Compound power plant

Claim 2

A power plant for driving a load, characterized by an air breathing engine, control means, fuel supply means, an exhaust expansion device, primary and secondary compressor devices, first and second power splitting devices each having an input and two outputs, first connecting means connecting the output of the engine to the input of the first power splitting device, second connecting means connecting the first output of the first power splitting device to the load, third connecting means connecting the second output of the first power splitting device to the secondary compressor device, fourth connecting means connecting the output of the exhaust expansion device to the input of the primary compressor device and to the input of the second power splitting device, fifth connecting means connecting the first output of the second power splitting device to the input of the first power splitting device, sixth connecting means connecting the second output of the second power splitting device to the load, air discharge means including first communicating means communicating the discharges of the compressor devices to the inlet manifold of the engine, and second communicating means communicating the exhaust from the engine to the exhaust expansion device.

Claim 3

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the exhaust expansion device being a turbine.

Claim 4

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the first communicating means including cooling means.

Claim 5

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the first communicating means including passage means connecting each of the compressor devices in parallel to the inlet manifold.

Claim 6

A power plant according to claim 4, characterized by the primary compressor device comprising a positive displacement compressor and the secondary compressor device comprising a second positive displacement compressor.

Claim 7

A power plant according to claim 4, characterized by the primary compressor device comprising a positive displacement compressor and the secondary compressor device comprising a dynamic compressor.

Claim 8

A power plant according to claim 4, characterized by the primary compressor device comprising a dynamic compressor and the secondary compressor device comprising a positive displacement compressor.

Claim 9

A power plant according to claim 4, characterized by the primary compressor device comprising a dynamic compressor and the secondary compressor device comprising a dynamic compressor.

Claim 10

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the primary compressor device comprising a dynamic compressor, and the first communicating means including passage means connecting the compressor discharge serially through the secondary compressor device to the inlet manifold.

Claim 11

A power plant according to claim 9, characterized by the secondary compressor device comprising a second dynamic compressor.

Claim 12

A power plant according to claim 9, characterized by the secondary compressor device comprising a positive displacement compressor.

Claim 13

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the control means including a speed control device having an input and output, means connecting the speed control device input to the second output of the first power splitting device, and means connecting the speed control device output to the load.

Claim 14

A power plant according to claim 12, characterized by the speed control device comprising a variable displacement hydrostatic pump connected to the input and driving a variable displacement hydrostatic motor connected to the output, and means for controlling the displacements therein.

Claim 15

A power plant according to claim 12, characterized by the speed control device comprising an electric generator connected to the onput and supplying power to an electric motor connected to the output, and means for controlling the fields therein.

Claim 16

A power plant according to claim 2, characterized by the fuel supply means including exhaust fueling means communicating fuel to the second communicating means and combustion means for providing chemical reactions and substantially complete combustion of the mixture in the second communicating means.

Claim 17

A power plant according to claim 2, characterized by the air discharge means including passage means communicating a portion of the discharges of the compressor devices to the second communicating means.

Claim 18

A power plant according to claim 16, characterized by the said passage means including a regenerative heat exchanger communicating heat from the exhaust of the exhaust expansion device to said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 19

A power plant according to claim 16, characterized by the fuel supply means including exhaust fueling means communicating fuel to the second communicating means, and combustion means for providing chemical reactions and substantially complete combustion of the mixtures of fuel, exhaust from the engine and said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 20

A power plant according to claim 17 characterized by fuel supply means including exhaust fueling means communicating fuel to the second communicating means, and combustion means for providing chemical reactions and substantially complete combustion of the mixtures of fuel, exhaust from the engine and said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 21

A power plant according to claim 1, characterized by the air discharge means including means for increasing the load on the compressor devices.

Claim 22

A power plant according to claim 20, characterized by the load increasing means comprising adjustable means for communicating a portion of the discharges of the air breathing devices away from the power plant.

Claim 23

A power plant for driving a load, characterized by an air breathing engine, control means, fuel supply means, an exhaust turbine, primary and secondary compressor devices, first and second differentials each having an input and two outputs, first connecting means connecting the output of the engine to the input of the first differential, second connecting means connecting the first output of the first differential to the load, means connecting the second output of the first differential to the secondary compressor device, third connecting means connecting the output of the exhaust expansion device to the input of the primary compressor device and to the input of the second differential, fourth connecting means connecting the first output of the second differential to the input of the first differential, means connecting the second output of the second differential to the load, first communicating means communicating the exhaust from the engine to the exhaust expansion device, air discharge means including second communicating means communicating the discharges of the compressor devices to the inlet manifold of the engine and passage means communicating a portion of said discharges to the first communicating means, the fuel supply means including exhaust fueling means communicating fuel to the first communicating means, and combustion means for providing chemical reactions and substantially complete combustion of the mixtures of fuel, exhaust from the engine and said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 24

A power plant for driving a load, characterized by an air breathing engine, control means, fuel supply means, an exhaust turbine, primary and secondary compressor devices, first and second differentials each having an input and two outputs, first connecting means connecting the output of the engine to the input of the first differential, second connecting means connecting the first output of the first differential to the load, means connecting the second output of the first differential to the secondary compressor device, third connecting means connecting the output of the exhaust expansion device to the input of the primary compressor device and to the input of the second differential, fourth connecting means connecting the first output of the second differential to the input of the first differential, means connecting the second output of the second differential to the load, first communicating means communicating the exhaust from the engine to the exhaust expansion device, air discharge means including second communicating means communicating the discharges of the compressor devices to the inlet manifold of the engine and passage means communicating a portion of said discharges to the first communicating means, the fuel supply means including exhaust fueling means communicating fuel to the first communicating means, and combustion means for providing chemical reactions and substantially complete combustion of the mixtures of fuel, exhaust from the engine and said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 25

A power plant according to claim 22, characterized by the said passage means including a regenerative heat exchanger communicating heat from the exhaust of the exhaust expansion device to said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices.

Claim 26

A power plant according to claim 22, characterized by the first communicating means including cooling means, and the air discharge means comprising adjustable means for communicating a part of the discharges of the compressor devices away from the power plant.

Claim 27

A power plant according to claim 22, characterized by the control means including a speed contrOl device having a variable displacement hydrostatic pump driving a variable displacement hydrostatic motor with means controlling the displacements therein, means connecting the pump to the second output of the first differential, and means connecting the motor to the load.

Claim 28

A power plant according to claim 25, characterized by the first communicating means including cooling means, the air discharge means including a regenerative heat exchanger communicating heat from the exhaust of the exhaust expansion device to said portion of the discharges of the compressor devices and load increasing means comprising adjustable means for communicating a portion of the discharges of the compressor devices away from the power plant.