Intercooled gas turbine engine

Claim 1

A derivative gas turbine engine derived from a non-intercooled gas turbine engine designed for a specified non-intercooled Brayton engine cycle comprising: a low pressure compressor; a high pressure compressor disposed downstream of said low pressure compressor; a combustor disposed downstream of said high pressure compressor in direct flow communication therewith; a high pressure turbine disposed downstream of said combustor and connected to said high pressure compressor by a first shaft; a low pressure turbine disposed downstream of said high pressure turbine in flow communication therewith; said low pressure compressor, high pressure compressor, combustor, high pressure turbine, and low pressure turbine originating from said non-intercooled engine and being effective for operating in said non-intercooled cycle having a specified design point for combustion gases discharged from said combustor into said high pressure turbine, said design point including a design temperature, a design pressure, and a design mass flow, and said non-intercooled cycle being based on said low pressure turbine being connected to said low pressure compressor by a second shaft except that said derivative gas turbine engine is characterized by the absence of said second shaft; said low pressure compressor instead being connected to said high pressure compressor by a speed reduction gear box for driving said low pressure compressor at a lower speed than said high pressure compressor; an intercooler disposed in flow communication between said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor for cooling compressed air discharged from said low pressure compressor and provided to said high pressure compressor to reduce horsepower required for said high pressure compressor; said combustor being effective for providing additional heating by additional fuel so that said intercooled cycle includes at least said design point of said non-intercooled cycle, and said high pressure turbine is effective for producing about the same horsepower as in said non-intercooled cycle and for powering both said high pressure compressor and said low pressure compressor at said design point, with horsepower developed in said low pressure turbine being available for powering a load.

Claim 13

A method of converting a non-intercooled gas turbine engine designed for a specified non-intercooled Brayton engine cycle to an intercooled gas turbine engine having an intercooled Brayton engine cycle for increasing output power, said non-intercooled engine including: a low pressure compressor; a high pressure compressor disposed downstream of said low pressure compressor; a combustor disposed downstream from said high pressure compressor in direct flow communication therewith; a high pressure turbine disposed downstream of said combustor and connected to said high pressure compressor by a first shaft; a low pressure turbine disposed downstream of said high pressure turbine in flow communication therewith and connected to said low pressure compressor by a second shaft; and said non-intercooled cycle having a specified design point for combustion gases discharged from said combustor into said high pressure turbine, said design point including a design temperature, a design pressure, and a design mass flow; said method comprising: eliminating said second shaft between said low pressure compressor and said low pressure turbine; connecting said low pressure compressor to said high pressure compressor by a speed reduction gear box for driving said low pressure compressor at a lower speed than said high pressure compressor; providing an intercooler in flow communication between said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor for cooling compressed air discharged from said low pressure compressor and provided to said high pressure compressor to reduce horsepower required for said high pressure compressor; and adjusting heating ability of said combustor by additional fuel so that said intercooled cycle includes at least said design point of said non-intercooled cycle, and said high pressure turbine is effective for producing about the same horsepower as in said non-intercooled cycle and for powering both said high pressure compressor and said low pressure compressor at said design point, with horsepower developed in said low pressure turbine being available for powering a load.

Claim 14

A method of converting a non-intercooled gas turbine engine designed for a specified non-intercooled Brayton engine cycle to an intercooled gas turbine engine having an intercooled Brayton engine cycle for increasing output power, said non-intercooled engine including: a low pressure compressor; a high pressure compressor disposed downstream of said low pressure compressor; a combustor disposed downstream from said high pressure compressor in direct flow communication therewith; a high pressure turbine disposed downstream of said combustor and connected to said high pressure compressor by a first shaft; a low pressure turbine disposed downstream of said high pressure turbine in flow communication therewith and connected to said low pressure compressor by a second shaft; and said non-intercooled cycle having a specified design point for combustion gases discharged from said combustor into said high pressure turbine, said design point including a design temperature, a design pressure, and a design mass flow; said method comprising: eliminating said second shaft between said low pressure compressor and said low pressure turbine; connecting said low pressure compressor to said high pressure compressor by a speed reduction gear box for driving said low pressure compressor at a lower speed than said high pressure compressor; providing an intercooler in flow communication between said low pressure compressor and said high pressure compressor for cooling compressed air discharged from said low pressure compressor and provided to said high pressure compressor to reduce horsepower required for said high pressure compressor; and adjusting heating ability of said combustor by additional fuel so that said intercooled cycle includes at least said design point of said non-intercooled cycle, and said high pressure turbine is effective for producing about the same horsepower as in said non-intercooled cycle and for powering both said high pressure compressor and said low pressure compressor at said design point, with horsepower developed in said low pressure turbine being available for powering a load.