ICR TURBINE ENGINE CORPORATION Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140306460 | HIGH SPEED DIRECT DRIVE GENERATOR FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A motor/generator apparatus for direct coupling to a high rpm, high power shaft is disclosed for one or more of starting and/or extracting power from a gas turbine engine, controlling engine responsiveness, providing a temporary power boost, providing some engine braking and modulating compressor and turbine transient performance as engine power is changed. For example, an axial flux motor/generator configuration is disclosed in which a centrifugal gas compressor rotor is also the rotor of an axial electrical flux motor/generator. In addition, an induction motor/generator is disclosed wherein the rotor of the induction electrical motor/generator is solid and is made of copper-clad steel or titanium. This construction enables both high rpm and high power in a motor/generator that can be directly coupled to the power output shaft of a power turbine of a gas turbine engine. | 10-16-2014 |
20140196457 | CERAMIC-TO-METAL TURBINE SHAFT ATTACHMENT - A metallic-ceramic joint for a turbo-compressor spool is disclosed. A temperature-limited joint is moved from outside the bearings to between the bearings and near the center of the shaft joining the turbine and compressor. This placement can lower the temperature at and around the joint and reduces the sharp gradient (and associated thermal stress) naturally occurring between the turbine rotor and the cooler joint. The bearing closest to the compressor can be an oil bearing and the bearing closest to the turbine an air bearing. The bearing closest to the compressor and the bearing closest to the turbine can both be an oil bearing. The bearing closest to the compressor and the bearing closest to the turbine can both be an air bearing. Moving the metallic-ceramic joint between the bearings can provide sufficient isolation to enable the all-air bearing solution. | 07-17-2014 |
20140026585 | CERAMIC-TO-METAL TURBINE VOLUTE ATTACHMENT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A means of attachment applicable to mating parts which have substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion is disclosed. The means of attachment substantially reduces the friction between the mating surfaces while still keeping the mating parts centered with respect to one another. The approach is based on radial recessed faces wherein the radial faces slide relative to each other. There may be three or more recessed/raised faces on each mating component, which when mated, maintain the alignment between the mating parts while allowing differential growth of the mating parts. This approach also the provides a much larger bearing surface for the attachment than a radial pin/slot approach, for example, and substantially eliminates areas of high stress concentration. It is thus a more robust design for components that undergo many thousands of thermal cycles. | 01-30-2014 |
20140000275 | LNG FUEL HANDLING FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE | 01-02-2014 |
20130305730 | METHOD FOR PREHEATING FUELS IN A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A method and apparatus are disclosed which are directed generally to gas turbine engine systems and specifically to a method utilizing a heat pipe or pipes associated with a thermal oxidizer for preheating a fuel-air mixture. This preheating of a fuel-air mixture allows a substantial reduction in size a thermal oxidizer used as a combustor so that it can be used with all fuels, especially natural gas. | 11-21-2013 |
20130139519 | MULTI-SPOOL INTERCOOLED RECUPERATED GAS TURBINE - A method and apparatus are disclosed for a multi-spool gas turbine engine with a variable area turbine nozzle and a motor/alternator device on the highest pressure turbo-compressor spool for starting the gas turbine and power extraction during engine operation. During power down of the engine, the variable area turbine nozzle may be used in conjunction with power extraction to maintain a near constant combustor outlet temperature while controlling turbine inlet temperatures on the turbines downstream of the highest pressure turbine and controlling spool speed on the highest pressure turbine. | 06-06-2013 |
20130133480 | HYBRID DRIVE TRAIN FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - Several configurations of a hybrid drive train are disclosed using a one-way clutch to prevent reverse power flow from the drive train to a free power turbine. The drive trains are parallel configurations including a generator/motor that can provide a dynamic or regenerative braking capability or a power boost if required. The drive train can be based on a manual or automatic transmission. A dry clutch can be used to engage and disengage the engine from the transmission. A generator/motor can be used to neutralize torque for disengaging the gearing in a transmission or to synchronize the rotational speeds of the gearing for engaging the gearing in a transmission, thus eliminating the need for a dry clutch when a manual transmission is used. | 05-30-2013 |
20130112313 | MULTI-FUEL SERVICE STATION - A method and system(s) are disclosed for integrating a new fuel into an operating transportation system in a continuous, seamless manner, such as diesel fuel being gradually replaced by compressed natural gas (“CNG”) in long haul trucks. Integration can be implemented using two enabling technologies. The first is an engine system capable of operating seamlessly on two or more fuels without regard to the ignition characteristics of the fuels. The second is a communications and computing system for implementing a fueling strategy that optimizes fuel consumption, guides the selection of fuel based upon location, cost and emissions and allows the transition from one fuel to another to appear substantially seamless to the truck driver. | 05-09-2013 |
