Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Dyc Turbines, LLC

Other

Daih-Yeou Chen

Michael E Mehrer

Jack V Vitale

Joseph A James

Bing Tong

Chris Hayden

Dietmar Trees

Paul Piconi

Carlos Oncina

Tony Reichmann

Pete Suttie

William Dornfield

A free-vortex combustor is disclosed that generates vortices which: enhance fuel air mixing, recirculate the air, provide cooling for the combustor walls, and provide low emissions and a substantially uniform exit temperature profile. The combustor is provided fuel or fuel and air through a fuel-injector which atomizes the fuel. A first air swirler couples to the fuel-injector with a prechamber wall abutting the first swirler. A second swirler abuts a downstream end of the prechamber wall. And, a main chamber abuts the second swirler. Each of the first and second swirlers have features that cause the flow to create a vortex in the prechamber and main chamber, respectively. The features creating the swirl are blades or angled orifices. The vortex causes a pressure depression along the centerline and causes backflow along the centerline that improves mixing and improves cooling.

Free-vortex combustor

An annular combustor is disclosed in which free-vortices are generated which: enhance fuel air mixing, recirculate the air, provide cooling for the combustor walls, and provide low emissions and a substantially uniform exit temperature profile. The combustor is provided fuel and air through a plurality of fuel injectors which atomizes the fuel and promote individual vortices emanating from each injector. The combustor includes an annular prechamber, an annular main chamber, and an annular dilution zone. A first swirler is provided on the inner side of the annular prechamber and a second swirler on the outer side of the annular prechamber, the swirlers causing flow to rotate in mutually opposite directions to intensify the vortices imposed by the injectors. The vortices cause a pressure depression to promote some backflow that enhance mixing to: promote complete combustion, produce low emissions, and provide cooling.

Annular free-vortex combustor

An airblast injector for gas turbines is disclosed. The airblast injector assembly consists of fuel swirler, a swirler cup, and a combustor dome. The airblast injector is designed to improve engine performance without using a fuel staging system to incorporate pressure injectors. The swirler cup is provided with pressurized air which exits the swirler cup with high velocity that penetrates perpendicularly into the fuel spray cone obtained by orifices in the fuel swirler.

Airblast injector for a gas turbine engine

A portable green power system is disclosed that is capable of generating electric power based on green technologies (i.e., environmentally friendly) of high performance, low emissions, and low noise. The portable power system consists of three key design features including a free-floating shaft, an electric motor assisted airblast injector and four concentric channel flows. The engine is partitioned into separate channels or passages for the compressed air, hot gases, recuperation, and the engine case and are organized into four concentric channels for portable design and easy maintenance considerations. The concentric channel design also facilitates fully developed flow in each channel for reduction of vibration and noise. The four concentric channels include turbine concentric channel, compressor concentric channel, recuperator concentric channel and engine case concentric channel. Two-way bypass rings are used for cross flows among these concentric channel flows.

Portable green power systems

A hybrid bearing system for gas turbine engines is disclosed. The hybrid bearing system comprises ball/roller bearings and air bearings. For horizontal applications, compressed air injected into the air bearing provides a lift force such that enables the rotating shaft for the turbine to float freely. The compressed air is also employed to cool the ball/roller bearings. Hence, given the reduced friction on the ball/roller bearings due to the free-floating shaft, as well as the air cooling of the ball/roller bearings, typical lubrication systems are not necessary. For vertical applications, the compressed air provides cooling to the ball/roller bearings which renders the need for conventional lubrication systems unnecessary.

Free-floating shaft for gas turbine engines

An electric motor assisted airblast injector design for gas turbines is disclosed. The electric motor assisted airblast injector assembly consists of an airblast injector, a high speed electric motor and a compressor. The electric motor assisted airblast injector is designed to improve engine light-off and starting reliability without using a fuel staging system to incorporate pressure injectors. A high speed motor is activated during starting to drive a compressor for locally producing pressurized air without sacrificing combustor performance. The pressurized air exiting the air swirler with high velocity penetrates perpendicularly into the fuel spray cone obtained by orifices in the fuel swirler. The amount of pressurized air through the compressor is controlled by motor speed to match fuel starting schedule and produce fuel/air mixture within flammability limits. After engine starting, the high speed motor may cut off as sufficient air pressure differential is available across the combustor.

Electric motor assisted airblast injector

An active thrust management system varies pressure responsive to changes in rotor assembly thrust to maintain a desired position. The system includes a bearing supporting rotation of a rotor assembly within a pressurizing chamber. The rotor assembly is supported on a cushion of air generated between the bearing and the rotor assembly. Pressure within a cavity adjacent the rotor assembly opposes a thrust force to maintain a desired position of the rotor assembly. Modulating airflow into the pressurizing chamber adjacent the rotor assembly compensates for changes in the thrust generated by the rotor assembly to maintain the desired rotor assembly position.

Active thrust management system

A dual channel ignition circuit (Channel A and a Channel B). In a start sequence in which a successful ignition event occurs, an exciter controller first energizes only a primary ignition channel (Channel A). Once the exciter controller recognizes a success light-off, the alternate channel (Channel B) will also then be excited as the gas turbine engine is accelerated to a self-sustaining speed. The exciter controller will then switch the primary alternative designation of the channels for the next start attempt. In a start sequence in which an unsuccessful ignition event occurs, the exciter controller sets a fail-to-start on the primary ignition channel on a failure to start A/B counter such that a failed ignition channel is diagnosed without dedicated electronic diagnostic circuits while still attempting to excite both circuits to enhance the dependability of a successful engine light-off.

Dual ignition system for a gas turbine engine

A combustor assembly includes a combustor chamber having a primary and intermediate zone that provides for reduced flame temperatures. The combustor assembly includes first and second pluralities of injectors. The first plurality of injectors introduces fuel to a primary zone. A second plurality of injectors introduces fuel to an intermediate zone. During operation between initial start up and before the introduction of engine load, fuel is introduced into the primary zone only by the first plurality of injectors. Once engine load is applied to the engine, fuel is introduced into the intermediate zone by the second plurality of injectors. Introduction of additional volume of fuel allows the fuel-air ratio to remain constant regardless of engine operating conditions. The constant fuel-air ratio is maintained at a desired rate to lower flame temperatures and reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

Lean-staged pyrospin combustor

An exciter circuit for a gas turbine engine delivers a first single high-energy spark followed by subsequent sparks of relatively lower energy to ensures start reliability by specifically clearing ice build-up at the ignition plugs.

High energy primary spark ignition system for a gas turbine engine

An annular combustor that has angled effusion holes through at least one surface of the combustor liner with the angle of the effusion holes oriented to cause the flow of air through the holes to facilitate swirling of the fuel and air within the combustor. The effusion holes thereby facilitate efficient cooling of the combustor liner combined with superior fuel/air mixing within the combustor.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Daih-Yeou Chen