the power output of the internal combustion engine is insufficient for the drive train.

7. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

utilizing the waste heat from the internal combustion engine as a large percentage of the load required to maintain the gas turbine shaft at a starting speed.

8. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

driving an electric generator with the internal combustion engine to produce electric power;

using the electric power to drive an electric motor; and

,

driving the turbine shaft and the drive train with the electric motor.

9. The process of operating a hybrid engine of claim 8, and further comprising the steps of:

using the electric motor as a generator in a regenerative breaking system on a vehicle.

10. A hybrid engine, comprising:

a gas turbine engine including a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine having a turbine output shaft;

means to rotatably connect the turbine output shaft to a drive train;

an internal combustion engine having an engine output shaft;

means to rotatably connect the drive train with the internal combustion engine output shaft;

compressed air supply means to deliver compressed air from the compressor to the internal combustion engine to extract heat from the engine;

hot air supply means to deliver hot air from the engine to an inlet of the combustor; and

,

valve means to regulate a supply of compressed air from the compressor to both the combustor and the engine.

11. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

the means to rotatably connect the drive train with the internal combustion engine output shaft is an electric motor connected to the drive train, an electric generator connected to the engine output shaft, and means to convey electric power from the generator to the electric motor.

12. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

The means to rotatably connect the turbine output shaft to the drive train includes a gearbox.

13. The hybrid engine of claim 12, and further comprising:

the means to rotatably connect the turbine output shaft to the drive train includes a power turbine connected between the turbine and the gearbox.

14. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

the compressed air supply means delivers compressed air to the inlet of the engine; and

,

the hot air supply means delivers hot air from the exhaust of the internal combustion engine.

15. The hybrid engine of claim 14, and further comprising:

the valve means to regulate a supply of compressed air from the compressor to both the combustor and the internal combustion engine is a combustor inlet valve and an engine inlet air valve.

16. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

the compressed air supply means delivers compressed air to an inlet of a heat exchanger in the internal combustion engine; and

,

the hot air supply means delivers hot air from an outlet of the heat exchanger of the internal combustion engine.

17. The hybrid engine of claim 16, and further comprising:

the valve means to regulate a supply of compressed air from the compressor to both the combustor and the internal combustion engine is a combustor inlet valve and an engine cooling air valve.

18. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electric power;

an electric motor to drive the drive train; and

,

means to electrically connect the electric generator to the electric motor.

19. The hybrid engine of claim 18, and further comprising:

the electric motor is capable of driving the turbine shaft.

20. The hybrid engine of claim 18, and further comprising:

a regenerative breaking system associated with the electric motor to produce electric power when breaking a vehicle powered by the drive train.

21. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

a power turbine rotatably connected to the turbine; and

,

the power turbine is rotatably connected to the drive train so that the turbine drives the power turbine and the power turbine drives the drive train.

22. The hybrid engine of claim 10, and further comprising:

a first compressed an line connecting the compressor to the combustor;

a first regulating valve located in the first compressed air line to regulate the flow of compressed air from the compressor and into the combustor;

a second compressed air line connecting the compressor to a heat exchanger of the internal combustion engine;

a second regulating valve located in the second compressed air line to regulate the flow of compressed air from the compressor and into the heat exchanger;

a third compressed air line connecting the compressor to the inlet of the internal combustion engine;

a third regulating valve located in the third compressed air line to regulate the flow of compressed air from the compressor and into the internal combustion engine;

a fourth compressed air line connecting the heat exchanger to the combustor; and

,

a fifth compressed air line connecting the exhaust of the internal combustion engine to the combustor;

wherein the three regulating valves control the air flow to the internal combustion engine and the combustor so that the internal combustion engine operates continuously and the gas turbine engine only operates when the output power of the internal combustion engine is insufficient to power the drive train, and so that the turbine continues to rotate with enough speed when the gas turbine engine is not operating such that the gas turbine engine can be started almost instantly.