Abstract: An additional turbine, an air-to-water heat exchanger, and an air-to-air heat exchanger are added upstream of a recuperated gas turbine engine. Incoming air at atmospheric temperature is expanded and cooled in the additional turbine and then passes through the air-to-water heat exchanger where it is used to cool warm water to a suitable drinking temperature. The cool air then passes through the air-to-air heat exchanger, where it precools the incoming atmospheric temperature air. The output shaft of the additional turbine is coupled to an additional compressor downstream of the original compressor of the engine, thus resulting in a higher net pressure ratio.

Abstract: A turbine engine is provided with a primary surface, counterflow heat exchanger for preheating the compressed air from the compressor prior to its entry into the combustor. The recuperator includes three concentric cylindrical shells which completely encircle the hottest components of the engine. The outermost shell includes a plurality of inlet openings for receiving air from the compressor, and a plurality of outlet openings for discharging the air into the combustor. The innermost shell includes a plurality of inlet openings for receiving gases from the turbine and a plurality of outlet openings communicating with an exhaust duct. The central shell is a corrugated tube which divides the space between the inner and outer shells into a plurality of concentric annular flow chambers, and allows heat transfer between adjacent chambers Annular turbulators may be inserted in the chambers.

Abstract: A turbine engine is provided with a primary surface, counterflow heat exchanger for preheating the compressed air from the compressor prior to its entry into the combustor. The recuperator includes three concentric cylindrical shells which completely encircle the hottest components of the engine. The outermost shell includes a plurality of inlet openings for receiving air from the compressor, and a plurality of outlet openings for discharging the air into the combustor. The innermost shell includes a plurality of inlet openings for receiving gases from the turbine and a plurality of outlet openings communicating with an exhaust duct. The central shell is a corrugated tube which divides the space between the inner and outer shells into a plurality of concentric annular flow chambers, and allows heat transfer between adjacent chambers. Annular turbulators may be inserted in the chambers.

Abstract: A pressure-gain combustor is placed in the exhaust path of the turbine in a turbocharger or turbine engine, thus increasing the pressure drop in the engine. The increased pressure drop in the engine leads to increased turbine power output when the turbocharger or turbine engine is operating under no-load or partial load conditions, thus reducing the problem of turbo lag.

Abstract: A diffuser for a radial flow compressor includes a pair of coaxial rings, the second of which closely surrounds the first. A set of intersecting flow passages extends through the first ring, and another aligned set of flow passages extends through the second ring. In a first embodiment of the invention, a circumferential groove is formed between the two rings, thus allowing low momentum fluid to migrate from the pressure side of one passage to the suction side of a neighboring passage and to prevent boundary layer build-up. In a second embodiment of the invention, the passages are arranged in a double cone configuration which allows higher diffusion levels than are attainable in a straight cone diffuser of equal length.