Parallel Shaft Turbine Engine with Single Injector Combustion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines with concentric shafts are complex and costly to produce, and their annular combustion chambers complicate the integration of NOx emission reduction devices, especially in small engines.
Innovation Solution
A free-turbine turbine engine design with coaxial shafts and a single pot combustion chamber of cylindrical or frustoconical shape, allowing for the easy integration of NOx reduction systems and eliminating the need for a chamber bottom, which reduces bulk and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If concentric shafts are used in turbine engine design, then compactness is achieved, but production complexity increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional concentric shaft arrangement by using parallel non-coaxial shafts. Instead of having the power shaft concentric with the gas generator shaft, the power shaft is positioned parallel to it, eliminating the complex nested structure while maintaining compact engine dimensions through optimized spatial arrangement of components.
2Shape
If annular combustion chamber is used, then concentric shaft configuration is achieved, but NOx emission reduction device integration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional annular combustion chamber design by adopting a cylindrical chamber with a closed bottom. This inversion allows the power shaft to pass through the combustion chamber without requiring complex annular structures with multiple injection points, thereby facilitating the integration of NOx reduction devices while maintaining effective combustion.
3Speed
If chamber bottom is added to straighten gas flow, then flow direction is improved, but bulk increases and cooling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by designing the cylindrical combustion chamber with a closed bottom that inherently guides gas flow in the desired direction from the outset. The chamber geometry itself performs the flow straightening function that would otherwise require additional components, eliminating the need for excessive bulk while ensuring proper flow direction to the turbine.
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 design achieves a compact, low-cost engine with reduced NOx emissions, simplified production, and improved maintenance, while maintaining compactness and efficient integration of accessories.
Implementation Method 1
a combustion chamber (5), located on the downstream side of the gas generator
Implementation Method 2
a turbine generator (7) connected to the compressor (1) by a generator shaft (15), the gases resulting from combustion undergoing a first expansion in the turbine generator (7)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a free-turbine turboshaft engine including, on the one hand, a gas generator comprising at least one compressor (1) supplied with air, a combustion chamber (5) receiving the compressed air at the output of said compressor (1), and at least one generator turbine (7) mechanically connected to said compressor (1) by a drive shaft (15) and driven by the gases from the combustion of fuel carried out in said combustion chamber (5), and including, on the other hand, a free turbine (11) supplied by the gases from said combustion after passing through said generator turbine (7) and which drives a power shaft (12) positioned non-coaxially relative to the drive shaft (15) of the gas generator and supplying the power of the turboshaft engine via a reduction gear (13). According to the invention, the combustion chamber (5) is a substantially cylindrical or frusto-conical chamber, coaxial with the axis of the generator turbine and comprising a single injector (6).