Disc Turbine Engine Nested Compressor and Turbine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional turbine engines are inefficient due to their linear arrangement, which limits thrust power and increases size, and they face challenges with high temperatures affecting nozzle and turbine blades, requiring expensive materials and restricting operation at high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The compressor and turbine are rearranged in a concentric configuration within the disc turbine engine, allowing for independent operation and heat management through air bleeding and energy recovery, eliminating the need for a large shaft and stator, enabling higher temperature operation and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the compressor and turbine are arranged in a linear configuration, then the engine structure is simple, but the engine size increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested configuration where the turbine is positioned inside the compressor housing, with the turbine disc rotating within the compressor casing. This nesting arrangement allows the turbine and compressor to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, significantly reducing the overall engine length and volume while maintaining both components' functional integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional linear one-dimensional arrangement to a three-dimensional concentric configuration. The compressor and turbine are arranged in different spatial dimensions with the turbine nested within the compressor structure, allowing independent rotation of each component while minimizing the engine's external dimensions
2Power
If the compressor pressure is increased to obtain more thrust, then the thrust power increases, but the compressor size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the turbine and compressor into a single integrated engine structure where the turbine is nested within the compressor housing. This merging allows the turbine to directly drive the compressor through shared rotational motion, enabling the system to achieve higher thrust power without proportionally increasing compressor size or complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The nested turbine-compressor configuration serves multiple functions simultaneously: the turbine generates rotational power, the compressor compresses air, and the nested arrangement provides compact housing integration. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve higher thrust without requiring separate dedicated components for each function
3Use of energy by moving object
If the engine operates at high temperatures to increase efficiency, then the thermal efficiency increases, but the nozzle and turbine blades suffer from heat damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling air flow as an intermediary substance that passes through channels in the nozzle and turbine blade structures. This cooling air absorbs excess heat from the high-temperature combustion gases, protecting the blades and nozzle from thermal damage while allowing the engine to operate at higher temperatures for improved efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful high-temperature heat into a beneficial resource by using it to drive the turbine more effectively while simultaneously using portions of the hot gas flow to heat and expand the cooling air. The previously harmful thermal energy becomes useful for both power generation and cooling system operation
4Reliability
If a large shaft is used to connect compressor and turbine, then the mechanical power transmission is reliable, but the engine weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the traditional large connecting shaft from the engine design. Instead of using a mechanical shaft to transmit power from turbine to compressor, the system relies on the nested rotational configuration where the turbine disc itself interacts with the compressor airflow, removing the need for heavy mechanical power transmission components
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 configuration enhances efficiency, reduces weight and fuel consumption, allows for independent speed optimization of compressor and turbine stages, and results in a smaller, lighter engine with reduced maintenance needs while maintaining thrust output.
Implementation Method 1
airflow runs into a compressors that compresses an air and fuel mixture
Implementation Method 2
The compressed mixture then is ignited
Implementation Method 3
the hot exhaust gasses are expelled out of the turbine to provide propulsion
Data Source
AI summary
A disc turbine engine includes a multi disc engine in which each disc engine includes a turbine blade, and low-pressure compressor blade, a high-pressure compressor blade and a bearing that runs the disc engine freely around a shaft. Each disc engine has its own cooling system, the compressor's blades act as cooling fins for the turbine blade, and air bleeding from the high-pressure compressor to the lower pressure compressor through a hollow turbine blade. Cooling the nozzle is by attaching the nozzle to the guide fan and by air bleeding through the hollow body. There is no stator in between the disc engine and no large shaft is required because the power produced by each turbine blade is consumed by its own compressor. The weight and cost of this engine will be less than other engines at the same thrust output.