| CPC F02C 7/1435 (2013.01) [F02C 3/06 (2013.01); F02C 3/30 (2013.01); F02C 3/305 (2013.01); F02C 7/16 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2260/212 (2013.01); F05D 2260/609 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A method of operating an aircraft propulsion system, the aircraft propulsion system comprising a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein a total exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, where the first exhaust gas flow continues through the turbine section and out through an aft turbine exit and the second exhaust gas flow is drawn f rom a location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section, a condenser where water is extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, wherein, of the first exhaust gas flow and the second exhaust gas flow, only the second exhaust gas flow is communicated through the condenser such that water is only extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, a bottoming cycle where extracted water is transformed into a steam flow and injected into the core flow path, and a nozzle where the first exhaust gas flow exhausted from the aft turbine exit is exhausted, the method comprising:
generating the total exhaust gas flow;
splitting the total exhaust gas flow into the first exhaust gas flow, that is expanded through the turbine section and out the aft turbine exit, and a second exhaust gas flow;
exhausting the second exhaust gas flow from the location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft turbine exit;
cooling the second exhaust gas flow with a portion of the bottoming cycle;
extracting water from the second exhaust gas flow in the condenser; and generating the steam flow from the extracted water with thermal energy from the second exhaust gas flow.
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3. An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed;
a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path;
a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, wherein a total exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, where the first exhaust gas flow continues through the turbine section and out through an aft turbine exit and the second exhaust gas flow is drawn from a location within the turbine section that is upstream of the aft exit of the turbine section; and
a condenser where water is extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, wherein, of the first exhaust gas flow and the second exhaust gas flow, only the second exhaust gas flow is communicated through the condenser such that water is only extracted from the second exhaust gas flow; and
a bottoming cycle where extracted water is transformed into a steam flow and injected into the core flow path; and
a nozzle where the first exhaust gas flow exhausted from the aft turbine exit is exhausted.
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