US 12,338,769 B2
Turbine engine including a steam system
Arthur W. Sibbach, Boxford, MA (US); Aaron M. Dziech, Crittenden, KY (US); Scott Alan Schimmels, Miamisburg, OH (US); Robert R. Rachedi, Morrow, OH (US); Jeffrey D. Rambo, Mason, OH (US); and Brandon W. Miller, Middletown, OH (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/463,782.
Prior Publication US 2025/0084789 A1, Mar. 13, 2025
Int. Cl. F01K 23/10 (2006.01); B64D 27/10 (2006.01); F02C 6/18 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 6/18 (2013.01) [B64D 27/10 (2013.01); F01K 23/10 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A turbine engine for an aircraft, the turbine engine comprising:
a fuel delivery assembly for fuel to flow therethrough;
a core turbine engine including:
a core air flow path for core air to flow therethrough;
a combustor located in the core air flow path to receive compressed air and fluidly coupled to the fuel delivery assembly to receive the fuel from the delivery assembly, the fuel injected into the combustor to mix with the compressed air to generate a fuel and air mixture, the fuel and air mixture being combusted in the combustor to generate combustion gases;
a core shaft; and
a turbine located downstream of the combustor to receive the combustion gases and to cause the turbine to rotate, the turbine coupled to the core shaft to rotate the core shaft when the turbine rotates;
a fan having a fan shaft coupled to the core turbine engine to rotate the fan shaft;
a condenser located downstream of the turbine to receive the combustion gases and to condense water from the combustion gases;
a fuel heat exchanger thermally coupled to the water from the condenser to receive heat from the water, the fuel heat exchanger located in the fuel delivery assembly to receive the fuel and to transfer the heat received from the water to the fuel;
a boiler fluidly connected to the condenser by a water flow path to receive the water from the condenser and fluidly connected to the combustor to receive the combustion gases and to boil the water to generate steam, wherein the fuel heat exchanger thermally coupled to the water flow path between the condenser and the boiler such that the boiler receives the water after the heat has been transferred from the water to the fuel;
a supply line connected directly to a water pump and the fuel heat exchanger to supply the fuel heat exchanger with the water condensed by the condenser; and
a steam turbine fluidly coupled to the boiler to receive the steam from the boiler and to cause the steam turbine to rotate, the steam turbine coupled to the core shaft to rotate the core shaft when the steam turbine rotates.