WO2018138730A1

WO2018138730A1 - Performance enhancing aspirator apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2018138730A1
Application number: PCT/IN2017/000091
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jay Madhavdas BHIMANI
Original assignee: Bhimani Jay Madhavdas
Priority date: 2017-01-25
Filing date: 2017-04-24
Publication date: 2018-08-02
Also published as: GB201912023D0; GB2573481A

Abstract

A performance enhancing aspirator apparatus for improving efficiency of a gas turbine by drawing in surplus air comprises attachment members and a substantially funnel shaped casing. The attachment members are positioned radially on an exterior surface of the gas turbine. The substantially funnel shaped casing is fixedly attached to the exterior surface of the gas turbine via the attachment members. The substantially funnel shaped casing and the gas turbine define a converging duct therebetween. The converging duct creates a very low-pressure region proximal to a nozzle of the gas turbine, thereby drawing in surplus air for improving efficiency of the gas turbine.

Description

PERFORMANCE ENHANCING ASPIRATOR APPARATUS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to the Indian Patent application no. 202104000133906 filed in the

Indian Patent Office on January 25, 2017, entitled "Performance Enhancing Aspirator Apparatus". The specification of the above referenced patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention disclosed herein generally relates to gas turbines. More particularly, the invention relates to a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus for improving efficiency of a gas turbine by drawing in surplus air.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Gas turbines are a type of internal combustion engine. Typically, they have a compressor coupled to a turbine separated by a combustion chamber. The gas turbine operates similar to a steam power plant, with the water replaced by air as the working fluid. The compressor exerts a high pressure on the incoming atmospheric air. Fuel is then sprayed into the combustion chamber, which receives the compressed air, to ignite and release energy. This high-pressure gas enters the turbine, where it expands to a low pressure producing work output by rotating the turbine shaft. However, a large proportion of the energy generated is lost as exhaust gases. An apparatus, which enhances the performance of a gas turbine, is required. Furthermore, an apparatus, which reduces the operational cost and fuel intake of a gas turbine, is required. [0003] Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for an apparatus, which enhances the performance of a gas turbine. Furthermore, there is a need for an apparatus, which reduces the operational cost and fuel intake of a gas turbine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

10004] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus disclosed herein addresses the above-mentioned need for an apparatus* which enhances the performance of a gas turbine. Furthermore, the invention addresses a need for an apparatus, which reduces the operational cost and fuel intake of a gas turbine. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus for improving efficiency of a gas turbine by drawing in surplus air comprises attachment members and a substantially funnel shaped casing. The attachment members are positioned radially on an exterior surface of the gas turbine. The substantially funnel shaped casing is fixedly attached to the exteri or surface of the gas turbine via the attachment members. The substantially funnel shaped casing and the gas turbine define a converging duct therebetween. The converging duct creates a very low-pressure region proximal to a nozzle of the gas turbine, thereby drawing in surplus air for improving efficiency of the gas turbine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not Limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.

[0007] FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a right side elevation view of a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus.

[00081 FIG. 2 exemplarily i llustrates a front elevation view of a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a right side elevation view of a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 for improving efficiency of a gas turbine 101 by drawing in surplus air comprises attachment members 102 and a substantially funnel shaped casing 103. The attachment members 102 are positioned radially on an exterior surface 101a of the gas turbine 101. The substantially funnel shaped casing 103 is fixedly attached to the exterior surface 101a of the gas turbine 101 via the attachment members 102. The substantially funnel shaped casing 103 and the gas turbine 101 defining a converging duct 104 therebetween. The converging duct .104 creates a very low-pressure region proximal to a nozzle 105 of the gas turbine 101, thereby drawing in surplus air for improving efficiency of the gas turbine 101. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 aims to increase the gas turbine 101 efficiency by using the substantially funnel shaped casing 103, without using any extra fuel. The exhaust coming out of the nozzle 105 of the gas turbine 101 is further passed through the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100, which draws in surplus air, other than the air sucked in by the fan.

