GB699854A - Improvements in gas turbine and jet propulsion power plants - Google Patents

Abstract

699,854. Gas turbine or jet propulsion plant; motor power plant. ETESSAM, A. H. Aug. 14, 1950 [July 1, 1949], No. 17492/49. Class 110(iii) [Also in Groups XXVII and XXVIII] A gas turbine or jet propulsion power plant comprises a centrifugal or axial flow compressor which delivers low pressure air to a reciprocating engine, the engine having a high pressure valve arranged to open and close on the compression stroke and permit expulsion of some of the air from the engine cylinder at a high pressure, a high pressure turbine, the high pressure air being expanded in this turbine, the engine being arranged to have sufficient fuel burnt in the air remaining in the cylinder after the high pressure valve has closed to drive the engine, a low pressure turbine, the exhaust from the engine being heated and expanded in the low pressure turbine, at least one of turbines driving the compressor and at least one of the turbines or its exhaust being arranged to produce useful power. In Fig. 1 a two-stroke or four-stroke compression ignition engine 5 is supplied with air under pressure by means of a centrifugal or axial flow compressor 1 driven by a high pressure turbine 18 and a low pressure turbine 20. The high pressure turbine receives heated high pressure air from a heater 15 which in turn receives compressed air from the cylinder of the engine through a valve 8 which is opened during the compression stroke. The exhaust from the turbine is supplied to a combustion chamber 12 in which fuel is burnt by means of a burner 13 the products together with the exhaust gases from the engine passing to the low pressure turbine 20. The engine may or may not supply external power from its crank shaft. In a modification the turbine 18 instead of receiving heated air is supplied by combustion products from a combustion chamber in which fuel is burnt in the high pressure air from the engine. The exhaust from the turbine 18 passes to the combustion chamber of the turbine 20 which is also supplied with the exhaust of the engine and air from the compressor 1 which is heated by the exhaust of the turbine 20. The exhaust of the turbine 20 heats this air in a heat exchanger which latter if desired may be built around the cylinder of the engine so that heat lost from the cylinder walls in addition to heat from the exhaust of the turbine 20 is absorbed by the air. Fig. 3 shows a two stroke engine having combustion chambers 32, 33 on opposite sides of a piston 30. High pressure valves 38, 39 respectively supply compressed air during the respective compression strokes. The engine drives a drum 45 which operates inlet valves 36, 37, fuel injectors 34, 35, and the valves 38, 39. The drum surrounds the shaft 46 of the turbines 18, 20 and compressor 1 but rotates independently thereof. The engine may have several cylinders each piston driving the drum by a pin engaging a single slot of the drum..