초록 ▼

Fuel (12) is supplied to a rotatable portion (118) of a gas turbine engine (10) comprising a rotor (24) and at least one blade (26, 26.1) operatively coupled thereto, so as to provide for cooling at least one of the rotor (24) or the at least one blade (26, 26.1) by transforming the fuel (12) to a v

Fuel (12) is supplied to a rotatable portion (118) of a gas turbine engine (10) comprising a rotor (24) and at least one blade (26, 26.1) operatively coupled thereto, so as to provide for cooling at least one of the rotor (24) or the at least one blade (26, 26.1) by transforming the fuel (12) to a vapor or gaseous state. The fuel (12) is discharged in a vapor or gaseous state from the rotatable portion (118) directly into a combustion chamber (16) of the gas turbine engine (10).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of

1. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein said at least one said blade is closed at its tip and lateral surfaces with respect to a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine relative to said fuel supplied to said at least one said blade, and the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state; andc. discharging said first portion of said fuel from an orifice of and rotating with said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said orifice of and rotating with said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 2. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of cooling at least one of said rotor or said at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion comprises: a. flowing a portion of said first portion of said fuel along at least one first flow path from a first side of said rotor of said gas turbine engine to a second side of said rotor; andb. causing a thermosiphon flow of a portion of said portion of said first portion of said fuel within at least one second flow path, wherein said at least one second flow path is in fluid communication with said at least one first flow path, said at least one second flow path is in thermal communication with said at least one said at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor, and said at least one first flow path is adapted so that said fuel can flow therealong without necessarily flowing along said at least one second flow path. 3. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor, wherein the operation of supplying at least said first portion of said fuel to said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine comprises supplying fuel along an inside of a central hollow shaft from a forward portion of said gas turbine engine, then through a center of an annular combustor region of said gas turbine engine, then through at least one orifice in said central hollow shaft, and then into an interior of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine aft of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state; andc. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 4. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3, wherein the operation of supplying at least said first portion of said fuel to said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine comprises flowing at least a first portion of said first portion of said fuel from said interior of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine aft of said rotor to a first inlet of a first rotary pressure trap, and discharging said first portion of said fuel from an outlet of said first rotary pressure trap into an aft cavity aft of said rotor, whereby said first rotary pressure trap provides for isolating a pressure in said aft cavity aft of said rotor from a pressure at said first inlet of said first rotary pressure trap. 5. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 4, wherein the operation of supplying at least said first portion of said fuel to said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine comprises flowing a second portion of said first portion of said fuel from said interior of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine aft of said rotor into at least one bearing, wherein said at least one bearing provides for rotationally supporting said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine from a relatively fixed portion of said gas turbine engine, and flowing said second portion of said first portion of said fuel into a second inlet of said first rotary pressure trap. 6. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. flowing said first portion of said fuel along an inside surface of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine aft of said rotor, and atomizing said first portion of said fuel within an aft cavity aft of said rotor by centrifugally accelerating said first portion of said fuel from a sharp edge along said inside surface of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine aft of said rotor on an inside of said aft cavity;c. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state; andd. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 7. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state;c. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state;d. at least partially sealing at least one outer rim portion of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine with at least one labyrinth seal in cooperation with a corresponding relatively fixed portion of said gas turbine engine, wherein said at least one labyrinth seal is external of an axially-extending hollow interior portion of said rotatable portion and provides for mitigating against an infiltration of combustor exhaust gases from at least one of upstream or downstream of said rotor, and said hollow interior portion is in fluid communication with a flow path of said first portion of said fuel within said rotatable portion; ande. cooling said hollow interior portion internal of said at least one labyrinth seal with at least a portion of said first portion of said fuel. 8. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state;c. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state; andd. flowing said first portion of said fuel radially inwardly along a forward surface of said rotor while simultaneously rotating said first portion of said fuel with said rotor prior to the operation of discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine. 9. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state;c. