Gas turbine engine optimization by electric power transfer

• US 9,045,996 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Anghel, Cristian, Pearson, Wayne, Gehrke, Jens, Condon, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Wongwian, Phutthiwat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chau, Alain
• Application Number:
  US13/681,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.63, 602/68, 607/73, 607/86, 608/01, 608/02, 608/03, 607/92, 607/87, 607/88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/268 Starting drives for the rotor , acting directly on the rotor of the gas turbine to be started
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/706 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components

Abstract

A method of increasing the operational efficiency of an operating gas turbine engine includes supplying mechanical power from a first spool of the operating gas turbine engine to a first electrical machine to thereby generate electrical power using the first electrical machine and supplying mechanical power from a second spool of the operating gas turbine engine to a second electrical machine to thereby generate electrical power using the second electrical machine. The method further includes sensing one or more operational parameters of the operating gas turbine engine and, based on the one or more sensed operational parameters, ceasing to generate electrical power using the second electrical machine, and instead supplying at least a part of the electrical power generated by the first electrical machine to the second electrical machine to operate in motoring mode and to thereby generate and supply mechanical output power to the second spool of the engine.

Claims

1. A method of increasing the operational efficiency of an operating gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

supplying mechanical power from a first spool of the operating gas turbine engine to a first electrical machine to thereby generate electrical power using the first electrical machine;

supplying mechanical power from a second spool of the operating gas turbine engine to a second electrical machine to thereby generate electrical power using the second electrical machine;

sensing one or more operational parameters of the operating gas turbine engine; and

based on the one or more sensed operational parameters, ceasing to generate electrical power using the second electrical machine, and instead supplying at least a part of the electrical power generated by the first electrical machine to the second electrical machine to thereby generate and supply mechanical output power to the second spool of the operating gas turbine engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical machine is a generator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrical machine is a motor/generator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first spool is a low pressure spool.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second spool is a high pressure spool.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical machine generates AC electrical power, and wherein the method further comprises converting the AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrical machine generates AC electrical power, and wherein the method further comprises converting the AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a part of the electrical power generated by the first electrical machine is transferred via a DC bus from the first electrical machine to the second electrical machine.

9. A system for increasing the operational efficiency of an operating gas turbine engine, comprising:

a first electrical machine associated with a first spool of the operating gas turbine engine, wherein the first spool is configured to supply mechanical power to the first electrical machine to thereby generate electrical power;

a second electrical machine associated with a second spool of the operating gas turbine engine; and

a power controller associated with the second electrical machine,

wherein the power controller is configured to selectively change the configuration of the second electrical machine from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the second electrical machine is configured to receive mechanical power from the second spool to thereby generate electrical power, and wherein in the second configuration the second electrical machine is configured to generate and supply mechanical output power to the second spool, and

wherein in the second configuration, at least a part of the electrical power generated by the first electrical machine is transferred to the second electrical machine to generate and supply mechanical output power to the second spool.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the power controller is configured to selectively change the configuration based on one or more sensed operational parameters of the operating gas turbine engine.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first electrical machine is a generator.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the second electrical machine is a motor/generator.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first spool is a low pressure spool.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the second spool is a high pressure spool.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first electrical machine generates AC electrical power, and wherein the system further comprises a rectifier for converting the AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the second electrical machine generates AC electrical power, and wherein the system further comprises a rectifier for converting the AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least a part of the electrical power generated by the first electrical machine is transferred via a DC bus from the first electrical machine to the second electrical machine.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the second electrical machine is further configured to operate as a starter.