Gas turbine engine with electrically driven compressor
A gas turbine engine includes a turbine section located at an engine central longitudinal axis, a combustor configured to drive rotation of the turbine with combustion products, and a compressor section coupled to the turbine section at the engine central longitudinal axis and driven by the turbine section. An auxiliary compressor is located fluidly between the compressor section and the combustor such that an airflow exiting the compressor section is directed toward the auxiliary compressor. The auxiliary compressor is driven independently from the compressor section and is configured to output the airflow toward the combustor.
1. A two-spool gas turbine engine comprising:
a low speed spool disposed on an inner shaft, the low speed spool including:
a low pressure compressor; and
a low pressure turbine configured to drive the low pressure compressor;
a high speed spool disposed on an outer shaft located radially outboard of the inner shaft, the high speed spool including:
a high pressure compressor located downstream of the low pressure compressor; and
a high pressure turbine located upstream of the low pressure turbine and configured to drive the high pressure compressor;
a combustor disposed upstream of the high pressure turbine and downstream of the high pressure compressor, and configured to drive rotation of the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine with combustion products;
an auxiliary compressor disposed fluidly between the high pressure compressor and the combustor such that an airflow exiting the high pressure compressor is directed toward the auxiliary compressor, the auxiliary compressor driven independently from each of the low speed spool and the high speed spool, and configured to output the airflow toward the combustor, the auxiliary compressor rotationally uncoupled from the both the low speed spool and the high speed spool; and
an electric motor, rotation of the auxiliary compressor driven only by the electric motor;
wherein the auxiliary compressor is disposed coaxially with at least one of the low speed spool and the high speed spool;
wherein the auxiliary compressor is not rotationally coupled to a corresponding turbine.
2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising an intercooler heat exchanger disposed fluidly between the high pressure compressor and the auxiliary compressor to cool the airflow exiting the high pressure compressor.
3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the airflow is cooled at the intercooler heat exchanger via thermal energy exchange with one of a bypass airflow, a RAM airflow or an airflow from another aircraft or engine system.
4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein electrical energy to drive the electric motor is from a generator operably connected to the low pressure turbine.
5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the high pressure turbine includes a variable pitch vane stage.
6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the low pressure spool and the high pressure spool are coaxial.
7. A method of operating a two spool gas turbine engine, comprising:
driving rotation of a low speed spool and a high speed spool of the gas turbine engine, the low speed spool disposed on an inner shaft and including:
a low pressure compressor; and
a low pressure turbine configured to drive the low pressure compressor;
the high speed spool disposed on an outer shaft located radially outboard of the inner shaft, and including:
a high pressure compressor located downstream of the low pressure compressor; and
a high pressure turbine located upstream of the low pressure turbine and configured to drive the high pressure compressor;
compressing an airflow at the low pressure compressor and at the high pressure compressor;
further compressing the airflow at an auxiliary compressor driven independently from each of the low speed spool and the high speed spool, the auxiliary compressor rotationally uncoupled from both of the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine and driven only by an electric motor;
combusting the further compressed airflow at a combustor section to drive rotation of the high speed turbine and the low speed turbine with combustion products;
wherein the auxiliary compressor is disposed coaxially with the low pressure compressor and with the high pressure compressor;
wherein the auxiliary compressor is disposed between the high pressure compressor and the combustor section;
wherein the auxiliary compressor is not rotationally coupled to a corresponding turbine.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising cooling the airflow at an intercooler heat exchanger before further compressing the airflow at the auxiliary compressor.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the airflow is cooled at the intercooler heat exchanger via thermal energy exchange with one of a bypass airflow, a RAM airflow or an airflow from another aircraft or engine system.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein electrical energy to drive the electric motor is from a generator operably connected to the low pressure turbine.
11. The method of claim 7 further comprising operating a variable pitch vane stage at the high pressure turbine to control the combustion products entering the high pressure turbine.