Granted Patent B2

US 12,497,903 · App. 18/638,440 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Inventors: Brian M. Holley (Eastford, CT); Marc J. Muldoon (Marlborough, CT); Robert H. Dold (Monson, MA); Ulf J. Jonsson (South Windsor, CT); Lance L. Smith (West Hartford, CT); Joseph B. Staubach (New Britain, CT)

Assignee: RTX Corporation

F01D9/041F01D5/142F01D15/10F01D25/16

Abstract

Claims (80)

1 . An axial turbine, comprising:

a body having a first open end and a second open end;

a plenum disposed at the first open end for admitting a working fluid;

a first partial admission stage, the first partial admission stage comprising:

a first stator annulus attached to the body, the first stator annulus comprising a first partial admission sector, the first partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a first section of the first stator annulus, wherein the first section of the first stator annulus is disposed between a first opening angle and a second opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in a direction of rotation; and

a first rotor having an annular profile and comprising a first plurality of blades;

a second partial admission stage, the second partial admission stage comprising:

a second stator annulus attached to the body comprising a second partial admission sector, the second partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the first partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the second stator annulus, wherein the first section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a third opening angle and a fourth opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation;

a second rotor having an annular profile and comprising a second plurality of blades; and

one or more driveshafts connected to the first rotor and the second rotor,

wherein the first partial admission sector is disposed at a first clocking angle relative to the second partial admission sector, and

wherein at least one of the first partial admission stage or the second partial admission stage comprises an adjustment mechanism for changing the first clocking angle.

2 . The axial turbine of claim 1 ,

wherein the first partial admission stage comprises a third partial admission sector comprising a second passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a second section of the first stator annulus, wherein the second section of the first stator annulus is disposed between a fifth opening angle and a sixth opening angle, and wherein the third partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation,

wherein the second partial admission stage comprises a fourth partial admission sector comprising a second passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a second section of the second stator annulus, wherein the second section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a seventh opening angle and an eighth opening angle, and

wherein the third partial admission sector is disposed at a second clocking angle relative to the fourth partial admission sector.

3 . The axial turbine of claim 2 , wherein the first clocking angle and the second clocking angle are of an equal magnitude.

4 . The axial turbine of claim 2 , wherein the fifth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the first opening angle,

wherein the sixth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the second opening angle,

wherein the seventh opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the third opening angle, and

wherein the eighth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the fourth opening angle.

5 . The axial turbine of claim 1 ,

wherein a difference between the first opening angle and the second opening angle is smaller than a difference between the third opening angle and the fourth opening angle.

6 . The axial turbine of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a ring with index holes configured to receive a pin connected to at least one of the first partial admission stage or the second partial admission stage.

7 . The axial turbine of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third partial admission stage, the third partial admission stage comprising:

a third stator annulus attached to the body, the third stator annulus comprising a third partial admission sector, the third partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the second partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the third stator annulus, wherein the first section of the third stator annulus is disposed between a fifth opening angle and a sixth opening angle, and wherein the third partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation;

a third rotor having an annular profile and comprising a third plurality of blades; and

a fourth partial admission stage, the fourth partial admission stage comprising:

a fourth stator annulus attached to the body comprising a fourth partial admission sector, the fourth partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the third partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the fourth stator annulus, wherein the first section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a seventh opening angle and an eighth opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation; and

a fourth rotor having an annular profile and comprising a fourth plurality of blades,

wherein the second partial admission sector is disposed at a second clocking angle relative to the third partial admission sector, and

wherein the third partial admission sector is disposed at a third clocking angle relative to the fourth partial admission sector.

8 . The axial turbine of claim 7 ,

wherein the first clocking angle corresponds to a predicted propagation of an acoustic wave from the first partial admission stage to the second partial admission stage,

wherein the second clocking angle corresponds to a predicted convective propagation from the second partial admission stage to the third partial admission stage, and

wherein the third clocking angle corresponds to a predicted axial mass flow rate from the third partial admission stage to the fourth partial admission stage.

9 . The axial turbine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more driveshafts has a first end extending from the axial turbine and a second end extending from the axial turbine, and further comprising:

one or more bearings supporting the one or more driveshafts at only one of the first end or the second end in an overhung configuration.

