Abstract: A sealing arrangement for a compressor that compresses a gaseous mixture of air and fuel includes a pressurized air supply duct for supplying pressurized air into a leakage pathway defined between a compressor wheel and a housing of the compressor, which leakage pathway leads from the main gas flow path into a bearing area of the compressor, the pressurized air being supplied at a pressure sufficient to ensure that air and gaseous fuel cannot flow from the main gas flow path through the leakage pathway into the bearing area. A portion of the pressurized air flows into the bearing area, while the remainder of the air flows outwardly and is either fed back into the main gas flow path or is combined with air and gaseous fuel that leaks past an outer seal and is recirculated back to the compressor inlet.

Abstract: A recuperated gas turbine engine system and associated method employing catalytic combustion, wherein the combustor inlet temperature can be controlled to remain above the minimum required catalyst operating temperature at a wide range of operating conditions from full-load to part-load and from hot-day to cold-day conditions. The fuel is passed through the compressor along with the air and a portion of the exhaust gases from the turbine. The recirculated exhaust gas flow rate is controlled to control combustor inlet temperature.

Abstract: An electrical power generating system is driven by a multi-spool gas turbine engine including at least first and second spools. The first spool comprises a turbine and a compressor mounted on a first shaft; the second spool has at least a turbine mounted on a second shaft that is not mechanically coupled to the first shaft. A main generator is coupled with one of the spools, and an auxiliary generator/motor is also coupled with one of the spools. Speed control of each of the generators is employed for controlling operation of the engine. The auxiliary generator/motor can operate in either a generation mode to extract power from its spool or a motor mode to inject power into its spool.

Abstract: An electrical power generating system and method wherein a generator is driven by an air-breathing engine. At any operating condition, for a given power output the engine efficiency is substantially optimized by controlling the rate of air flow through the engine in such a manner that the fuel/air ratio is controlled to maintain a high peak temperature imparted to the working fluid in the engine. The method and system of the invention eliminate the need for variable-geometry mechanisms in the engine, and also eliminate the need for variable-geometry combustors and pre-burners. The invention is applicable to various types of air-breathing engines that operate at low fuel/air ratios.

Abstract: An energy-generating system employs a combustor to combust a pressurized fluid, with the resulting products of combustion being used to operate a turbine. The pressurized fluid is divided into first and second fluid portions that are conducted to the combustor inlet through first and second flow paths, respectively. The second flow path is arranged to cause the second fluid portion traveling therein to receive heat from the combustor before being merged with the first fluid flow at the combustor inlet. The combustor can include catalytic bodies, and some products of combustion generated in the combustion chamber are recycled back through the combustor.

Abstract: Various forms of energy, such as mechanical, electrical, and/or heat energy are produced by an energy conversion mechanism which includes a spool, the spool including a shaft on which a compressor and turbine are mounted. A generator is operably connected to the energy conversion mechanism for converting mechanical energy thereof into electrical energy. Fuel and air are supplied separately to the compressor. A regenerator type heat exchanger has a cold side for conducting compressed air traveling from an outlet of a compressor to an inlet of the microturbine, a hot side for conducting hot waste gas from the energy conversion mechanism, and a rotary core movable sequentially through the cold and hot sides for absorbing heat in the hot side and giving up heat in the cold side. A catalytic combustor combusts the fuel at a location upstream of the turbine. During start-up, the catalytic combustor is preheated independently of the heat exchanger by an electric heater.

Abstract: A multi-shaft reheat turbine mechanism includes multiple turbines mounted on respective compressor shafts, and catalytic reactors feeding respective ones of the turbines. Fuel is introduced into a low pressure compressor, whereby there is no need to pressurize the fuel. The compressor side of the mechanism emits a compressed air/fuel flow, portions of which are combusted in respective ones of the catalytic reactors. The air/fuel flow traveling from the compressor side to the turbine side passes through a regenerator in heat exchanging relationship with exhaust gas from a low pressure turbine.

Abstract: Various forms of energy, such as mechanical, electrical, and/or heat energy are produced by an energy conversion mechanism which includes a spool, the spool including a shaft on which a compressor and turbine are mounted. A generator is operably connected to the energy conversion mechanism for converting mechanical energy thereof into electrical energy. Fuel and air are supplied separately to the compressor. A regenerator type heat exchanger has a cold side for conducting compressed air traveling from an outlet of a compressor to an inlet of the microturbine, a hot side for conducting hot waste gas from the energy conversion mechanism, and a rotary core movable sequentially through the cold and hot sides for absorbing heat in the hot side and giving up heat in the cold side. A catalytic combustor combusts the fuel at a location upstream of the turbine. During start-up, the catalytic combustor is preheated independently of the heat exchanger by an electric heater.

Abstract: A steam and gas turbine (STAG) plant employs a catalyst in a heat recovery steam generator to react injected ammonia with NO.sub.x from the combustor of the gas turbine to reduce atmospheric emission of NO.sub.x from the system. Rapid control of ammonia injection is achieved using a prediction of the NO.sub.x being generated in dependence upon the operating conditions of the combustor. A trimming signal from a measurement of NO.sub.x being emitted from the heat recovery steam generator downstream of the catalyst is employed to complete the NO.sub.x control loop.