20130111923 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE COMPONENT AXIS CONFIGURATIONS - A method is disclosed to enable the efficient physical packaging of gas turbine engine components to optimize power density, more readily integrate with other equipment and facilitate maintenance. The method illustrates dense packaging of turbomachinery by close-coupling of components, and rotation of various engine components with respect to engines and/or other engine components, and reversal of spool shaft rotational direction to suit the application. Engines can be dense-packed because of a number of features of the basic engine including the use of compact centrifugal compressors and radial inlet turbine assemblies, the close coupling of turbomachinery, the ability to rotate key components to facilitate ducting and preferred placement of other components, the ability to control spool shaft rotational direction and full power operation at high overall pressure ratios. | 05-09-2013 |
20120324903 | HIGH EFFICIENCY COMPACT GAS TURBINE ENGINE - This disclosure relates to a highly efficient gas turbine engine architecture utilizing multiple stages of intercooling and reheat, ceramic technology, turbocharger technology and high pressure combustion. The approach includes utilizing a conventional dry low NOx combustor for the main combustor and thermal reactors for the reheat apparatuses. In a first configuration, there are three separate turbo-compressor spools and a free power turbine spool. In a second configuration, there are three separate turbo-compressor spools but no free power spool. In a third configuration, all the compressors and turbines are on a single shaft. Each of these configurations can include two stages of intercooling, two stages of reheat and a recuperator to preheat the working fluid before it enters the main combustor. | 12-27-2012 |
20120260662 | RADIATION SHIELD FOR A GAS TURBINE COMBUSTOR - A method is disclosed for directing flow to a combustor embedded in a recuperator while shielding the recuperator from radiative heat transfer from the combustor. The radiation heat shield also serves as a structural component to center the combustor within the recuperator core cavity and to allow motion between the combustor and recuperator as temperatures vary. The disclosure is illustrated by the example a gas turbine engine comprising three turbomachinery spools, an intercooler, a recuperator and a combustor. Thermal efficiency of such an engine can be increased by raising the high pressure turbine inlet temperature. It is a specific goal of the present disclosure to reduce radiative heating of a recuperator by a combustor which is housed substantially inside the recuperator. | 10-18-2012 |
20120201657 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE BRAKING METHOD - The present disclosure discloses an engine braking system, especially for vehicles powered by a gas turbine. The engine braking system allows for control of engine braking force; control of over-speed of the power turbine and further includes means of recovering some or all of the braking energy of the engine braking system. Dissipative engine braking devices include an auxiliary compressor, or electrical generator, or an eddy current clutch or an eddy current brake, or fluid pump. Several methods of controlling the engine braking force of a dissipative braking device are disclosed and include (1) a continuously variable transmission (“CVT”); (2) an electrical generator and an optional thermal storage device; (3) an eddy current clutch; and (4) a fluid pump system. The various control devices may be operated automatically by appropriate algorithms. One of these control methods utilizes an eddy current clutch assembly. An innovative configuration of eddy current clutch assembly based on a brushless alternator is disclosed. Additional innovations include vehicle braking systems that utilize some or all the braking features to recoup a portion of braking energy available with either or both of a hybrid transmission and a dissipative braking device such as a compressor, an electrical generator or a fluid pump system. | 08-09-2012 |
20120175886 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS - A system of dense packaging of turbomachinery in a gas turbine engine by means of close-coupling of components and by the ability to rotate various engine components with respect to other engine components is disclosed. In addition, spool shaft rotational direction may be reversed to suit the application. In multiple engine configurations, the same ability to close-couple and rotate components and to reverse shaft rotational direction in order to rearrange the engine geometry package is used for packaging two or more gas turbine engines to achieve high power density. Dense-packing is possible because of a number of features of the basic engine. These features include: the use of compact centrifugal compressors and radial turbine assemblies; the close coupling of turbomachinery for a dense packaging; the ability to rotate certain key components so as to facilitate ducting and preferred placement of other components; the ability to control spool shaft rotational direction; and operation at high overall pressure ratios. | 07-12-2012 |