[0010] This increases the mass flow coming out of the nozzle 105 and ultimately increasing the thrust produced by the gas turbine 101. In an embodiment, the

performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 comprises a plurality of guide vanes for directing air to the converging duct 104. In an embodiment, the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 is installed on a gas turbine 101, for example, a turbojet engine, a turbofan engine, a turboprop engine, etc. In FIG. 1, a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 mounted on a turbofan gas turbine 101 engine is exemplarily illustrated. A turbofan gas turbine 101 engine would require a convergent duct 104 because of the subsonic exhaust produced by the turbofan gas turbine 101 engine, in an embodiment, a Turbojet gas turbine 101 engine will require a convergent-divergent duct because of the supersonic exhaust produced,

[0011] FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a front elevation view of a performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 is mounted on the exterior surface 101a of the gas turbine 101 as exemplarily illustrated in FIGS. 1- 2. The attachment members 102 are positioned radially on an exterior surface 101a of the gas turbine 101. The substantially funnel shaped casing 103 is fixedly attached to the exterior surface 101a of the gas turbine 101 via the attachment members 102. The substantially funnel shaped casing 103 draws in surplus air from the atmosphere using vacuum which is produced due to the design and area of installation of the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100. The exhaust gases coming out of the nozzle 105 of the gas turbine 101 is then passed through the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100, where it is accelerated to very high velocities as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 1. This increase in velocity of exhaust gases results in drop of pressure after the nozzle 105 section of the gas turbine 101. Due to this low pressure created in the converging duct 104, surplus high-pressure atmospheric air is drawn in automatically through the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100. This surplus air is accelerated in the converging duct 104 and exits through the nozzle .105 with the exhaust gases of the gas turbine 101 at very high velocities. This increases the mass flow of air exiting through the nozzle 105, ultimately increasing the thrust produced by the gas turbine 101.

[00.12} Furthermore, in the complete process, the gas turbine 101 requires no extra fuel consumption. This increases the efficiency of the gas turbine 101 substantially.

Moreover, due to the complete combustion of fuel, the exhaust gases produced are less and. cause less pollution. The above-mentioned features of the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 together contribute toward a reduction in operating costs. By way of example, in case if the main gas turbine 101 of an aircraft fails midflight, then the main fan disk is rotated by using an electric motor as a backup to generate some amount of thrust via a bypass duct. As the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 draws in extra air using the bypass exhaust of the gas turbine 101, the aircraft will be able to reach the nearest landing strip. For a turbofan gas turbine 101., the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 used will be convergent because the bypass exhaust of the gas turbine 101 is at subsonic speed and it needs a convergent duct 104 to accelerate as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 1. The increased acceleration of the bypass exhaust will create the vacuum required. The core exhaust of the gas turbine 101 is untouched and it is not accelerated.

[0013] The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100, disclosed herein. While the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100, has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 is not intended to be limited to the particulars, disclosed herein; rather, the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus 100 disclosed herein in their aspects.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A performance enhancing aspirator apparatus for improving efficiency of a gas turbine by drawing in surplus air, the performance enhancing aspirator apparatus comprising: a plurality of attachment members positioned radially on an exterior surface of the gas turbine; and a substantially funnel shaped casing fixedly attached to the exterior surface of the gas turbine via the attachment members, the substantially runnel shaped casing and the gas turbine defining a converging duct therebetween, wherein the converging duct creates a very low pressure region proximal fo a nozzle of the gas turbine, thereby drawing in surplus air for improving efficiency of the gas turbine,

2. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide vanes for directing air to the converging duct,

3. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus of claim I , wherein the gas turbine is a turbojet engine.

4. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a divergent duct for suitably directing the supersonic exhaust gases of the turbojet engine.

5. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine is a turbofan engine.

6. The performance enhancing aspirator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine is a turboprop engine.