Integral gas turbine, flywheel, generator, and method for hybrid operation thereof
First Claim
1. A method for operating a land vehicle or airplane vehicle, said land vehicle or airplane vehicle comprising a prime mover, an accumulation device, an expansion device, an electrical system, and having a vehicle velocity, the method comprising:
- directing gases from the prime mover to the accumulation device while combusting a fuel;
directing said gases or part of said gases from said accumulation device to said expansion device;
directing electrical energy from said expansion device to said prime mover;
wherein said prime mover has associated therewith a rate of rotation of an element of said prime mover and wherein said rate of rotation of said element of said prime mover increases while not combusting fuel due to said directing of electrical energy, andwherein said rate of rotation of said element of said prime mover is further increased by said electrical system in response to a decrease in said vehicle velocity by regeneratively capturing a braking energy created by said decrease in said vehicle velocity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power plant incorporating attributes of a gas turbine engine, flywheel, and electrical generator (hereafter turbine/flywheel or TF) in a single compact unit, having a compressor arrayed with magnets which weight the periphery of the TF. Intermittent combustion periods accelerate the TF to a first rotational velocity, then combustion ceases, and the inlet/outlet of the TF are sealed, causing it to self-evacuate. Conductive coils surround the TF. Magnetic flux between the magnets and coils acts as a motor/generator, electrically powering a load, and absorbing electrical power therefrom via regenerative braking; power out decelerating the TF (now a flywheel), power in accelerating it. A pressure accumulator accepts the TF exhaust, and is pressurized by the combustion periods. Between combustion periods, exhaust in the accumulator expands in a small pump/motor that drives a generator, routing electricity to the TF to raise its rotational velocity.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for operating a land vehicle or airplane vehicle, said land vehicle or airplane vehicle comprising a prime mover, an accumulation device, an expansion device, an electrical system, and having a vehicle velocity, the method comprising:
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directing gases from the prime mover to the accumulation device while combusting a fuel; directing said gases or part of said gases from said accumulation device to said expansion device; directing electrical energy from said expansion device to said prime mover; wherein said prime mover has associated therewith a rate of rotation of an element of said prime mover and wherein said rate of rotation of said element of said prime mover increases while not combusting fuel due to said directing of electrical energy, and wherein said rate of rotation of said element of said prime mover is further increased by said electrical system in response to a decrease in said vehicle velocity by regeneratively capturing a braking energy created by said decrease in said vehicle velocity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating an engine within or on a powered device, the engine having a combustion mode and a non-combustion mode, the engine further having at least one moving part, the method comprising:
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a first step of beginning said combustion mode of the engine thereby giving a rotational velocity to said moving part of said engine, wherein said first rotational velocity is greater than zero; upon reaching, as a result of said first step, a first rotational velocity, wherein said first rotational velocity is greater than zero, a second step of reducing a pressure within an internal area of said engine to a pressure state that is less than 1 atmosphere and creating a hermetic seal between an internal area of said engine and an area external to said engine; a third step subsequent to said second step, said third step comprising electrically or magnetically increasing said rotational velocity, to a second rotational velocity higher than said first rotational velocity, wherein during said third step said pressure within said internal area of said engine remains at less than 1 atmosphere and said hermetic seal created during said second step is maintained through at least part of a duration of said third step. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An engine of a machine, said engine comprising:
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at least one compression stage; at least one turbine stage; a combustor; an electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic output drive connected to a physical load within or on said machine, wherein said engine is also within or on said machine and wherein said engine is spatially separate from and different from said physical load; a pump in fluid communication with said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage via said combustor for evacuating said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage through said combustor; electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic means for accelerating said at least one of said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage; wherein said electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic means for accelerating said at least one of said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage is spatially separate from and different from said electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic output drive. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. An engine comprising:
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a gas inlet; a gas outlet; at least one gas compression stage; at least one turbine stage; a flow path leading from said gas inlet to said gas outlet through said at least one gas compression stage or said at least one turbine stage; wherein at least one of said at least one gas compression stage and said at least one turbine stage comprises; a plurality of vanes that affect gaseous flow through the engine; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnetic or electromagnetic elements within or on the at least one gas compression stage or said at least one turbine stage and an electrical control to selectively drive said at least one gas compression stage or said at least one turbine stage using the plurality of circumferentially spaced magnetic or electromagnetic elements; wherein said engine communicates electrically with a driven mechanical load in receipt of an electrical force transmitted from at least one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced magnetic elements or electromagnetic elements; wherein said driven mechanical load includes a system for converting said electrical force and at least one of a traction wheel and a tire and a regenerative brake; and a pump in fluid communication with said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage via said combustor for evacuating said at least one compression stage and said at least one turbine stage through said combustor. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification