US 12,085,280 B2
Combined cycles
Nathan Clark, Cambridge (GB); Robert J. Miller, Cambridge (GB); Chloe J Palmer, Derby (GB); and Jacopo Tacconi, Derby (GB)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce plc, London (GB)
Filed by ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/176,784.
Claims priority of application No. 2203007 (GB), filed on Mar. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0280032 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. F23R 3/00 (2006.01); F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F02C 7/36 (2006.01)
CPC F23R 3/005 (2013.01) [F02C 7/224 (2013.01); F02C 7/36 (2013.01); F05D 2260/40311 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combined cycle engine formed of a gas turbine cycle coupled with a fuel expansion cycle in which fuel for the gas turbine cycle is the working fluid of the fuel expansion cycle, wherein:
the fuel expansion cycle comprises, in flow series, a fuel pump for pumping a cryogenic fuel for the gas turbine cycle, a first heat exchanger for heating the fuel, an expander to recover power by expansion of the fuel and to thereby drive a load, and a second heat exchanger to reheat the fuel;
the gas turbine cycle comprises, in flow series, a compressor, a combustor for combustion of reheated fuel delivered from the second heat exchanger, and a turbine configured to drive the compressor;
the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are stationed downstream of the combustor and are configured to transfer heat from combustion products of the gas turbine cycle to the fuel in the fuel expansion cycle; and
the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged in parallel between the combustor and an exhaust nozzle of the gas turbine cycle.