Constant volume combustor having rotating wave rotor
First Claim
1. A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine;
(b) rotating the wave rotor;
(c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways;
(d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas;
(e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine;
(f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging;
(g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition;
providing an independent drive operative coupled with the wave rotor; and
wherein at least a portion of said rotating occurring through the independent drive;
which further includes supporting the wave rotor with electromagnetic forces, and wherein the at least a portion of said rotating includes controlling the electromagnetic forces to cause said rotating.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A constant volume combustor device includes, in one form, a detonative combustion. The apparatus includes inlet and outlet ports that interface with a plurality of fluid flow passageways on a rotor. A buffer gas is routed through some of the inlet and outlet ports and into and out of the plurality of fluid flow passageways. One of the inlet ports is a buffer gas inlet port that when placed in registry with a fluid flow passageway allows the flow of buffer gas into the respective passageway. Fuel is delivered into the buffer gas proximate the buffer gas inlet port so that only a portion of the buffer gas inlet port receives any fuel. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
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(a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine; (b) rotating the wave rotor; (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways; (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas; (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine; (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging; (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition; providing an independent drive operative coupled with the wave rotor; and
wherein at least a portion of said rotating occurring through the independent drive;which further includes supporting the wave rotor with electromagnetic forces, and wherein the at least a portion of said rotating includes controlling the electromagnetic forces to cause said rotating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
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(a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine; (b) rotating the wave rotor; (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways; (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas; (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine; (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging; (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition; providing an independent drive operative coupled with the wave rotor; and
wherein at least a portion of said rotating occurring through the independent drive,which further includes introducing a working fluid into the combustor, wherein the combustor is a substantially constant volume combustor; wherein said combustor is defined by detonative combustion; wherein said at least a portion of said rotating includes a start up portion wherein the wave rotor is driven by the drive; which further includes providing at least one electromagnetic radial bearing; and which further includes supporting the wave rotor with the at least one electromagnetic radial bearing.
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5. An apparatus, comprising:
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a compressor for increasing the pressure of a working fluid passing therethrough, said compressor having a compressor discharge; a constant volume combustor in fluid communication with said compressor discharge, said constant volume combustor including a rotatable wave rotor and a fuel deliverer, said wave rotor including a plurality of cells for receiving at least a portion of the working fluid from said compressor discharge and a fuel from said fuel deliverer that undergoes combustion within said cells to produce an exhaust gas flow; a turbine in flow communication with the exhaust fluid flow from said constant volume combustor; and at least one active electromagnetic radial bearing operable to support said wave rotor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for starting a gas turbine engine, comprising:
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(a) providing an engine including a compressor, a combustor including a wave rotor having a plurality of passageways and a turbine; (b) rotating the wave rotor; (c) fueling at least a portion of the plurality passageways; (d) combusting the fuel within the plurality of passageways to form a flow of exhaust gas; (e) discharging at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the wave rotor and delivering to a bladed rotor within the turbine; (f) rotating the bladed rotor within the turbine with exhaust gas from said discharging; (g) repeating acts (a)-(f) to bring the compressor and turbine up to an operating condition; and introducing a working fluid into the combustor, wherein the combustor is a substantially constant volume combustor; which further includes providing a drive operatively coupled with the wave rotor; wherein said combustor is defined by detonative combustion; wherein said rotating includes a start up portion wherein the wave rotor is driven by the drive; which further includes providing at least one electromagnetic radial bearing; and which further includes supporting the wave rotor with the at least one electromagnetic radial bearing.
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Specification