초록 ▼

A gas-turbine engine receives no air from outside atmosphere. Instead, combustion gas expelled from the engine is cooled and recycled back into the engine. That gas contains no nitrogen and consists mostly of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Oxygen and fuel are added to the recycled gas, and the resu

A gas-turbine engine receives no air from outside atmosphere. Instead, combustion gas expelled from the engine is cooled and recycled back into the engine. That gas contains no nitrogen and consists mostly of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Oxygen and fuel are added to the recycled gas, and the resulting mixture is used to perform an internal-combustion process. A small amount of the expelled combustion gas is discharged into outside environment, and the rest is recycled. Since no nitrogen is present, no nitrogen oxides are produced. The amount of other harmful exhaust emissions, including particulate matter, is greatly reduced too, since most of them are recycled back into the engine. The engine is inherently supercharged with controllable combustion-gas pressure and, in some cases, can operate without a compressor. Since the combustion gas is heavier than air, the engine can be substantially smaller than a conventional engine of equal power. Complete elimination of nitrogen oxide emissions and a significant reduction in particulate matter can substantially increase appeal of gas-turbine engines based on the above concept.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A method for operating a gas-turbine engine, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing a gas turbine that uses no air from outside atmosphere,(b) providing a gas-recycling means for recycling combustion gas from an outlet from said gas turbine to an inlet into said gas turbine,(c

I claim: 1. A method for operating a gas-turbine engine, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing a gas turbine that uses no air from outside atmosphere,(b) providing a gas-recycling means for recycling combustion gas from an outlet from said gas turbine to an inlet into said gas turbine,(c) providing a pressure-control means for controlling the pressure of recycled combustion gas and for discharging excess combustion gas into outside atmosphere,(d) providing a gas-cooling means for receiving, cooling and discharge of said combustion gas,(e) providing an oxygen-delivery means for adding oxygen to said combustion gas,(f) providing a fuel delivery means for adding fuel to said combustion gas,(g) providing a combustor,(h) providing a control means for controlling the operation of said gas-turbine engine in response to operator's demands and in accordance with a control program incorporated in said control means,(i) operating said gas-turbine engine in a gas-recycling mode by continuously performing a process that includes the steps of:(1) receiving hot combustion gas from said outlet from said gas turbine into said gas-cooling means,(2) cooling said hot combustion gas in said gas-cooling means, whereby said hot combustion gas turns into a cooled combustion gas,(3) adding oxygen to said cooled combustion gas and transferring said cooled combustion gas into said combustor,(4) adding fuel to said cooled combustion gas, whereby a combustible mixture forms,(5) burning said combustible mixture and producing very hot combustion gas in said combustor, wherein the temperature of said very hot combustion gas is higher than the temperature of said hot combustion gas,(6) transferring said very hot combustion gas from said combustor to said inlet into said gas turbine and using energy of said very hot combustion gas to operate said gas turbine, whereby said very hot combustion gas turns into hot combustion gas,(7) expelling said hot combustion gas from said gas turbine through said outlet from said gas turbine, and(8) discharging excess hot combustion gas into outside atmosphere, and(j) using said control means for control of operation of said gas-turbine engine,