Rtx Corporation

Brandon M Evans

Neil J Terwilliger

Simon W Evans

Jon E Sobanski

An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine, a first bottoming cycle and a second bottoming cycle that utilize different working fluids having different critical temperatures such that each of the bottoming cycles have different heat absorption capabilities.

Stacked cryogenic bottoming cycles

A turbine engine is provided that includes a propulsor rotor and an engine core. The propulsor rotor is rotatable about a propulsor axis. The engine core is configured to power operation of the propulsor rotor. The engine core includes a core compressor section, a core combustor section, a core turbine section, a first rotating structure and a second rotating structure. The first rotating structure includes a first compressor rotor arranged within the core compressor section. The first rotating structure is rotatable about a first structure axis which is offset from the propulsor rotor axis. The second rotating structure includes a second compressor rotor arranged within the core compressor section. The second rotating structure is rotatable about a second structure axis which is offset from the propulsor rotor axis and the first structure axis.

Aircraft propulsion system engine with multiple independent rotating structures

An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine that includes a main compressor where an inlet airflow is compressed and communicated to a combustor to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a main turbine section to generate power used to drive the main compressor and a propulsive fan, a bottoming cycle where a working fluid mixture within a closed circuit is heated and expanded through a bottom turbine to generate shaft power, the working fluid mixture includes at least two fluids that have different properties that change a capability of the working fluid mixture at different bottoming cycle operating points, a first heat exchanger where heat is input into the working fluid mixture, and a second heat exchanger where the working fluid mixture is cooled.

Cryogenic bottoming cycle with variable fluid mixture

An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine that includes a combustor where a cryogenic fuel is mixed with compressed air and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow, a propulsive fan driven by shaft power that is generated by the core engine, a cryogenic fuel system that includes a cryogenic fuel storage tank, a fuel flow path where a fuel flow is circulated from upstream in a direction downstream toward the combustor of the core engine, a bottoming compressor where a gaseous fuel flow is compressed, a first heat exchanger where the gaseous fuel flow exhausted from the bottoming compressor is heated, a turboexpander where the gaseous fuel flow from the first heat exchanger is expanded to generate shaft power, and a mixer where the gaseous fuel flow mixes with and heats a liquid fuel flow to generate a gaseous fuel flow for communication to the bottoming compressor.

Cryogenic fuel semi-closed injection cooled bottoming cycle

An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine assembly that generates an exhaust gas flow, a bottoming cycle that includes a bottoming fluid flow that is expanded through a bottoming turbine, a first heat exchanger where heat from the exhaust gas flow is transferred to heat the bottoming fluid flow, and a second heat exchanger where heat from a secondary heat source is transferred to heat the bottoming fluid flow. The second heat exchanger is disposed upstream of the first heat exchanger such that heat from the secondary heat source preheats the bottoming fluid flow prior to accepting heat from the exhaust gas flow in the first heat exchanger.

Turbine engine bottoming cycle heat exchanger bypass

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an intercooling system configured to inject water into a compressor section to reduce a temperature of a core airflow within the core flow path. The intercooling system includes a plurality of injectors for injecting water at a water injection angle relative to an airflow to generate a defined swirl of a combined airflow and water to the compressor section.

Fluidic compressor inlet guide vane

Examples described herein provide a computer-implemented method that includes determining a thrust requirement to satisfy a desired glide slope. The method further includes determining, based on the thrust requirement, whether thrust matching can be maintained while operating a first gas turbine engine in a fuel-burning mode and operating a second gas turbine engine in an electrically powered mode. The method further includes, responsive to determining that thrust matching cannot be maintained, commanding fuel flow to a combustor of the second engine to cause the second gas turbine engine to operate in the fuel-burning mode.

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Brandon M Evans