10 . A turbogenerator comprising:

an axial turbine, comprising:

a body having a first open end and a second open end;

a plenum disposed at the first open end for admitting a working fluid;

a first partial admission stage, the first partial admission stage comprising:

a first stator annulus attached to the body, the first stator annulus comprising a first partial admission sector, the first partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a first section of the first stator annulus, wherein the first section of the first stator annulus is disposed between a first opening angle and a second opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in a direction of rotation; and

a first rotor having an annular profile and comprising a first plurality of blades;

a second partial admission stage, the second partial admission stage comprising:

a second stator annulus attached to the body comprising a second partial admission sector, the second partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the first partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the second stator annulus, wherein the first section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a third opening angle and a fourth opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation;

a second rotor having an annular profile and comprising a second plurality of blades;

one or more driveshafts connected to the first rotor and the second rotor; and

an electrical generator connected to the one or more driveshafts,

wherein the first partial admission sector is disposed at a first clocking angle relative to the second partial admission sector and

wherein at least one of the first partial admission stage or the second partial admission stage comprises an adjustment mechanism for changing the first clocking angle.

11 . The turbogenerator of claim 10 ,

wherein the first partial admission stage comprises a third partial admission sector comprising a second passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a second section of the first stator annulus, wherein the second section of the first stator annulus is disposed between a fifth opening angle and a sixth opening angle, and wherein the third partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation,

wherein the second partial admission stage comprises a fourth partial admission sector comprising a second passage for the working fluid received from the plenum, and disposed on a second section of the second stator annulus, wherein the second section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a seventh opening angle and an eighth opening angle, and

wherein the third partial admission sector is disposed at a second clocking angle relative to the fourth partial admission sector.

12 . The turbogenerator of claim 11 , wherein the first clocking angle and the second clocking angle are of an equal magnitude.

13 . The turbogenerator of claim 11 , wherein the fifth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the first opening angle,

wherein the sixth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the second opening angle,

wherein the seventh opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the third opening angle, and

wherein the eighth opening angle is 180 degrees greater than the fourth opening angle.

14 . The turbogenerator of claim 10 ,

wherein a difference between the first opening angle and the second opening angle is smaller than a difference between the third opening angle and the fourth opening angle.

15 . The turbogenerator of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a ring with index holes configured to receive a pin connected to at least one of the first partial admission stage or the second partial admission stage.

16 . The turbogenerator of claim 10 , further comprising:

a third partial admission stage, the third partial admission stage comprising:

a third stator annulus attached to the body, the third stator annulus comprising a third partial admission sector, the third partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the second partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the third stator annulus, wherein the first section of the third stator annulus is disposed between a fifth opening angle and a sixth opening angle, and wherein the third partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation;

a third rotor having an annular profile and comprising a third plurality of blades; and

a fourth partial admission stage, the fourth partial admission stage comprising:

a fourth stator annulus attached to the body comprising a fourth partial admission sector, the fourth partial admission sector comprising a passage for the working fluid received from the third partial admission stage, and disposed on a first section of the fourth stator annulus, wherein the first section of the second stator annulus is disposed between a seventh opening angle and an eighth opening angle, and wherein the first partial admission sector comprises a plurality of vanes to steer the working fluid in the direction of rotation; and

a fourth rotor having an annular profile and comprising a fourth plurality of blades,

wherein the second partial admission sector is disposed at a second clocking angle relative to the third partial admission sector, and

wherein the third partial admission sector is disposed at a third clocking angle relative to the fourth partial admission sector.

17 . The turbogenerator of claim 16 ,

wherein the first clocking angle corresponds to a predicted propagation of an acoustic wave from the first partial admission stage to the second partial admission stage,

wherein the second clocking angle corresponds to a predicted convective propagation from the second partial admission stage to the third partial admission stage, and

wherein the third clocking angle corresponds to a predicted axial mass flow rate from the third partial admission stage to the fourth partial admission stage.

18 . The turbogenerator of claim 10 , wherein the one or more driveshafts has a first end extending from the axial turbine and a second end extending from the axial turbine, and further comprising:

one or more bearings supporting the one or more driveshafts at only one of the first end or the second end in an overhung configuration.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (14)