Bleed Air Turbo Augments Turbine Engine Drive Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional turbine engines do not efficiently utilize bleed air to augment the driving of the engine drive shaft, leading to reduced efficiency and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a bleed air circuit with a bleed air turbo (BAT) that extracts work from bleed air to drive the accessory gearbox, which in turn drives the engine drive shaft, thereby augmenting its rotational velocity and torque.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional turbine engines do not utilize bleed air to drive the engine drive shaft, then the structure remains simple, but the efficiency is reduced and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bleed air circuit is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides cooling air to external systems and simultaneously drives the BAT turbine to augment the engine drive shaft. This multi-functionality increases efficiency by utilizing bleed air for power generation rather than wasting it, while avoiding the need for separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the bleed air that is already present in the turbine engine to drive the BAT turbine, which in turn assists the engine drive shaft. This self-service approach converts previously wasted bleed air into useful work, improving overall efficiency without requiring external energy inputs.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a bleed air circuit with BAT is incorporated to augment engine drive shaft power, then efficiency is enhanced and fuel consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bleed air circuit is merged with the existing engine systems, combining the cooling function and power generation function into a single integrated circuit. The BAT turbine is integrated into the accessory gearbox drive train, allowing it to share mechanical components and reducing overall system complexity despite adding functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The BAT turbine acts as an intermediary component that converts bleed air energy into mechanical work to drive the accessory gearbox. This intermediary mechanism efficiently transfers energy from the bleed air stream to the engine drive shaft, optimizing energy utilization while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Loss of energy
If bleed air is used to drive the engine drive shaft, then additional fuel is reduced, but the pre-cooler heat exchanger size must be minimized or eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts useful work from the bleed air stream by driving the BAT turbine, which in turn drives the accessory gearbox. This extraction of energy from bleed air reduces the need for additional fuel while also reducing the thermal load on the pre-cooler heat exchanger, potentially allowing for a smaller or eliminated heat exchanger.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The implementation of the bleed air circuit with BAT enhances the efficiency of the turbine engine by utilizing bleed air to augment engine drive shaft power, reducing the need for additional fuel and minimizing the size or eliminating the pre-cooler heat exchanger.
Implementation Method 1
a bleed air turbo (BAT) including a BAT turbine, and a BAT output shaft, the BAT output shaft being operably coupled to the AGB
Implementation Method 2
a compressor section (18), a combustion section (20), and a turbine section (22) in serial flow arrangement
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A turbine engine (10) including an engine core (15), an engine drive shaft (44), an accessory gear box (AGB) (14), an air turbine starter (ATS) (12) and a bleed air circuit (30). The engine core has a fan section, a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section (22) in serial flow arrangement. The engine drive shaft (44) operably couples the fan section, the compressor section and the turbine section (22). The AGB (14) and the ATS (12) are operably coupled to the engine drive shaft (44).