Abstract: Disclosed herein are multiple embodiments of a hydrogen generator (10) that measures, transports or stores a single dose of a viscous fuel component from first fuel chamber (12) in storage area (38) when the internal hydrogen pressure (44, 44?) of the hydrogen generator is high, and transports this single dose to a metal hydride fuel component in second fuel chamber (14) when the internal pressure is low, so that the viscous liquid and metal hydride fuel components react together to generate more hydrogen and to restart the cycle. The viscous fuel component can be water or alcohol, such as methanol, in liquid or gel form, and the metal hydride fuel component can be sodium borohydride or other metal hydride that chemically reacts with the viscous fuel to produce hydrogen. The metal hydride fuel component can be in solid or viscous form, e.g., aqueous form.

Abstract: Fuel (12) is supplied to a rotatable portion (118) of a gas turbine engine (10) comprising a rotor (24) and at least one blade (26, 26.1) operatively coupled thereto, so as to provide for cooling at least one of the rotor (24) or the at least one blade (26, 26.1) by transforming the fuel (12) to a vapor or gaseous state. The fuel (12) is discharged in a vapor or gaseous state from the rotatable portion (118) directly into a combustion chamber (16) of the gas turbine engine (10).

Abstract: The present invention provides in one embodiment a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine combustion system. Still another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine combustor. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and gas turbine engine combustion systems and combustors.

Abstract: A rotary injector (95, 222) comprising one or more radially-extending arms (93) provides for injecting fuel (12, 12.1, 12.4) into a combustion chamber (16). The combustion chamber (16) receives air (14) from locations upstream and down-stream of the rotary injector (95, 222), and the arms (93) of the rotary injector (95, 222) are adapted so that a pressure (P2) in the combustion chamber (16) upstream of the rotary injector (95, 222) is less than a pressure (P0) in a plenum (212) supplying air (14) to the combustion chamber (16) upstream of the rotary injector (95, 222).

Abstract: An annular expansion ring centered on a main axis and suitable for being mounted on a fuel injector coaxial with the ring is disclosed. The ring presents holes that are distributed around the main axis and open out into its upstream face to enable air to pass towards the zone that is downstream from the ring. The ring includes a conical annular groove that converges downstream, that is open downstream, and that has the holes opening out into the upstream portion thereof. The axis of each of the holes makes an angle relative to the main axis that is strictly greater than the angle between the generator line of the cone defining the annular groove and the main axis, such that the air exiting from the holes impacts against the inner wall of the annular groove, i.e. its wall that is closer to the main axis.

Abstract: In a method for operating a gas turbine plant (10) with a compressor (11) for the compression of combustion air sucked in from the surroundings, with a combustion chamber (15) for generating hot gas by the combustion of a fuel with compressed combustion air, and with a turbine (12), in which the hot gas from the combustion chamber (15) is expanded so as to perform work, temperatures and pressures are measured at various points in the gas turbine plant (10), and a combustion chamber exit temperature is derived from the measured temperatures and pressures and used for controlling the gas turbine plant (10). Improved temperature determination is achieved in that the composition of the gas, in particular the water content in the exhaust gas of the turbine (12), is determined, and in that the specific water content in the exhaust gas of the turbine (12) is taken into account in deriving the combustion chamber exit temperature.

Abstract: An integral impeller and fuel pump for a small gas turbine engine, the impeller being a centrifugal impeller to supply compressed air to the combustor, the rotor disk of the centrifugal compressor having at least one radial fuel passage connecting a central bore of the rotor disk to a fuel nozzle located on the rear face of the rotor disk. A low pressure fuel supplied by a small pump delivers the fuel to the central bore where the fuel is collected within helical grooves and channeled into the radial fuel passages where the fuel is pressurized to a relatively high pressure due to the high rotational speed of the centrifugal compressor. Highly compressed fuel is injected into the combustor through fuel nozzles in an axial direction as the rotor disk rotates. Helical grooves in the central bore each connected to a radial fuel passage move the fuel to an opposite side of the central bore to counteract rotor imbalance.

Abstract: A combustion system includes a fuel manifold adapted to receive a flow of fuel from a fuel source, the fuel manifold including at least one orifice from which the received fuel is discharged. The combustion system further includes a rotary fuel slinger disposed adjacent to the fuel manifold. The rotary fuel slinger includes a coupler shaft and a slinger disc coupled to the coupler shaft. The slinger disc includes a first portion disposed generally perpendicular to the coupler shaft and a second portion disposed at an angle to the first portion. The fuel manifold is positioned relative to the rotary fuel slinger such that the discharged fuel impinges on the second portion. The rotary fuel slinger is configured to rotate such that the flow of fuel is centrifuged radially outwardly from the second portion onto the first portion and subsequently off the rotary fuel slinger to atomize the received fuel.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of turbomachines and concerns a device (20a, 20b) for injecting a mixture of air and fuel into a combustion chamber (4) of a turbomachine (1). It relates more specifically to an injection device (20b) provided with a novel sliding bushing (30b) and with a novel annular cup (50b) for retaining the sliding bushing, making it possible to improve the air feed of the injection device.

