Abstract: A high compression ratio compressor having multiple stages of airfoils to produce the high pressure rations, where the last stage airfoils are cooled by passing cooling air through the airfoils without discharging film cooling air. A portion of the compressed air from the discharge of the compressor is bled off and passed through a heat exchanger to preheat a fuel and to cool the compressed air. The cooled compressed air is then passed through the last stage airfoil of the compressor to provide cooling. The cooling air is then reintroduced back into the compressor at an earlier stage or passed through an airfoil in the turbine to provide cooling.

Abstract: A system and a process for testing a gas turbine engine or component thereof, especially for a large aero gas turbine engine, and for a process for testing a large industrial gas turbine engine that requires large flow capacity and pressure ratios. The system and process may include the use of a large compressed air storage reservoir to provide compressed air to the testing system. Further, the system and process may also include the use of a pre-heating system, which may include a heater and a heat exchange device, to warm the compressed air from the compressed air storage reservoir to a temperature suitable to simulate normal operating conditions of the gas turbine engine or component thereof.

Abstract: A mini combined cycle power plant with a mini gas turbine engine that operates at around 20,000 to 30,000 rpm and is connected to an electric generator through a speed reduction gear box, a low pressure steam turbine connected directly to the gas turbine engine, a high pressure steam turbine connected to the low pressure steam turbine through a smaller gear box so that the high pressure steam turbine can operate at around 70,000 to 100,000 rpm, and a heat recovery steam generator to use the turbine exhaust to produce high pressure steam for the two steam turbines. Leftover heat from the HRSG is used to heat homes or buildings in the local area to the power plant to improve the overall efficiency of the plant.

Abstract: A process for redesigning a distressed component in which the distressed component is under thermal and structural loads, for improving the life of the component. The process includes obtaining the operating conditions of the machine in which the distressed component is used, finding the boundary conditions under which the distressed component operates, producing a 3-dimensional model of the distressed component with such detail that the distress levels are accurately represented on the model, subjecting the model to a series of technical analysis to predict a life for the component, reiterating the technical analysis until the levels of distress on the model accurately represent the distress that appears on the actual component, and then predicting a remaining life of the component based on the analysis, or redesigning the model and reanalyzing the model until a maximum life for the component has been found.

Abstract: A thin wall turbine blade used in a gas turbine engine, in which the blade is cast in conventional grain from a super alloy using the lost wax process as a single piece, and then the blade walls are machined to remove enough material to leave a thin wall. The blade is cast with a wall thickness greater than the designed for thin wall in order that any core shifting during the casting process will be accounted for in the machining process. prior to machining, a scanning process is used to measure the actual wall thickness on all portions of the blade wall in order to determine how much material must be removed to leave the blade wall with the proper thinness.

Abstract: An electric power plant with a gas turbine engine that drives an electric generator, where the generator is a co-rotating electric generator positioned between the turbine and the compressor such that the turbine drives the compressor through the electric generator, and where the co-rotating generator includes a rotor and a stator that both rotate in the same direction but with a differential rotational speed of around 3000 or 3,600 rpm in order to produce 50 or 60 hertz electrical power. A wire brush makes contact with a rotating surface of the generator to carry away electricity, and the wire brush is continuously fed to make up for wear.

Abstract: A large floating vertical axis wind turbine with a floating inner cylinder having rotor blades that rotate together as an assembly, and a floating outer cylinder with a central opening in which the floating inner cylinder rotates for support against tipping. Outriggers with floating devices on the ends extend out from the floating outer cylinder for additional stability. The floating inner cylinder is partially supported by a top bearing on the outer cylinder to carry some of the load from the rotor blades.

Abstract: A combined cycle power plant with a gas turbine engine integrated with a dirty fuel combustor in the turbine exhaust and the hot gas stream from the dirty combustor is mixed together and then passed through a heat recovery steam generator to produce steam, the steam being passed through a steam turbine to drive a second electric generator. Some of the turbine exhaust is passed directly into the HRSG while the remaining turbine exhaust is passed into the combustor and burned with the dirty fuel.

Abstract: A thin wall turbine blade used in a gas turbine engine, in which the blade is cast in conventional grain from a super alloy using the lost wax process as a single piece, and then the blade walls are machined to remove enough material to leave a thin wall. The blade is cast with a wall thickness greater than the designed for thin wall in order that any core shifting during the casting process will be accounted for in the machining process. prior to machining, a scanning process is used to measure the actual wall thickness on all portions of the blade wall in order to determine how much material must be removed to leave the blade wall with the proper thinness.