20120102911 | ENGINE-LOAD CONNECTION STRATEGY - A method is disclosed for connecting gas turbine engine gasifier components to a transmission, generator or other load. The interface of an engine gasifier module and a load module is made between one of the gasifier turbo-compressor spools and the free power turbine. This connection is between ducting components. This reduces the precision required to mate an engine module with a load module. In the case of a large vehicle, it is possible to mount an engine skid between the structural frame members of the truck cab, in the traditional engine compartment of the cab or vertically behind the cab of the truck since the engine module can be connected to the truck's transmission module via ducting between a gasifier module components and the free power turbine and ducting between the free power turbine and exhaust or recuperator. | 05-03-2012 |
20120096869 | UTILIZING HEAT DISCARDED FROM A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - Various embodiments are disclosed to utilize various fuels, including liquid natural gas fuels, to improve engine efficiency in gas turbine engines. In one configuration, a fuel is heated by a heat exchanger utilizing waste exhaust heat of a gas turbine engine. In another configuration, LNG fuel is heated using a pre-cooler for the inlet air stream of a gas turbine engine. In another configuration, fuel is injected into the pressurized air, downstream of the air-to-air intercooler. In yet another configuration, fuel is pumped through the engine's intercooler or a secondary heat exchanger exchanging heat with the compressed air stream between the low-pressure compressor and high-pressure compressor. In another configuration, the fuel is first heated by the intercooler and then further heated by a heat exchanger utilizing waste exhaust heat of the gas turbine engine. | 04-26-2012 |
20120042656 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE WITH EXHAUST RANKINE CYCLE - A closed-loop organic Rankine cycle apparatus to extract waste heat from the exhaust gas from a gas turbine engine is disclosed wherein the closed loop includes at least one additional heat exchanger. An additional heat exchanger for heating fuel may be in one of three locations relative to the ORC turbine and condensing heat exchanger. One location is a preferred location for adding heat to all fuels (liquid, gaseous and/or cryogenic). Another location is a practical location for adding heat to very cold or cryogenic fuels such as CNG or LNG. The closed-loop organic Rankine cycle apparatus, besides extracting waste heat from the exhaust gases, may also include an additional heat exchanger to recover heat from a compressor on a gas turbine engine prior to entering an intercooler on a gas turbine engine. | 02-23-2012 |
20120017598 | METALLIC CERAMIC SPOOL FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A method and apparatus are disclosed for a gas turbine spool design combining metallic and ceramic components in a way that controls clearances between critical components over a range of engine operating temperatures and pressures. In a first embodiment, a ceramic turbine rotor rotates just inside a ceramic shroud and separated by a small clearance gap. The ceramic rotor is connected to a metallic volute. In order to accommodate the differential rates of thermal expansion between the ceramic rotor and metallic volute, an active clearance control system is used to maintain the desired axial clearance between ceramic rotor and the ceramic shroud over the range of engine operating temperatures. In a second embodiment, a ceramic turbine rotor rotates just inside a ceramic shroud which is part of a single piece ceramic volute/shroud assembly. As temperature increases, the ceramic volute expands at approximately the same rate as ceramic shroud and tends to increase the axial clearance gap between the ceramic rotor and ceramic shroud, but only by a small amount compared to a metallic volute attached to the shroud in the same way | 01-26-2012 |
20120000204 | MULTI-SPOOL INTERCOOLED RECUPERATED GAS TURBINE - A method and apparatus are disclosed for a multi-spool gas turbine power plant which utilizes motor/generator devices on two or more spools for starting the gas turbine and for power extraction after starting. Methods are disclosed for controlling engine responsiveness under changing load and/or ambient air conditions; providing a momentary power boost when required; providing some engine braking when needed; providing over-speed protection for the free power turbine when load is rapidly lowered or disconnected; charging an energy storage system; and restoring the compressors and/or turbines toward their operating lines when surge or choking limits are approached. | 01-05-2012 |
20110288738 | MULTI-FUEL VEHICLE STRATEGY - The present invention discloses a method and enabling apparatus for integrating a new fuel or fuels into an operating transportation system in a continuous, seamless manner. The method disclosed overcomes the economic risk associated with developing a new fuel when there is little or no fuel distribution infrastructure in place for the new fuel. | 11-24-2011 |
20110215640 | DISPATCHABLE POWER FROM A RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITY - The placement of fully available prime movers having a DC output at a location inside or adjacent to an inverter-based intermittently available renewable energy site is disclosed. The fully available prime movers add reliability to an unreliable energy asset that is reaching its maximum penetration within the grid due to its unpredictability and the requirement for additional spinning reserves in other parts of the grid. The present invention can provide a portion or all of the power to an intermittently available renewable power generating facility so that the power output to the power grid is dispatchable power. In particular, a method and means are disclosed to utilize high-efficiency engines operated on various fuels some of which may be non-fossil fuels to maintain a constant power output from an otherwise intermittent power generating facility. | 09-08-2011 |