Patent GB-805195-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to gas turbine power plant
Inventor: COMYNS-CARR CECIL ALASTAIR
IPC: F02C1/10
Filed: 1955-12-08
Abstract: 805,195. Gas turbine plant; axial flow compressors. ROLLS-ROYCE Ltd. Nov. 23, 1956 [Dec. 8, 1955], No. 35328/55. Classes 110 (1) and 110 (3). [Also in Groups XIII and XL (a)] A gas turbine plant operating on a closed cycle and comprising a power output shaft has rotary compressor means for the working fluid and turbine means for driving the compressor means and the power output shaft arranged coaxially in line with one another and centrally within at least two annular heat exchangers wherein the working fluid is respectively heated before entering the turbine means and cooled after passing through the turbine means; the gas turbine engine and heat exchangers being enclosed in a drum-like casing having connections through which the cooling fluid is led to and from the heat exchanger wherein the working fluid is cooled. The gas turbine engine shown which operates on a closed cycle includes a lowpressure axial-flow compressor 10 which discharges through an intercooler 11 to a highpressure axial-flow compressor 12. The compressor 12 discharges through a recuperator 13 heated by the turbine exhaust gases to a main heater 14. The heated working fluid then passes through a compressor driving turbine 15 and useful power turbine 16 driving a screw propeller 57 through a reversing and reduction gear 54. The exhaust from the turbine 16 passes through the recuperator 13 and precooler 17 back to the intake of the compressor 10. The main heater 14 consists of a number of stacks 19 of axially spaced conical annular metal plates with their inner and outer peripheries joined together and the spaces between the plates which receive the working fluid contain secondary heat-exchange surfaces. The plates are formed with rings of aligned ports adjacent their inner and outer peripheries, the metal around some of the ports in each ring being deformed into contact with and joined to the,adjacent plate on one side and the metal around the remaining ports being deformed into contact with and joined to the adjacent plate on the other side so as to form, at both the inner and outer peripheries of the stack, two sets of axially-extending manifolds, the manifolds of one set communicating with alternate spaces between the plates and the other set communicating with the remaining spaces. As shown, there are three stacks 19 end to end with the manifolds in register so that the preheated working fluid from the recuperator 13 enters the outer periphery of the stack adjacent the power turbine 16 and flows radially inwards, then passes to the next stack and flows radially outwards and' finally passes to the stack adjacent the compressor-driving turbine 15 and flows radially inwards to the annular manifold 20 connected to the intake of the turbine 15. The heating fluid, which may be liquid sodium which has been heated by an external source such as a nuclear reactor, passes from an annular manifold 21 and flows in the reverse direction to an annular collector manifold 22. The recuperator 13 is also of annular form and surrounds the main heater 14. The recuperator is of four pass construction and comprises four sets 23 of flat tubes spaced apart by spacers forming secondary heat-exchange surfaces. The compressed working fluid from the compressor 12 enters the first set of tubes 23 at an inner radius and flows outwardly to a transfer manifold 25 and then inwardly through the next set of tubes 23 to a transfer manifold 26 and so on. The fluid leaving the last set of tubes 23 flows through the manifold 28 to the appropriate spaces between the stack 19 of plates adjacent the power turbine 16. The working fluid leaving the turbine 16 passes through the annular duct 29 to the recuperator 13 and flows between the tubes to the precooler 17. The precooler 17 is of similar construction to the recuperator 13. Cooling water from the connections 49 is passed to the tubes of the precooler through the manifolds 32, 33. The working fluid leaving the precooler 17 is led through the collector chamber 30 and ducting 31 to the intake of the lowpressure compressor. The intercooler 11 is also of annular form and is of similar construction to the precooler 17 and recuperator 13 but in this case the tubes through the cooling water from the connections 52 flows are arranged axially. The cooling water enters at manifold 40 and then flows through tubes 39 and transfer manifold 41 to tubes 38 which discharge through manifold 42 to tubes 35. The coolant then flows through manifold 43, tubes 36, manifold 44 and tubes 37 to the delivery manifold 45. The compressed working fluid flows radially outwards through the spaces between the tubes to the manifold 46 and then radially inwards to the intake of the high-pressure compressor 12. The compressors 10, 12, turbines 15, 16, main heater 14, recuperator 13, precooler 17 and intercooler 11 are enclosed in a drum-like casing having a main cylindrical portion 48 and end covers 50, 51. The cover plate 51 has suitable connections 55 to convey heating medium to and from the main heater. In another construction, the main heater 14 is omitted and the working fluid is withdrawn from the plant and heated by external means such as a nuclear reactor before being returned to the turbine.