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state; andd. supplying a second portion of said fuel directly to said combustion chamber, wherein said second portion of said fuel is supplied along an inside of a forward portion of a central hollow shaft portion of said gas turbine engine, and said first portion of said fuel is supplied through a passage in a wall of said forward portion of said central hollow shaft portion to an inside of an aftward portion of said central hollow shaft portion of said gas turbine engine. 10. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 9, further comprising isolating a pressure of said combustion chamber from a pressure of an interior of said central hollow shaft portion of said gas turbine engine. 11. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. rotating a rotor of the gas turbine engine;b. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a first cavity on or adjacent to a first side of said rotor of said gas turbine engine, wherein said first cavity rotates with said rotor;c. causing said first portion of said fuel supplied to said first cavity to rotate with said first cavity, whereby the rotation of said first portion of said fuel generates a centrifugal acceleration that acts upon said first portion of said fuel in said first cavity;d. flowing said first portion of said fuel through a first opening on said first side of said rotor and into a first flow path;e. flowing a portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into a second flow path, wherein said second flow path extends into a blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor, and the operations of flowing said first portion of said fuel into said first flow path and from said first flow path into said second flow path are responsive to said centrifugal acceleration;f. transferring heat from said blade to said first portion of said fuel in either said first flow path or said second flow path, wherein an amount of said heat transferred to said first portion of said fuel is sufficient to transform said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state, and the operation of flowing said portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into said second flow path and a flow of said portion of said first portion of said fuel within said second flow path are responsive to a thermosiphon process;g. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path through a second opening on a second side of said rotor to a second cavity on or adjacent to said second side of said rotor, wherein said first flow path is adapted so that said first portion of said fuel can flow therealong from said first opening on said first side of said rotor to said second opening on said second side of said rotor without necessarily flowing along said second flow path;h. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said second cavity to a rotating orifice operatively associated with a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine; andi. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotating orifice into said combustion chamber, wherein when discharged from said rotating orifice into said combustion chamber, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 12. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. rotating a rotor of the gas turbine engine;b. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a first cavity on or adjacent to a first side of said rotor of said gas turbine engine, wherein said first cavity rotates with said rotor;c. causing said first portion of said fuel supplied to said first cavity to rotate with said first cavity, whereby the rotation of said first portion of said fuel generates a centrifugal acceleration that acts upon said first portion of said fuel in said first cavity;d. flowing said first portion of said fuel along an inside surface of said first cavity, and atomizing said first portion of said fuel within said first cavity by centrifugally accelerating said first portion of said fuel from a sharp edge along said inside surface of said first cavity, wherein said sharp edge undercuts said inside surface and defines a circumferential local radial extremum;e. flowing said first portion of said fuel through a first opening on said first side of said rotor and into a first flow path;f. flowing a portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into a second flow path, wherein said second flow path extends into a blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor, and the operations of flowing said first portion of said fuel into said first flow path and from said first flow path into said second flow path are responsive to said centrifugal acceleration;g. transferring heat from said blade to said first portion of said fuel in either said first flow path or said second flow path, wherein an amount of said heat transferred to said first portion of said fuel is sufficient to transform said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state, and the operation of flowing said portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into said second flow path and a flow of said portion of said first portion of said fuel within said second flow path are responsive to a thermosiphon process;h. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path through a second opening on a second side of said rotor to a second cavity on or adjacent to said second side of said rotor, wherein said first flow path is adapted so that said first portion of said fuel can flow therealong from said first opening on said first side of said rotor to said second opening on said second side of said rotor without necessarily flowing along said second flow path;i. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said second cavity to a orifice operatively associated with a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine; andj. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said orifice into said combustion chamber, wherein when discharged from said orifice into said combustion chamber, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 13. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a rotatable portion of the gas turbine engine, wherein said rotatable portion comprises a rotor and at least one blade operatively coupled to or apart of said rotor;b. cooling at least one of said rotor or at least one said at least one blade with said first portion of said fuel supplied to said rotatable portion, wherein the operation of cooling provides for transforming said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state;c. