RU2511829C2 - Hybrid jet-turbine aircraft engine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: engines and pumps.

SUBSTANCE: hybrid jet-turbine aircraft engine contains a combustion chamber and fuel elements based electrochemical generator located out of the chamber, connected by inlet to hydrocarbon fuel source and air flow compressed in engine, and a controller. The combustion chamber outlet is connected to low pressure turbine via high pressure turbine. The electrochemical generator outlet is connected to electric motor installed on low pressure turbine shaft. The controller is connected to controls, located in path of fuel and air flow, and is designed with possibility of relation adjustment of air flow and fuel flow coming to electrochemical generator and combustion chamber, and possibility of mixture of various energies of electric generator and low pressure turbine in the form of electric energy and thermal energy of combustion products for drive shaft.

EFFECT: reducing toxics emission during flight cycle, noise reduction including airports zones, improving efficiency.

7 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to aircraft engineering, and more specifically relates to a hybrid turbojet aircraft engine.

By “hybridity” we mean a scheme that allows you to combine the thrust of engines of various types in the engine.

So, a hybrid car is known which uses heterogeneous energy to drive driving wheels (Automotive News. Hybrid Cars, March 15, 2011: http://carnews.topinfomaster.com/post_1300194213.html). To do this, modern automakers use a scheme that allows you to combine the thrust of an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor. This allows you to avoid the operation of the internal combustion engine in the mode of low loads, as well as to implement the recovery of kinetic energy, which increases the fuel efficiency of the power plant. This type of engine in the automotive industry (Toyota Prius, Lexus, BMW 5, 6 and 7 series), as well as in shipping (Mochi Craft Long Range 23M) is today the most suitable solution. It is based on a combination of a traditional diesel engine and an electric motor. They do not connect directly. If they are tied to a single gear shaft, they can work separately from each other. This means that in some cases you can only go on electricity. Advantages - no pollution and noise. Disadvantages - reduced speed and autonomy.

Known hybrid rocket engine (GRD) - a chemical rocket engine that uses rocket fuel components in different states of aggregation - liquid and solid. In the solid state, both oxidizing agent and fuel can be present.

A well-known hybrid turbojet / ramjet engine company Pratt & Whitney on the plane SR-71 blackbind (Website FreePapers.ru - December 7, 2010, http://freepapers.ru/85/istoriya-razvitiya-reaktivnogo-dvigatelya/3888.35649.list4.html) as a turbojet engine with afterburner up to a speed of M = 2.4, and at higher speeds the air entered the afterburner, bypassing the compressor, combustion chamber and turbine, the fuel supply to the afterburner increased and it worked as a ramjet. Such a scheme allows expanding the speed range of work efficiency to M = 3.2, but is inferior to the turbojet engine and ramjet by weight characteristics.

The use of fuel cells in auxiliary power plants of the aircraft is known (Website - aviaport.ru. March 29, 2007: http://www.aviaport.ru/digest/2007/03/29/118391.html).

A well-known airliner A320 ATRA (Advanced Technology Research Aircraft), equipped with two electric motors on the front wheel, which demonstrated that the electric power is enough to travel from the initial position to the runway, not including jet engines. Electric motors were powered by onboard fuel cells of the aircraft (Website - ozemle.net) August 18, 2011 http://www.ozemle.net/category/dostijeniya/page/12).

It is known that Airbus and DLR experimentally proved that fuel cells can be used as a ground auxiliary power unit, which, when connected to an aircraft, provides electricity for lighting, air conditioning of the cabin and for other needs while the aircraft engines are off (website - aero-news.ru, July 18, 2011: http://www.aero-news.ru/airbus-i-dlr-eksperimentiruyut-s-toplivnymi-elementami/).

Known electric fuel cell aircraft (US application No. 2003/0075643) flying at low altitude with a power plant circuit that includes an electric motor, a battery of solid polymer fuel cells, a separate air intake from the atmosphere for a battery of solid polymer fuel cells, a fuel tank with stored hydrogen or with a chemical reagent that releases hydrogen as a result of the reaction, an electrical converter, a controller, aircraft equipment, solar panels, and batteries.

The generated electrical power is supplied to the converter, then to the aircraft’s power supply system and equipment, and to two electric motors that drive the propellers of the light aircraft.

In addition to receiving electricity from a battery of fuel cells, additional electricity is provided from solar panels and its supply in batteries.

This technical solution relates to an electric motor for light local aircraft without a combustion chamber.

