Apnl 12, 1949. w. TRAUPEL ‘ 2,467,167 * AUXILIARY MAKE-UP CIRCUIT FOR GAS TURBINE PLANTS Filed Jan. so. 1945

67

INVENTOR

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 12, 1949 2,467,167

UNITED‘ STATES PATENT _0FFICE ‘2,467,167 AUXILIARY MAKE-UP CIRCUIT FOR GAS ' I TURBINE PLANTS

Walter Traupel, Wlnterthur, ' Switzerland, u signer to Suizer Fredres, Société Anonyme, Win ‘terthur, Switzerlan Application January 30, 1945, Serial No. 575,294 In Switzerland March 18, 1944 ' 8 Claims. (Cl. 60—49) . l The invention relates to a gas turbine plant the pipes I8 or 30 air is continuously supplied as in which air from the atmosphere is continu make-up air for the part extracted at the point ously supplied to a circuit of working medium. 8, to the open circuit of working medium taking The invention is characterised in that at least place in the plant. ' one compressor is coupled by means of a discon The turbine l0 operated by the ?ow of working nectible coupling to the turbine giving up the use medium in the circuit drives the compressors I ful output, this compressor introducing the air and 3. Further, an electric auxiliary machine into the circuit at a higher pressure when the 22 is coupled to the compressors I and 3, ‘and this output of the whole plant is greater, while at a‘ can supply additional power to the compressors smaller output the compressor is cut out by means 10 when the plant is being started up and also in of the coupling and the air is supplied to thecir- ' case of lack of power during service. If on the cuit at a lower pressure. It is expedient for the contrary an excess of power presents itself in air compressor to be driven by the useful output the turbine I0, this can be led' o? through the turbine by means of a ?uid coupling that can be electric machine 22, inv the form of electric energy, emptied. 15 An embodimentof the invention designed as to the‘mains. The turbine l6, operated by the a ship’s propulsion plant is explained below in quantity extracted, generates the useful output more detail with the aid of the drawing, which given up to the outside. This useful output tur bine drives, for instance, the ship's propeller 2| illustrates that embodiment diagrammatically. through the reduction gear [9, 20. . ~ The working medium compressed by the low 20 pressure compressor l' passes through the inter The two compressors 23 and 24 are coupled to mediate cooler 2 into the high-pressure com ‘the turbine I6 generating the useful output pressor 3 and is preheated in the tubes of a re through the reduction gear I9, 20 and the ?uid cuperator-heat exchanger 4. At the point 6 in couplings 25 and Y26 respectively, which can be the outlet pipe 5 of the recuperator the ?ow of 25 emptied. The compressor 23 draws air from the working medium is divided up. A part passes atmosphere through the pipe 21 and conducts through the‘ pipe 1 into the heater 8 and is fur it in a compressed state to the cooler 28. The ther heated while ?owing over the heat-exchange cooled air is supplied through the pipe 29 to the tubes of the heater. ' _ compressor 24 and ?nally introduced through the The working medium now compressed to the‘ 30 pipe 3!! into the circuit of the working medium highest working pressure and heated to the at the point 3| between the heat exchanger 4 and highest working temperature passes through the the cooler l2. At the point 32 a pipe 33 connects pipe 9 into the turbine 10, is there expanded and up, through which air can be supplied to the then ?ows through the pipe ll into the heat ex compressor 24 direct from the atmosphere when changer 4. While ?owing through the heat-ex 35 required. The two valve members 34 and 35 serve changer tubes it gives up part of its residual heat for switching over the service. A further valve to the compressed working medium. A further member 36 prevents any ?ow into the pipe 30- in part of its residual heat is given up to a cooling case the two compressors 23 and 24 should not be medium in the cooler l2, whereupon the work in service. ing medium flows back to the low-pressure com If when the vessel is proceeding at cruising pressor I and the circuit here recommences. speed the plant is to produce a- small output only, A further part of the ?ow of working medium ‘the member 36 in the pipe 30 is closed. The com divided at the point 6 is extracted from the cir pressor I then draws in working medium as it cuit and supplied through the pipe l3 to the burn becomes ava?able through the cooler l2 and also er M of the gas heater 8. The combustion gases 45 fresh air through the non-return member 31 from ?ow through the heat-exchange tubes and then the pipe l8. Approximately atmospheric pres pass through the pipe l5 into the turbine Hi, from sure will then prevail at the inlet of the com which after expansion they are led off through pressor I. The compressors I and 3 compress the pipe I‘! to be disposed of in any of the known this working medium to a pressure of about 5 at ways of handling gas turbine exhaust. Through . mospheres, which will still prevail, apart from the 2,407,107 4 v3 a second compressor driven from said coupling small pressure drop resulting from resistance to means, an intake from the atmosphere leading ?ow, at the entry to the turbines l6 and I0. Ii’ the output is to be increased for purposes of to said second compressor, and conduit means‘ greater vessel speed, the sequence of pressures in for delivering the output of said second compres the circuit of the working medium is raised. sor to a spot in the circuit before the ?rst com First the ?uid coupling 26 is ?lled and the com pressor. pressor 24 is thereby brought into service. The 2. The combination of claim 1 in which the member 34 must be closed and the members 35 disconnectable coupling means comprises a fluid and 36 open. The compressor 24 then draws in air coupling. , from the atmosphere through the pipe33 and 10 3. In a gas turbine plant, a working medium circuit including a compressor, a gas heater, a conducts it atyan increased pressure of about 4 turbine and conduit means for conducting a gas atmospheres into the circuit at the point 3 I. The eous working medium in the circuit through the non-return member 31 is closed by the ‘increased pressure, so that escape of the air through the, compressor, the gas heater, the turbine and back 15 to the compressor, a second turbine driven by pipe i8 is prevented. Working medium then flows working