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, wherein when discharged from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state; andd. imposing a forced vortex flow of said first portion of said fuel in a direction having a radially-inward component, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow occurs after the operation of cooling said at least one blade and prior to the operation of discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, and the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow is responsive to an interaction of said first portion of said fuel with at least one vane while flowing in said direction having said radially-inward component. 14. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising: a. rotating a rotor of the gas turbine engine;b. supplying at least a first portion of fuel to a first cavity on or adjacent to a first side of said rotor of said gas turbine engine, wherein said first cavity rotates with said rotor;c. causing said first portion of said fuel supplied to said first cavity to rotate with said first cavity, whereby the rotation of said first portion of said fuel generates a centrifugal acceleration that acts upon said first portion of said fuel in said first cavity;d. flowing said first portion of said fuel through a first opening on said first side of said rotor and into a first flow path;e. flowing a portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into a second flow path, wherein said second flow path extends into a blade operatively coupled to or a part of said rotor, and the operations of flowing said first portion of said fuel into said first flow path and from said first flow path into said second flow path are responsive to said centrifugal acceleration;f. transferring heat from said blade to said first portion of said fuel in either said first flow path or said second flow path, wherein an amount of said heat transferred to said first portion of said fuel is sufficient to transform said first portion of said fuel to a vapor or gaseous state, and the operation of flowing said portion of said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path into said second flow path and a flow of said portion of said first portion of said fuel within said second flow path are responsive to a thermosiphon process;g. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said first flow path through a second opening on a second side of said rotor to a second cavity on or adjacent to said second side of said rotor, wherein said first flow path is adapted so that said first portion of said fuel can flow therealong from said first opening on said first side of said rotor to said second opening on said second side of said rotor without necessarily flowing along said second flow path;h. imposing a forced vortex flow of said first portion of said fuel through said second cavity in a direction having a radially inward component, wherein said forced vortex flow is imposed responsive to an interaction of said first portion of said fuel with at least one vane within said second cavity;i. flowing said first portion of said fuel from said second cavity to an orifice operatively associated with a combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine; andj. discharging said first portion of said fuel from said orifice into said combustion chamber, wherein when discharged from said orifice into said combustion chamber, said first portion of said fuel is in said vapor or gaseous state. 15. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of radial vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotatable portion thereof. 16. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of radial vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotor. 17. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotatable portion thereof in a direction of rotation, and said plurality of vanes are swept in said direction of rotation. 18. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotor in a direction of rotation, and said plurality of vanes are swept in said direction of rotation. 19. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotatable portion thereof in a direction of rotation, and said plurality of vanes are swept in a direction that is opposite to said direction of rotation. 20. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow comprises guiding said first portion of said fuel with a plurality of vanes that during operation of said gas turbine engine rotate with said rotor in a direction of rotation, and said plurality of vanes are swept in a direction that is opposite to said direction of rotation. 21. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, further comprising flowing a second portion of said fuel into said combustion chamber along a path that bypasses said first portion of said fuel flowing through said rotor. 22. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6, wherein said sharp edge undercuts said inside surface and defines a circumferential local radial extremum. 23. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least partially sealing at least one outer rim portion of said rotatable portion of said gas turbine engine with at least one labyrinth seal in cooperation with a corresponding relatively fixed portion of said gas turbine engine, wherein said at least one labyrinth seal is external of an axially-extending hollow interior portion of said rotatable portion, and said hollow interior portion is in fluid communication with a flow path of said first portion of said fuel within said rotatable portion; and cooling said hollow interior portion internal of said at least one labyrinth seal with at least a portion of said first portion of said fuel. 24. A method of operating a gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising imposing a forced vortex flow of said first portion of said fuel in a direction having a radially-inward component, wherein the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow occurs after the operation of cooling said at least one blade and prior to the operation of discharging said first portion of said fuel from said rotatable portion directly into said combustion chamber of said gas turbine engine, and the operation of imposing said forced vortex flow is responsive to an interaction of said first portion of said fuel with at least one vane while flowing in said direction having said radially-inward component.