Gas turbine engine with variable speed turbines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378439-B2
Application number	US-201214367452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 30, 2011
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include unique gas turbine engines. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a fan configured to generate and transmit a bypass flow in a bypass duct;
a compressor in fluid communication with the fan;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor;
a first turbine in fluid communication with the combustor and operative to drive the compressor;
a second turbine in fluid communication with the first turbine and operative to drive the fan, wherein the second turbine includes at least a first stage and a second stage downstream of the first stage, both the first and second stages operative to drive the fan; and
a clutch configured to allow the first stage to rotate at a faster speed than the second stage,
further comprising a valve fluidly disposed between the first stage and the second stage, wherein the valve is configured to vent an output of the first stage, thereby reducing an amount of gas that is delivered to the second stage and increasing a speed of the first stage,
wherein the valve is configured as a sleeve valve,
wherein the clutch is configured to prevent the second stage from rotating faster than the first stage.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured as a rotating sleeve valve.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the output of the first stage is vented to an engine exhaust when the valve is in an opened position.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to rotate the first stage at the faster speed than the second stage when the valve is in an opened position.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to rotate the first stage at a same speed as the second stage when the valve is closed.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the clutch is an over-running clutch.

7. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor;
a first turbine in fluid communication with the combustor and operative to drive the compressor;
a second turbine in fluid communication with the first turbine and operative to drive a load absorber, wherein the second turbine includes at least a first stage and a second stage downstream of the first stage; and
a valve fluidly disposed between the first stage and the second stage, wherein the valve is configured to vent an output of the first stage, thereby reducing an amount of gas that is delivered to the second stage and increasing a speed of the first stage,

wherein the valve is configured as a sleeve valve,
further comprising a clutch configured to allow the first stage to rotate at a faster speed than the second stage,
wherein the clutch is configured to always prevent the second stage from rotating faster than the first stage.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the valve is configured as a rotating sleeve valve.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the output of the first stage is vented to an engine exhaust when the valve is in an opened position.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to rotate the first stage at the faster speed than the second stage when the valve is in an opened position.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to rotate the first stage at a same speed as the second stage when the valve is closed.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the clutch is an over-running clutch.

13. A gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor;
a first turbine in fluid communication with the combustor and operative to drive the compressor;
a second turbine in fluid communication with the first turbine and operative to drive a load absorber, wherein the second turbine includes at least a first stage and a second stage downstream of the first stage, both the first and second stages operative to drive the load absorber; and
means for selectively increasing a speed of the first stage and decreasing a speed of the second stage or selectively operating both the first stage and the second stage at a same speed during operation of the gas turbine engine;
wherein the means includes a sleeve valve fluidly disposed between the first stage and the second stage and operative to selectively vent an output of the first stage, thereby reducing an amount of gas that is delivered to the second stage and increasing the speed of the first stage, and a clutch configured to allow the first stage to rotate at a faster speed than the second stage,
wherein the clutch is configured to always prevent the second stage from rotating faster than the first stage.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc

Inventors

• Cedoz Robert W
• Khalid Syed J

Classifications

• F02C7/36

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F02C3/10 Primary

  with another turbine driving an output shaft but not driving the compressor · CPC title

• F05D2260/4023

  through a friction clutch · CPC title

• F02C3/13 Primary

  having variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or stages of different rotors {(controlling flow ratio between different flows of multi-flow jet-propulsion plant, e.g. ducted fan F02K3/075)} · CPC title

• F02C9/18

  by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} · CPC title