Known dual-circuit engine with a combined combustion chamber (application US No. 2008/001038). In addition to improving the characteristics of the turbofan engine, fuel cells are located in the combustion chamber that operate simultaneously with the main combustion chamber. The engine is equipped with a control system - a controller, one of the tasks of which is to control fuel consumption through the combustion chamber and fuel cells. The electricity generated in the fuel cell is used by consumers on the aircraft's on-board network, such as an air conditioning system or other systems. Although the engine has a structurally combined combustion chamber, it cannot be attributed to a hybrid turbojet engine, as it provides auxiliary energy for electricity, and the traditional thermal energy of the combustion chamber is used to drive the fan.

Hybrid aircraft turbojet engines combining dissimilar energy, combustion products and electric energy to drive a fan have not been identified in the main power plant in the patent literature.

The basis of the invention is the creation of a hybrid aircraft turbojet engine, which allows to reduce the emission of toxic substances, reduce noise, especially in the area of airports, increase fuel efficiency.

EFFECT: reduced emissions of toxic substances during the flight cycle, reduced noise, including in the area of airports, increased fuel efficiency.

The problem is solved in that the hybrid turbojet aircraft engine (GTRD) contains a combustion chamber and an electrochemical generator based on fuel cells located outside the chamber, connected by an inlet to a hydrocarbon fuel source and a stream of compressed air in the engine, while the outlet of the combustion chamber is connected through a high pressure turbine to low-pressure turbine, and the output of the electrochemical generator with an electric motor mounted on the shaft of the low-pressure turbine, and a controller associated with regulating bodies located in the fuel path and the air flow, and configured to control the ratio of air flows and fuel flows entering the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber, and combining to drive the shaft the dissimilar energies of the generator and low pressure turbine in the form of electricity and energy of the combustion products.

It is advisable that the controller is connected with regulatory bodies, one of which is located in the fuel path from its source to the chamber and the electrochemical generator and regulates the distribution of hydrocarbon fuel between the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber, and the other is located in the air flow path on the exhaust air duct compressor and controls the distribution of air between the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber. It is also advisable that the electrochemical generator contains a reformer and an afterburner, the input of which is connected to the output of the battery, and the output to the mixing chamber at the output of the combustion chamber.

The invention is further illustrated by the description and drawing, which shows a schematic diagram of a hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to the invention.

A hybrid turbojet aircraft engine (GTRD) contains a combustion chamber 4, an electrochemical generator (ECG) 8 located outside the combustion chamber 4, connected by inputs to a hydrocarbon fuel source and a stream of compressed air in the engine.

The GTRD also contains a fan 1, a gearbox 2, a compressor 3, a high pressure turbine 5, a low pressure turbine 6, an electric motor 7 connected to the input of an electrochemical generator 8. The output of the combustion chamber 4 is connected through a high pressure turbine 5 to a low pressure turbine 6 mounted on one shaft 16 with an electric motor 7. On the same shaft 16 a fan 1 is installed, which is driven through a gearbox 2 from the turbine 6 and the electric motor 7. The drawing shows a twin-shaft turbojet engine, where the compressor 3 and turbine 5 are mounted on another in alu 15. However, single-shaft GTRD is possible.

In addition, the gas turbine engine contains a controller 20, configured to control the ratio of air flows and fuel flows entering the electrochemical generator 8 and the combustion chamber 4.

The controller 20 is connected with a regulatory body 11 located in the fuel path from its source to the combustion chamber 4 and to the ECG 8 and regulating the distribution of hydrocarbon fuel between the ECG and the combustion chamber, and with a regulatory body 9 located in the air flow path on the exhaust air duct behind the compressor 3 and regulating the distribution of compressed air between the ECG 8 and the combustion chamber 4.

Structurally, regulatory bodies can be made in the form of flaps and pre-calibrated.

The controller 20 changes the position of the dampers depending on the flight mode and the control actions of the pilot, thereby ensuring the required fuel and air flow between the ECG channels and the combustion chamber.

The electrochemical generator (ECG) 8 contains a battery of 12 cells, for example, solid fuel. However, other fuel cells may also be used.

ECG 8 may include a reformer 13 converting the incoming hydrocarbon fuel into synthesis gas. Reformer 13 is provided with inputs for supplying air and hydrocarbon fuel, and the output is connected to the input of the battery 12 of the fuel cells. ECG 8 may also include a combustion chamber 14 for the synthesis gas leaving the fuel cell battery, the input of which is connected to the output of the battery 12, and the output with the mixing chamber 10 at the output of the combustion chamber 4. The synthesis gas generated by the reformer 13 enters the solid oxide battery 12 fuel cells (SOFC) operating on the generated syngas, the shutter 17 is connected to the controller and divides the air flow into the syngas used in the reformer 13 and into the fuel cells 12 supplied as an oxidizer entov.