Abstract: A transition duct used in a gas turbine engine to direct the hot gas flow from the combustor into the turbine section of the gas turbine engine. The transition duct includes a plurality of guide vane integral with the duct. The transition duct includes a circular shaped inlet end for connection to a can combustor and a rectangular and arched shaped outlet end for connection to a first stage turbine section. the guide vanes extend within the flow path between inner and outer projections each having a curved opening in the shape of the airfoil each airfoil includes inner and outer airfoil ends with retainer slots formed between the airfoil ends and the duct projections that form shear pin retainer slots. Shear pin retainers are secured within the slots to secure the guide vanes to the duct in a thermally uncoupled manner to reduce thermal stresses. The guide vanes can be made from a single crystal material for higher gas flow temperatures.

Abstract: A process for redesigning a distressed component, such as a turbine blade in a gas turbine engine, in which the distressed component is under thermal and structural loads, for improving the life of the component. The process includes obtaining the operating conditions of the machine in which the distressed component is used, finding the boundary conditions under which the distressed component operates, producing a 3-dimensional model of the distressed component with such detail that the distress levels are accurately represented on the model, subjecting the model to a series of technical analysis to predict a life for the component, reiterating the technical analysis until the levels of distress on the model accurately represent the distress that appears on the actual component, and then predicting a remaining life of the component based on the analysis, or redesigning the model and reanalyzing the model until a maximum life for the component has been found.

Abstract: A power plant for burning a fuel in a low pressure combustion chamber to produce electrical power. A first compressor supplies compressed air through a first heat exchanger to add heat to the compressed air. The heated compressed air is passed through a first turbine to drive a first electric generator. The first turbine outlet is passed through a second heat exchanger in series with the first heat exchanger to further heat the compressed air. The compressed air is then passed through a second turbine to drive a second electric generator and produce electric power. The outlet from the second turbine is passed through a first combustor to produce the hot gas flow through the second heat exchanger. The outlet from the second heat exchanger is passed through a second combustor before passing through the first heat exchanger. The outlet from the first heat exchanger is passed through a heat recovery steam generator to generate steam to drive another turbine and another generator.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for separating carbon dioxide from a flue gas of a coal burning power plant. The process includes compressing the flue gas to increase the pressure and temperature, and then passing the flue gas through a cryogenic heat exchanger that decreases the temperature even more prior to passing the cooled carbon dioxide through a turbine that decreases the temperature more and forms liquid and solid forms carbon dioxide. A carbon dioxide separator then separates the carbon dioxide from the flue gas, leaving both liquid and solids forms. A screw compressor compresses the solid carbon dioxide to produce only liquid carbon dioxide at a pressure suitable for sequestration. The liquid carbon dioxide is passed through the heat exchanger to cool the flue gas and to separate out any sulfur dioxide and water from the flue gas and to vaporize the liquid carbon dioxide prior to sequestration of the vapor carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A small gas turbine engine with a bearing cooling and lubricating passage arrangement for a high speed rotor shaft. The engine includes a bypass fan and a compressor. The rotor shaft includes a central passage extending through the entire shaft, and where the rotor shaft is supported by a forward bearing and a rearward bearing. Cooling air for the bearings is diverted from the bypass air and is channeled through the bearings. Fuel is added to the cooling air at a location upstream of the bearing to provide lubrication. The cooling air and lubricating fuel passes through the bearings and into the rotating central shaft, and is then forced to flow toward a radial passage located adjacent to the combustor. The fuel is collected on the central shaft surface and forced out the radial passage and into the combustor. The cooling air continuous out from the central shaft to be mixed with the engine exhaust.

Abstract: A bearingless floating wind turbine has a tall narrow main support structure with a center of buoyancy located well above the center of gravity to provide stability to the wind turbine while supported for rotation in a body of water, a vertical axis turbine blade extends from the main support structure and rotates together under a wind, and a non-rotating shaft extends through the main support structure with a vertical axis direct drive generator connected between the main support structure and the non-rotating shaft to produce electricity when the main support structure rotates. An anchor line connected to the non-rotating shaft prevents the floating wind turbine from drifting in a body of water.

Abstract: A bearingless floating wind turbine has a tall and narrow main support structure with a center of buoyancy located well above the center of gravity to provide stability to the wind turbine while supported for rotation in a body of water, a vertical axis turbine blade extends from the main support structure and rotates together under a wind, and a non-rotating shaft extends through the main support structure with a vertical axis direct drive generator connected between the main support structure and the non-rotating shaft to produce electricity when the main support structure rotates. an anchor line connected to the non-rotating shaft prevents the floating wind turbine from drifting in a body of water.

Abstract: A test facility is provided for testing materials under high temperature, pressure, and mechanical loads. The facility provides a physically sealed system that simulates conditions in hot sections or gas turbine engines. A test article is coated with a test material and exposed to a hot combusting flow in a test section housing. The article may be a pipe or conduit member oriented at any direction to the flow. A second cooler flow of fluid is channeled through the test article to create a sharp temperature gradient in the test article and through the test material. A liquid-cooled sleeve is disposed about the test article to create an annular channel of combusting flow over the test article. The downstream end of the second cooler flow is connected to the upstream end of the main hot flow at the combustion chamber.