Steam turbine bypass for increased water heat absorption capacity steam injected turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12546250-B2
Application number	US-202318108372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Feb 10, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow, a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator where heat is input into the water that is extracted by the condenser to generate a first steam flow, a first steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled to generate a first cooled flow, a bypass passage that defines a path for the first steam flow around the first steam turbine, and a superheater where at least one of the first steam flow and the first cooled flow is reheated to generate a second steam flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbine engine assembly comprising:
a core engine generating an exhaust gas flow; a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow; an evaporator where heat is input into the water extracted by the condenser to generate a first steam flow; a first steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled to generate a first cooled flow; a bypass passage defining a path for the first steam flow around the first steam turbine; a superheater where at least one of the first steam flow and the first cooled flow is reheated to generate a second steam flow; a valve regulating flow through the bypass passage; and a controller programmed to:
open the valve to route the first steam flow around the first steam turbine in response to a steam quality of the first steam flow being below a predefined amount,
use a temperature and pressure of the first steam flow at an inlet to the first steam turbine while the valve is open, to determine a predicted steam quality of what would be the first cooled flow at an exit of the first steam turbine if the valve were closed, and
close the valve when the predicted steam quality reaches a predefined predicted steam quality.

2 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the valve to route the first steam flow around the first steam turbine at a takeoff engine operating condition.

3 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , including a second steam turbine where the second steam flow from the superheater is expanded to generate shaft power.

4 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first steam turbine and the second steam turbine is mechanically coupled to an engine spool.

5 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the core engine includes a core flow path and the second steam flow is injected into the core flow path.

6 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , including a pump where the water extracted by the condenser is pressurized before being communicated to the evaporator.

7 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein the evaporator receives the exhaust gas flow after the superheater.

8 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the evaporator and the superheater are disposed within a flow path for the exhaust gas flow.

9 . The turbine engine assembly as recited in claim 1 , including a fuel system where a hydrogen based fuel flow is communicated to a combustor of the core engine.

10 . An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
a core engine assembly including a compressor where an inlet airflow is compressed to generate a compressed core flow that is communicated to a combustor where the compressed core flow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section to generate shaft power; a hydrogen based fuel system for supplying a hydrogen based fuel to the combustor; a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow; a first evaporator where heat is input into the water extracted by the condenser to generate a first steam flow; a first steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled to generate a first cooled flow; a superheater where at least one of the first steam flow and the first cooled flow is reheated to generate a second steam flow; a bypass passage defining a path for the first steam flow around the first steam turbine to the superheater; a second steam turbine where the second steam flow from the superheater is expanded and cooled; a valve regulating flow through the bypass passage; and a controller programmed to:
open the valve to route the first steam flow around the first steam turbine in response to a steam quality of the first steam flow being below a predefined amount,
use a temperature and pressure of the first steam flow at an inlet to the first steam turbine while the valve is open, to determine a predicted steam quality of what would be the first cooled flow at an exit of the first steam turbine if the valve were closed, and
close the valve when the predicted steam quality reaches a predefined predicted steam quality.

11 . The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the predefined engine operating condition further comprises a takeoff engine operating condition.

12 . The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the core engine assembly includes a core flow path and the second steam flow is injected into the core flow path.

13 . A method of operating a steam injected turbine engine comprising:
transforming a water flow into a first steam flow with a first heat input; determining a condition of the first steam flow; bypassing the first steam flow around a first steam turbine, through a bypass with a valve operated by a controller, to a second heat input in response to the determined condition of the first steam flow being indicative of condensation greater than a predefined amount; using a temperature and pressure of the first steam flow at an inlet to the first steam turbine while the first steam flow is bypassing the first steam turbine, to determine a predicted steam quality of what would be a first cooled flow at an exit of the first steam turbine if the first steam flow was expanded through the first steam turbine without being bypassed around the first steam turbine; operating the valve to stop bypassing the first steam flow around the first steam turbine when the predicted steam quality reaches a predefined predicted steam quality; generating a second steam flow with the second heat input; and injecting the second steam flow into a core flow path of a core engine.

14 . The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first heat input is from an exhaust gas flow in a first evaporator and the second heat input is from the exhaust gas flow in a superheater.

15 . The method as recited in claim 13 , including pressurizing the water flow before transformation into the first steam flow.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Terwilliger Neil J
• Turney Joseph E

Classifications

• F01D17/145

  by means of valves, e.g. for steam turbines (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• F01D17/085

  to temperature · CPC title

• F01D17/105

  by passing part of the fluid · CPC title

• F01D17/08

  responsive to condition of working-fluid, e.g. pressure · CPC title

• G01N25/60

  for determining the wetness of steam · CPC title