EP0472294A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power pack
Assignee: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
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Filing: 1991-07-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-07-24
Abstract
Abstract A power pack includes a prime mover (10) and power transmission means (14) to transmit power from the prime mover to a load. Energy accumulating means (16) is provided in association with the transmission means and non-rigidly coupled to the prime mover. In order to achieve increased thermal efficiency and lower specific fuel consumption, the prime mover is operated in a narrow operating range regardless of the load requirements. Under low load conditions excess power is absorbed and accumulated in the accumulating means. Under high load conditions, shortfall in power is made up from the accumulating means. The prime mover may be a gas turbine (10) which is drivingly connected to an electrical generator (12), and the accumulating means may be an electrical accumulator (16) such as a battery of electrical cells. The gas turbine and generator are advantageously mounted on a common shaft (26).
Inventors
- 👤 Stefan Szewczuk
- 👤 Albertus Japie Van Wyk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:21
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/32; H02J3/00; H02J3/28; H02J3/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of operating a power pack comprising a prime mover (10) and power transmission means (14) arranged to receive power generated by the prime mover (10) and to transmit power to a load driven by the power pack, characterized by operating the prime mover (10) in a desired, preselected narrow operating range by providing energy accumulating means (16) in association with the power transmission means (14) and non-rigidly coupled to the prime mover, and arranging the accumuating means (16) such as to accumulate excess energy when the power generated by the prime mover (10) exceeds the power transmitted by the power transmission means (14) to the load, and such as to expend energy to make up the shortfall when the load requires power in excess of the power generated by the prime mover (10).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as claim in Claim 1 characterized in that the prime mover (10) is a gas turbine, the gas turbine being drivingly connected to electrical power generating means (12), and the accumulating means (16) being electrical power accumulating means or an electrical accumulator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claim in Claim 2 characterized in that starting the gas turbine (10) is effected by using the electrical power generating means (12) as a starter motor and driving it from the electrical accumulator (16) during start-up.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in Claim 2 characterized in that starting the gas turbine (10) is effected by impinging compressed air onto blades of a rotor (24) of the gas turbine (10).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in Claim 4 characterized in that the compressed air is supplied from an accumulator (94) and by charging the accumulator (94) in operation by bleeding off air from a compressor (22) of the gas turbine (10).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claim 2 to Claim 5 inclusive characterized in that driving the electrical power generating means (12) is effected directly from the gas turbine (10) by having the electrical power generating means (12) in the form of a generator and by mounting the gas turbine (10) and the generator (12) on a common shaft (26).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in Claim 6 characterized by supplying fuel to a combustion chamber (28) from a fuel pump (30) mounted on said common shaft (26) to be diectly coupled to the gas turbine (10).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claim 2 to Claim 7 inclusive characterized in that operation of the gas turbine ( 10) is controlled by means of a micro-processsor control (20).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in Claim 8 characterized in that operation of the power transmission means (14) is controlled by means of a micro-processsor (20) control which is integrated with that of the gas turbine (10).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
127 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claim 2 to Claim 9 inclusive characterized in that the overall thermal efficiency of the gas turbine (10) is increased by driving at least one device (64, 66, 70), adapted to increase such thermal efficiency, by waste heat of exhaust gases of the gas turbine ( 10) , said at least one device (64, 66, 70) being selected from the group consisting of a regenerator or recuperator (70) to return some of the heat energy that would normally be lost with exhaust gases to the front of the combustion chamber (28); and a catalytic reactor (64 ) for fuel to enhance the state or condition of the fuel for combustion in combination with a heat exchanger or recuperator (66).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
127 words
A power pack including a prime mover (10) ; and power transmission means (14) arranged to receive power generated by the prime mover (10) in use and to transmit power to a load driven by the power pack in use; characterized in that energy accumulating means (16) is provided in association with the power transmission means (14) , the energy accumulating means (16) being non-rigidly coupled to the prime mover (10) and being arranged in use to accumulate excess energy when the power generated by the power prime mover (10) exceeds the power transmitted by the power transmission means (14) to the load, and to expend to make up the shortfall when the load requires power in excess of the power generated by the prime mover (10).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 11 characterized in that the prime mover (10) is in the form of a gas turbine (10), in that the gas turbine (10) is coupled to electrical power generating means (12), and in that the accumulating means (16) is electrical power accumulating means or an electrical accumulator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 12 characterized in that the electrical power generating means is in the form of a generator (12) and in that the electrical power accumulating means (16) is in the form of a battery (16) of electrical cells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 13 characterized in that the gas turbine (10) and the generator (12) are directly drivingly connected by having them mounted on a common shaft (26).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14 characterized in that the generator (12) is adapted to operate as a starter motor for the gas turbine (10), and in that the battery (16) of chemical cells is connected or is connectable to the generator (12) to power the generator (12) when operating as a starter motor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 12, Claim 13 or Claim 14 characterized in that it comprises starting means including a source (94) of compressed air and means (92) for impinging compressed air onto blades of a rotor (24) of the gas turbine (10).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 16 characterized in that the source (94) of compressed air is in the form of an accumulator (94) arranged to be charged from compressed air bled off from a compressor (22) of the gas turbine (10) during operation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 14 characterized in that it includes a fuel pump (30) which is directly poled to the gas turbine (10), by having it mounted on said common shaft (26).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A power pack as claimed in any one of Claim 12 to Claim 18 inclusive characterized in that it includes a micro-processor control (20) for controlling operation of the gas turbine (10).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A power pack as claimed in Claim 19 characterized in that it includes a micro-processsor control (20), integrated with that of the gas turbine ( 10), for controlling operation of the power transmission means (14).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
146 words
A power pack as claimed in any one of Claim 12 to Claim 20 inclusive characterized in that it includes at least one device (64, 66, 70) adapted to increase the overall thermal efficiency of the gas turbine (10), said at least one device (64, 66, 70) being arranged to be driven by or to utilize waste heat of exhaust gases of the turbine (24), said at least one device (64, 66, 70) being selected from the group consisting of a regenerator or recuperator (70) arranged to return some of the heat energy that would normally be lost with exhaust gases to the front of the combustion chamber (28); and a catalytic reactor (64) for fuel of the gas turbine (10), adapted to enhance the state or condition of the fuel for combustion, and being arranged in operative co-operation with a heat exchanger or recuperator (66).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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