medium extracted from the circuit, one to the compressor 1 at the delivery pressure of of said turbines driving said circuit compressor the compressor 24, apart from the slight pressure and the other of said turbines driving the plant drop resulting from resistance to flow. . The ?nal pressure at the outlet from the compressor 3 .and useful load, disconnectable coupling means on 20 the one of said turbines driving the useful load, the inlet pressure into the turbines l6 and ID a second and a third compressor driven from said are correspondingly raised to ‘about 20 atmos coupling, anintake from the atmosphere lead pheres, so that a higher power is available for ‘ driving the ship's propeller 2|. ing to said second compressor, conduit means For travel at top speed the compressor 23 is for delivering the output of said- second com 25 pressor to the third compressor, conduit means also brought into serviceby ?lling the fluid cou for delivering the output of said third compres pling 25. The member 34 is opened and the sor to a spot in the circuit before the ?rst com member 35 closed, so that air is drawn in from the atmosphere through the pipe 21, cooled in pressor, and an intake from the atmosphere lead a state of intermediate compression by the ing to said third compressor. cooler 28 and further compressed by the com 30 4. The combination of claim 3 in which the pressor 24. The two compressors together then conduit means connecting the second and third compressors contains a cooler. compress the air to about 8 atmospheres. This 5. In a gas turbine plant, a working medium pressure, less the slight pressure drop resulting circuit including a compressor, a gas heater, a from resistance to flow, also prevails at the in turbine driving said compressor, a recuperator, let to the compressor l, and thus the delivery a cooler and conduit means for conducting a gas pressure of the compressor 3 rises to about 40 eous working medium in the circuit through the atmospheres. The whole sequence of pressures compressor, the gas heater, the turbine, the re in the circuit is raised to 8 times the pressures cuperator and the cooler and back to the com prevailing in service at cruising speed. The 40 pressor, a conduit for extracting part of the output given up to the outside then rises to 15 working medium from the circuit and delivering times the output at slow speed. it to the burner of the gas heater, a second tur-~ The advantage of the plant described consists bine driven by the combustion gases of the gas in that the turbines can be designed for the heater and driving the plant useful load, com conditions at cruising speed, for which the best 45 pressor means disconnectably driven by said e?lciency is maintained. The output of the plant second turbine, an intake from the atmosphere can nevertheless be raised to a multiple of the leading to said compressor means, and conduit output at cruising speed. ' means for delivering the output of said com While I have described my invention in de pressor means to the circuit. tail in terms of a speci?c structure, I do not 50 6. The combination of claim 5 in which the wish to be limited to the details of the disclosed output of the compressor means is delivered to construction. It is apparent that many changes the circuit between the recuperator and the com can be made therein within the spirit of my in vention. For example, in a twin-screw instal pressor. lation with separate useful output turbines on '7. The combination of claim 6 in which an 55 intake from the atmosphere is provided in the each shaft, the low-pressure auxiliary make-up circuit between the cooler and the compressor. compressor could be driven by disconnectable 8. In a gas turbine, plant, a working medium coupling from one shaft and-its high pressure circuit including a compressor, a gas heater, a counterpart from the other. Or other known turbine driving said compressor, a. recuperator, forms of disconnectable coupling can be substie 60 a cooler and conduit means for conducting a tuted for the preferred ?uid type illustrated. gaseous working medium in the circuit through Hence, for an understanding of the scope of the the compressor, the gas heater, the turbine, the‘ invention, reference is to be made to the ap recuperator, the cooler and back to the compres pended claims. sor, intake means from the atmosphere leading I claim: 65 to said compressor, a conduit for extracting part‘ 1. In a gas turbine plant, a working medium of the working medium from the circuit and de circuit including a compressor, a gas heater, a livering it to the burner of the gas heater, a sec turbine and conduit means for conducting a gas ond turbine driven by the combustion gases of eous working medium in the circuit through the the gas heater and driving the plant useful load, compressor, the gas heater, the turbine and back compressor means disconnectably driven by said’ to the compressor, a second turbine driven by second turbine, said compressor means compris working medium extracted from the circuit, one ing a second and third compressor, an intake - of said turbines driving said circuit compressor from the atmosphere leading to said second com and the other of said turbines driving the plant pressor, conduit means for delivering the out useful load, disconnectable coupling means on the one of said vturbines driving the useful load, 7.5 put of said second compressor to said third com-_ 2,467,167 5 6 pressor, conduit means for delivering the out put of said third compressor to the circuit be REFERENCES CITED tween the recuperator and the ?rst compressor, The following references are of record in the an intake from the atmosphere to the conduit ?le of this patent: connecting said second and third compressors UNITED STATES PATENTS and valve means in the intake to the ?rst com— pressor, in the intake to the second compres Number Name Date sor, intermediate said second and third compres_ 1,959,795 Lysholm ______May 22, 1934 sors and intermediate said third compressor and 2,341,490 Traupel ______Feb. 8, 1944 the circuit whereby air from the atmosphere can 10 2,358,815 Lysholm ______Sept. 26, 1944 be admitted to the circuit through the ?rst, the FOREIGN PATENTS ?rst and second, or the ?rst, second and third compressors at will. Number Country Date 76,249 Switzerland ______Nov. 16, 1917 WALTER 'I'RAUPEL. 378,229 Italy ______.._ Jan. 25, 1940 746,148 France “--_; _____ .._ Mar. 7, 1933