The electrochemical generator 8 can additionally be associated with external (on-board) consumers of electricity.

An analysis of the issues of coordinating the work of the gas-dynamic and electrochemical components of a gas turbine engine with ECG based on a battery of fuel cells in cruise and take-off modes showed the advisability of combining 16 different energies for the shaft drive - electricity and thermal energy of combustion products.

In cruising mode, the main part of the air leaving compressor 3 flows into the ECG channel 8, namely from 70% to 90%, depending on the parameters of a particular engine. Under the physical flow rate obtained at this design mode, the ECG is designed.

To ensure reliable and efficient operation of the ECG in other modes, the air flow through the ECG varies within a limited range. For these purposes, a damper 9 is used, which regulates the fraction of air entering each channel through a traditional combustion chamber or ECG.

In front of the high-pressure turbine there is a mixing chamber 10, into which gas from two channels enters (channel 18 from the ECG and channel 19 from the combustion chamber). From the mixing chamber 10, all gas enters the compressor turbine 5.

In a twin-shaft gas turbine engine, the electric power generated in the ECG is supplied to the electric motor 7 on the shaft 16 with fan 1 and gearbox 2, as additional to the power of the fan turbine 6.

A hybrid aircraft turbojet engine operates as follows.

When the engine is turned on at the aerodrome, the controller 20 sets the position of the air supply flap 9 and the fuel supply 11 to the start corresponding to the start.

The combustion chamber 4 receives compressed air after the compressor 3 minus the flow rate of air supplied by the ECG. At startup, approximately 10% of the air enters the ECG, 90% into the combustion chamber.

When switching to other modes, the controller switches the flaps to the position corresponding to the current flight mode. For example, in cruise mode, the controller switches the position of the flaps to a position where 70-90% of the air enters the ECG, and 30-10% into the combustion chamber.

From the operation of the battery 12 of the fuel cells and the combustion chamber 4, the electric motor 7 and the turbine 6 are turned on, which drive the shafts 15 and 16. The drive of the shafts from the electric motor and the turbine reduces the load on the combustion chamber, which reduces toxic emissions and noise.

A feature of the proposed hybrid turbojet engine scheme is that the ECG operates throughout the flight with an air flow through it close to the calculated one, and throttling and regulation are coordinated via air-fuel channels connected to a traditional combustion chamber.

Thus, the proposed gas turbine engine combines heterogeneous energy — electric energy and thermal energy of combustion products — in a power plant for driving a shaft.

This combination increases profitability due to higher fuel efficiency in fuel cells, reduces pollutant emissions, increases reliability, and simplifies the tasks of regulating gas-turbine engines in flight cycle modes of a long-range airplane compared to its counterparts.

Claims (7)

1. A hybrid turbojet aircraft engine, which contains a combustion chamber and an electrochemical fuel cell generator located outside the chamber, connected to the inlet of a hydrocarbon fuel source and a stream of compressed air in the engine, the outlet of the combustion chamber being connected through a high pressure turbine to a low pressure turbine, and the output of the electrochemical generator - with an electric motor mounted on the shaft of the low-pressure turbine, and a controller associated with regulatory bodies located in the tract fuel and air flow, and made with the possibility of regulating the ratio of air flows and fuel flows entering the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber, and combining to drive the shaft of dissimilar energies of the generator and low pressure turbine in the form of electricity and thermal energy of the combustion products. 2. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller is connected to regulatory bodies, one of which is located in the fuel path from its source to the combustion chamber and the electrochemical generator and controls the distribution of hydrocarbon fuel between the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber, and another is located in the air flow path on the exhaust channel of the air flow behind the compressor and controls the distribution of air between the electrochemical generator and the combustion chamber. 3. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochemical generator contains a reformer with inputs for supplying air and hydrocarbon fuel, and the output is connected to the input of the electrochemical generator on fuel cells. 4. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the electrochemical generator contains an afterburner, the input of which is connected to the output of the electrochemical generator on fuel cells, and the output to the mixing chamber at the output of the combustion chamber. 5. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochemical generator is connected to external (onboard) consumers of electricity. 6. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the output of the electrochemical generator is connected to the mixing chamber at the output of the combustion chamber. 7. The hybrid turbojet aircraft engine according to claim 1, characterized in that in the take-off mode, the air flow entering the electrochemical generator is 10-30%, and in cruising mode, 70-90% of the total air flow entering the engine.

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