Patent ID: 8863529
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: F01D,F02C,F04D,F05D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a gas turbine engine having a spool compressor in the form of a multi-stage compressor and driven by a spool shaft, the gas turbine engine also having a compressor bypass that includes a bypass valve, the compressor bypass operable to convey a flow stream from a downstream stage of the multi-stage compressor; a combustor disposed downstream of the compressor within the gas turbine engine, the combustor operable to combust a mixture of fuel and a flow from the spool compressor; and an inter-stage clutch mechanism structured to selectively engage an upstream blade row of the multi-stage compressor to a downstream blade row of the multi-stage compressor, wherein the upstream blade row mechanically rotates the downstream blade row when engaged by the inter-stage clutch, and wherein the upstream blade row is rotatably independent of the downstream blade row when disengaged by the inter-stage clutch; wherein the combustor receives the flow stream from the compressor bypass when the inter-stage clutch mechanism is disengaged, wherein the flow from the spool compressor is the flow stream; and wherein the combustor receives the flow from the spool compressor that has passed through the downstream blade row when the inter-stage clutch mechanism is engaged.