GB1334774A - Rotary engine - Google Patents

Abstract

1334774 Gas turbine plant A IGNELZI and O MONARI 4 May 1971 13101/71 Heading F1G The invention relates to a rotary gas turbine engine of the Barkers mill type, the engine shown comprising three combustion chambers 31 mounted on radial arms projecting from a rotary shaft 38, air under pressure being supplied through the hollow radial arms as indicated in Fig.8 and fuel under pressure being supplied through lines 36 to nozzles 79 in the combustion chambers. The air and fuel mixture is ignited by hot wire devices 72 and the combustion gases discharge through outlet nozzles to rotate the assembly, power being taken off the shaft 38 through centrifugal clutch 24 and pulley 23. The engine comprises a fuel pump 12, a starter motor 8 and an air compressor 19, there being a centrifugal clutch 34 between the turbine shaft 38 and the compressor, and flexible couplings 15, 17 between the starter motor and the fuel pump 12 and compressor 19. A lubricating oil system comprising pump 22 is provided. Air passes to the compressor through inlet 18 and discharges through line 20 to a three-way valve 5 which allows air either to return to compressor inlet or pass to a regulator 10. From the regulator air may pass through line 26 to a manifold 25 and thence through inlets into the hollow shaft 38. The air then passes through the hollow radial arms into the combustion chambers. Fuel passes to the pump 12 through inlet 13 and is delivered through line 14 to a threeway valve 9 which allows fuel either to return to the fuel inlet or to pass to the regulator 10. From the regulator the fuel may pass through line 28 to a manifold 27 thence through a duct 29 to a manifold 30 and thence through lines 36 to the fuel nozzles 79 into the combustion chambers 31. Flow of fuel from the duct 29 to the manifold 30 is controlled by a spring-loaded centrifugal valve member Fig.6 (not shown). The three-way valves 5, 9 each comprise a hollow sleeve member formed with ports so as to control the air and fuel flow as indicated above, the position of the two sleeve members being controlled by a piston member 7 which is acted on by air at compressor discharge pressure, so that at starting, air and fuel are not supplied to the combustion chambers until the compressor discharge pressure attains a predetermined value. The regulator 10 also comprises a ported cylindrical sleeve to control flow of fuel and air to lines 28, 26. The centrifugal clutch member 24 comprises a sleeve member (70) in splined engagement with the drive shaft 38, the peripheral surface of the sleeve member being formed with axial grooves in each of which a plurality of cylindrical rods (67), (68), (69) are disposed, the rods being urged outwardly against the inner surface of the pulley 23 by centrifugal force so as to transmit drive to the pulley. The clutch 34 is of similar construction.