US 12,421,899 B2
Dual cycle intercooled hydrogen engine architecture
Scott Smith, St-Lambert (CA)
Assigned to PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP., Longueuil (CA)
Filed by PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP., Longueuil (CA)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/735,712.
Application 18/090,152 is a division of application No. 17/331,942, filed on May 27, 2021, granted, now 11,542,869, issued on Jan. 3, 2023.
Application 18/735,712 is a continuation of application No. 18/090,152, filed on Dec. 28, 2022, granted, now 12,037,946.
Prior Publication US 2024/0328355 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F02C 3/20 (2006.01); F02C 7/143 (2006.01); F02C 7/16 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/36 (2006.01); F02C 9/26 (2006.01); F02C 3/04 (2006.01); F02C 7/32 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/143 (2013.01) [F02C 3/20 (2013.01); F02C 7/16 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/224 (2013.01); F02C 7/36 (2013.01); F02C 9/263 (2013.01); F02C 3/04 (2013.01); F02C 7/32 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a primary gas path having, in fluid series communication: a primary air inlet, a compressor fluidly connected to the primary air inlet, a combustor fluidly connected to an outlet of the compressor, and a turbine fluidly connected to an outlet of the combustor, the turbine operatively connected to the compressor to drive the compressor via a shaft;
a gearbox having a first input drivingly engaged by the shaft, a second input, and an output for driving a rotatable load;
a hydrogen expansion turbine drivingly engaged to the second input of the gearbox, the expansion turbine having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet fluidly connected to the combustor, the output of the gearbox driven by combined power from the hydrogen expansion turbine and the turbine;
a heat exchanger including an air conduit and a fluid conduit in fluid isolation from the air conduit and in thermal communication with the air conduit, the air conduit of the heat exchanger having an air conduit inlet fluidly connected with the compressor at a first location in the primary gas path and an air conduit outlet fluidly connected to the primary gas path at a second location downstream of the first location, the fluid conduit of the heat exchanger extending from a hydrogen inlet of the fluid conduit to a hydrogen outlet of the fluid conduit, the hydrogen inlet being fluidly connected to a source of hydrogen, the hydrogen outlet being fluidly connected to the inlet of the expansion turbine via a hydrogen conduit, the source of hydrogen fluidly connected to the combustor via the heat exchanger and via the expansion turbine; and
a hydrogen meter in the hydrogen conduit upstream of the combustor and downstream of the hydrogen outlet of the heat exchanger, the hydrogen meter controlling a flow of hydrogen to the combustor based at least in part on: an input for a command power; an input from the gearbox, the hydrogen expansion turbine or the turbine section; an input from a compressor pressure; and/or an input from a gaseous hydrogen accumulator downstream pressure.