US 12,129,774 B2
Hydrogen fueled turbine engine pinch point water separator
Joseph B. Staubach, Colchester, CT (US)
Assigned to RTX CORPORATION, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on May 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/316,505.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/343,650, filed on May 19, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0407768 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. F01K 15/02 (2006.01); B01D 45/16 (2006.01); B01D 53/26 (2006.01); F02C 7/16 (2006.01)
CPC F01K 15/02 (2013.01) [B01D 45/16 (2013.01); B01D 53/265 (2013.01); F02C 7/16 (2013.01); B01D 2257/80 (2013.01); B01D 2259/4575 (2013.01); F05D 2260/211 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
a gas generating core engine including a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a hydrogen based fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section;
a power turbine engine forward of the core engine;
a propulsor coupled to the power turbine;
a hydrogen fuel system configured to supply hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path;
a condenser arranged along the core flow path and configured to extract water from the exhaust gas flow;
a water separator in communication with the condenser directing the extracted water to a water storage tank, wherein the water separator comprises an inlet portion, a radial portion and an outlet portion, the radial portion directing a flow of a water and gas radially outward and an outlet disposed between the radial portion and the outlet portion, the outlet in fluid communication with the water storage tank; and
an evaporator arranged along the core flow path and configured to receive a portion of the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow, wherein the steam flow is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.