Boost Combustor for Aircraft Power Unit Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft engines waste a significant amount of heat energy in exhaust gases, reducing overall efficiency and environmental impact, as current technologies rely on turbine-based systems for energy recovery which are not fully effective.
Innovation Solution
The proposed non-turbine based aircraft power system incorporates a boost combustor that combines core engine exhaust gases with fuel to generate a boosted gas flow, which is then expanded through a drive turbine and power turbine to produce additional shaft power, capturing waste thermal energy and improving engine efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a turbine-based system is used for energy recovery from exhaust gases, then some energy can be recovered, but a large amount of heat energy is still wasted to the atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental approach from turbine-based mechanical energy recovery to direct combustion of exhaust gases, transforming the energy recovery mechanism from kinetic/mechanical to thermal/chemical, thereby significantly improving energy recovery efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the turbine-based mechanical system with a combustion-based thermal system, where exhaust gases are directly burned to generate power, eliminating the inefficiencies of turbine-based energy recovery
2Power
If core engines operate with traditional exhaust systems, then they can generate shaft power, but they waste significant heat energy and have negative environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat and exhaust gases into a beneficial resource by using them as fuel for the boost combustor, transforming an environmental problem into a power generation opportunity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the core engine exhaust system with the boost combustor system, combining what were previously separate functions (power generation and exhaust disposal) into an integrated system where exhaust gases fuel additional power generation
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
This system enhances power generation by recovering waste heat energy, improving thermal and propulsive efficiencies, and reducing environmental impact by utilizing a non-turbine based approach to harness energy from core engine exhaust gases.
Implementation Method 1
an internal combustion core engine where an inlet airflow is mixed with a fuel and ignited to generate shaft power and a primary gas flow
Implementation Method 2
a boost combustor where a portion of the primary gas flow from the core engine is combined with fuel and ignited to generate a boosted gas flow
Implementation Method 3
a drive turbine that includes a drive output shaft wherein the boosted gas flow is expanded to generate shaft power
Implementation Method 4
an inlet compressor that is coupled to the drive turbine where the inlet airflow is compressed and communicated to the core engine
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft power system includes an internal combustion core engine where an inlet airflow is mixed with a fuel and ignited to generate shaft power and a primary gas flow, a boost combustor where a portion of the primary gas flow from the core engine is combined with fuel and ignited to generate a boosted gas flow, and a drive turbine that includes a drive output shaft wherein the boosted gas flow is expanded to generate shaft power.