Ceramic duct system for turbine engine

Claim 2

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool with a gasifier turbine rotor and a power turbine spool with a turbine rotor, the improvement comprising: first ceramic housing means defining a gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said first ceramic housing means having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a second ceramic housing means defining a chamber for a power turbine rotor located to arrange the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second ceramic housing means having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within said curved inlet duct segment and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool and including a center outlet, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier turbine to the power turbine, and means to connect the first and second ceramic housing means to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 3

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a rotary regenerator, a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool with a gasifier turbine rotor and a power turbine spool with a turbine rotor, the improvement comprising: first ceramic housing means defining a gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said first ceramic housing means having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a second ceramic housing means defining a chamber for a power turbine rotor located to arrange the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second ceramic housing means having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within said curved inlet duct segment and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool and including a center outlet, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier turbine to the power turbine, and third ceramic housing means including a curved tubular portion coupled to said center outlet of said second ceramic housing means and including a flared skirt portion for directing the turbine gas flow to said rotary regenerator, and means to connect the first and second ceramic housing means to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 4

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a rotary regenerator, a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool with a gasifier turbine rotor and a power turbine spool with a turbine rotor, the improvement comprising: first ceramic housing means defining a gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said first ceramic housing means having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a second ceramic housing means defining a chamber for a power turbine rotor located to arrange the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second ceramic housing means having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within said curved inlet duct segment and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool and including a center outlet, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier turbine to the power turbine, and third ceramic housing means including a curved tubular portion coupled to said center outlet of said second ceramic housing means and including a flared skirt portion for directing the turbine gas flow to said rotary regenerator, and means to connect the first and second ceramic housing means to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 5

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool and a power turbine spool, the improvement comprising: a first ceramic backplate having a peripheral flange thereon, a first ceramic scroll having a peripheral flange thereon joined to said backplate peripheral flange to define a sealed gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said ceramic gasifier turbine scroll having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a ceramic gasifier power turbine transition housing including a second ceramic backplate and a second ceramic scroll, peripheral flanges on said second back plate and said second scroll being joined to one another to form a chamber for a power turbine spool rotor and for locating the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second scroll having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within the curved inlet segment of said gasifier turbine scroll and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier spool to the power turbine spool, and means to connect the joined peripheral flanges of said first and second backplates and scrolls to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 6

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool and a power turbine spool, the improvement comprising: a first ceramic backplate having a peripheral flange thereon, a first ceramic scroll having a peripheral flange thereon joined to said backplate peripheral flange to define a sealed gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said ceramic gasifier turbine scroll having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a ceramic gasifier power turbine transition housing including a second ceramic backplate and a second ceramic scroll, peripheral flanges on said second back plate and said second scroll being joined to one another to form a chamber for a power turbine spool rotor and for locating the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second scroll having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within the curved inlet segment of said gasifier turbine scroll and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier spool to the power turbine spool, and means to connect the joined peripheral flanges of said first and second backplates and scrolls to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 7

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a rotary regenerator, a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool and a power turbine spool, the improvement comprising: a first ceramic backplate having a peripheral flange thereon, a first ceramic scroll having a peripheral flange thereon joined to said backplate peripheral flange to define a sealed gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said ceramic gasifier turbine scroll having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a ceramic gasifier power turbine transition housing including a second ceramic backplate and a second ceramic scroll, peripheral flanges on said second backplate and said second scroll being joined to one another to form a chamber for a power turbine spool rotor and for locating the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second scroll having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within the curved inlet segment of said gasifier turbine scroll and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier spool to the power turbine spool, said second scroll having a center outlet, a ceramic exhaust duct including a curved tubular inlet connected to said center outlet of said second scroll, said ceramic exhaust duct further including a flared skirt portion for directing the gas turbine flow to said rotary regenerator, and means to connect the joined peripheral flanges of said first and second backplates and scrolls to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.

Claim 8

In a gas turbine engine having a metal engine block for housing a rotary regenerator, a gear train, a combustor, a gasifier spool and a power turbine spool, the improvement comprising: a first ceramic backplate having a peripheral flange thereon, a first ceramic scroll having a peripheral flange thereon joined to said backplate peripheral flange to define a sealed gasifier turbine rotor chamber, said ceramic gasifier turbine scroll having a center outlet duct and a curved inlet duct segment thereon wrapped around said center outlet duct and inclined with respect to the axis of the gasifier spool and adapted to be connected to the outlet of the combustor for supplying motive fluid to the gasifier spool, a ceramic gasifier power turbine transition housing including a second ceramic backplate and a second ceramic scroll, peripheral flanges on said second backplate and said second scroll being joined to one another to form a chamber for a power turbine spool rotor and for locating the axis of the power turbine spool at a point offset from the axis of the gasifier spool, said second scroll having an inlet duct conformation thereon fit within the curved inlet segment of said gasifier turbine scroll and connected to said center outlet duct to bridge the offset distance between the axes of the gasifier spool and the power turbine spool, said inlet duct conformation having a reduced axial flow length therethrough to reduce pressure loss as motive fluid passes from the gasifier spool to the power turbine spool, said second scroll having a center outlet, a ceramic exhaust duct including a curved tubular inlet connected to said center outlet of said second scroll, said ceramic exhaust duct further including a flared skirt portion for directing the gas turbine flow to said rotary regenerator, and means to connect the joined peripheral flanges of said first and second backplates and scrolls to said metal engine block to isolate the supported ceramic components from mechanical and thermal loading during operation of the gas turbine engine.