Supercritical carbon dioxide-cooled generator and turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629637-B2
Application number	US-202016951205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

Power generation systems are described. The systems include a shaft, a compressor operably coupled to a first end of the shaft, a turbine operably coupled to a second end of the shaft, a generator operably coupled to the shaft between the compressor and the turbine, and a working fluid arranged in a closed-loop flow path that flows through each of the compressor and the turbine to drive rotation of the shaft. The shaft includes an internal fluid conduit configured to receive a portion of the working fluid at one of the first end and the second end and convey the portion of the working fluid through the generator to the other of the first end and the second end, wherein the portion of the working fluid is rejoined with a primary flow path of the working fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power generation system, the system comprising:
a shaft having an internal fluid conduit;
a compressor operably coupled to a first end of the shaft and having an internal bore fluidly connected to the internal fluid conduit of the shaft;
a turbine operably coupled to a second end of the shaft and having a hub with one or more hub fluid conduits fluidly connected to the internal fluid conduit of the shaft;
a generator operably coupled to the shaft between the compressor and the turbine, wherein the shaft is a common shaft with the compressor, the turbine, and the generator coaxially mounted on the common shaft; and
a working fluid arranged in a closed-loop flow path having a primary flow path that flows through each of the compressor and the turbine to drive rotation of the shaft,
wherein a portion of the working fluid is extracted from the primary flow path and directed into the internal fluid conduit at the first end of the shaft to provide cooling to the compressor, then directed through the internal fluid conduit and the generator to provide cooling to the generator, and then into the hub and hub conduits of the turbine to provide cooling to the turbine, wherein the portion of the working fluid is rejoined with the primary flow path of the working fluid.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is a supercritical fluid.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the supercritical fluid is carbon dioxide.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a plurality of blades extending therefrom, and the one or more hub fluid conduits exit at one or more locations proximate a base of the blades.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a plurality of blades extending therefrom, and the one or more hub fluid conduits exit at a location on the blades.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generator comprises a stator winding arranged about a generator rotor that is coupled to the shaft.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop flow path of the working fluid passes through one or more heat exchangers.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop flow path of the working fluid passes through at least one recuperator heat exchanger.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop flow path of the working fluid passes through one or more precooler heat exchangers.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second compressor arranged downstream along the primary flow path of the working fluid relative to the compressor, wherein the portion of the working fluid directed to the internal fluid conduit is extracted from a point between the compressor and the second compressor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the working fluid directed to the internal fluid conduit is extracted from a location within the compressor.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the compressor comprises a high pressure compressor stage and the location of extraction is located in the high pressure compressor stage of the compressor.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the compressor comprises a low pressure compressor stage and the location of extraction is located in the low pressure compressor stage of the compressor.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a coolant heat exchanger, wherein the portion of the working fluid directed into the internal fluid conduit passes through the coolant heat exchanger prior to entering the internal fluid conduit of the shaft.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the coolant heat exchanger employs at least one of ram air and a cryogenic fuel as a coolant.

16. An aircraft comprising:
a gas turbine engine; and
power generation system operably coupled to the gas turbine engine, the power generation system comprising:
a shaft having an internal fluid conduit;
a compressor operably coupled to a first end of the shaft and having an internal bore fluidly connected to the internal fluid conduit of the shaft;
a turbine operably coupled to a second end of the shaft and having a hub with one or more hub fluid conduits fluidly connected to the internal fluid conduit of the shaft;
a generator operably coupled to the shaft between the compressor and the turbine, wherein the shaft is a common shaft with the compressor, the turbine, and the generator coaxially mounted on the common shaft; and
a working fluid arranged in a closed-loop flow path having a primary flow path that flows through each of the compressor and the turbine to drive rotation of the shaft,
wherein a portion of the working fluid is extracted from the primary flow path and directed into the internal fluid conduit at the first end of the shaft to provide cooling to the compressor, then directed through the internal fluid conduit and the generator to provide cooling to the generator, and then into the hub and hub conduits of the turbine to provide cooling to the turbine, wherein the portion of the working fluid is rejoined with a primary flow path of the working fluid.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the closed-loop flow path of the working fluid passes through one or more heat exchangers, wherein at least one of the one or more heat exchangers is thermally coupled to a portion of the gas turbine engine.

18. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the compressor is a first compressor and the aircraft further comprises a second compressor arranged downstream along the primary flow path of the working fluid relative to the first compressor, wherein the portion of the working fluid directed to the internal fluid conduit is extracted from a point between the first compressor and the second compressor.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Holley Brian M
• Ranjan Ram

Classifications

• F05D2260/205

  Cooling fluid recirculation, i.e. after cooling one or more components is the cooling fluid recovered and used elsewhere for other purposes · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title

• F05D2260/211

  by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle · CPC title

• F01K7/32

  the engines using steam of critical or overcritical pressure · CPC title

• F02C7/141

  of working fluid · CPC title