Abstract: Fuel supplied to a rotary fluid trap is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity adjacent a first side of a rotor, and is then directed though a plurality of first passages extending through the rotor between and proximate to the blades, and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades. Second passages extend within the blades from the first passages and terminate within associated cavities proximate to the tips of the blades. Relatively cooler fuel in the first passages is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel in the second passages so as to cool the blades. The heated fuel flows into a second cavity adjacent to a second side of the rotor and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber through a second rotary fluid trap. A separate fuel distribution circuit is used for starting and warm-up.

Abstract: A valve assembly that is useful for controlling fuel delivery utilizes turbine power available from the steady state fuel flow within the valve assembly. A turbine element, which is moved by the steady state fuel flow, provides a motive force to a valve element that controls fuel delivery through selected outlet members of the valve arrangement. A rotating cage valve member preferably is coupled with the turbine element so that the valve member rotates responsive to movement of the turbine element. A controller determines the rate of rotation of the valve member and selectively controls a braking actuator to control the movement of the turbine element and the valve member.

Abstract: A large flow of high pressure fuel is supplied to a gas turbine engine by mounting a small modified vortex pump over or around a main high speed shaft. The pump includes a plurality of short, stubby impeller blades rotating at a very high speed within a fuel filled annular chamber having an axial fuel inlet and a tangential fuel outlet. A pump booster and priming system ensures the pump fills with fuel during operation.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine that can operate at a very high efficiency over a wide range of load conditions. In one important feature of the invention, combustion gases are discharged along two paths, one with constant energy and the other with energy that varies in accordance with the engine load. The constant energy discharge drives a turbine that, in turn, operates a compressor for the engine at a constant, high efficiency. Alternatively, the compressor is driven at a speed that varies inversely with the engine load such that the engine operates at a high efficiency for all loads. In another, independent feature of the invention, the combustion occurs at a stoichiometric ratio of fuel and air, with the turbine blades being protected from the vastly increased combustion gas temperatures by an internal array of passageways through which cooling liquid, e.g., liquid fuel, and air are channeled.

Abstract: A large flow of high pressure fuel is supplied to a gas turbine engine by mounting a small modified vortex pump over or around a main high speed shaft. The pump includes a plurality of short, stubby impeller blades rotating at a very high speed within a fuel filled annular chamber having an axial fuel inlet and a tangential fuel outlet. A pump booster and priming system ensures the pump fills with fuel during operation.

Abstract: The process of increasing the efficiency and output of a gas-turbine having blades in a combustion chamber which includes cooling the gas-turbine blades with a liquid-fuel and mixing the fuel used for cooling with air in the combustion chamber and burning the mixture and driving the turbine by the exhaust from the combustion chamber. Preferably the fuel is a liquid-gas such as hydrogen. The turbine may be cooled by injecting liquid-fuel onto its disk to provide a film coating which is centrifuged around the blades whereby the liquid will cool both the interior and exterior of the blades and the absorbed heat is introduced into the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber includes a plurality of air inlets. The turbine drives a compressor and the compressor and the air inlet may be cooled with the liquid-fuel, which may be cryogenically cooled. An improved jet engine which is convertible from a turbo to a ramjet is provided.

Abstract: Combustors [22] which employ such features as rotary cup fuel atomizers and the latter in conjuction with CIVIC combustion to enhance flame performance, to produce efficient combustion over a wide operating range, and to eliminate the problems typically encountered in liquid fueled combustors, especially as they are scaled down in size. A porous or perforate barrier [180] can be used to keep large fuel drops from reaching the combustion zone [124] of the combustor. Also, an air buffer system can be employed to keep fuel from backing up to the bearings [32] by which the rotary cup [98] of the atomizer is rotatably supported, and a fuel supply line [56] with a strategically located orifice [176] can be provided to effect an interaction between fuel discharged therefrom and the buffer air. This keeps the film of fuel formed on the atomizer cup [98] from being disrupted and also keeps the buffer air from penetrating to an inner hot gas recirculation zone [130] in the combustor.

Abstract: Combustion systems which employ such features as rotary cup fuel atomizers and the latter in conjunction with CIVIC combustion to enhance flame performance, to produce efficient combustion over a wide operating range, and to eliminate the problems typically encountered in liquid fueled combustors, especially as they are scaled down in size. Innovations that can advantageously be employed in combustors operated on other fuels are also disclosed.

Abstract: Combustion systems which employ such features as rotary cup fuel atomizers and the latter in conjunction with CIVIC combustion to enhance flame performance, to produce efficient combustion over a wide operating range, and to eliminate the problems typically encountered in liquid fueled combustors, especially as they are scaled down in size. Innovations that can advantageously be employed in combustors operated on other fuels are also disclosed.

Abstract: Pressurized communited solid fuel particles are mechanically reground in a fuel injector prior to being radially injected in a swirling motion into a combustor where the fuel is mixed with oxidizing fluid in a swirling motion that is opposite to the swirling motion imported to the solid fuel particles and burned to form both solid and gaseous products of combustion. The products of combustion are passed through separator where the solid products of combustor are removed by inertia. Means are also provided for injecting liquid or gaseous fuels into the combustor to assist in the combustion process and meeting varying load demands on the engine.