Gas turbine engine

Abstract

A heat input device for a heat engine comprises a combustion device which is adapted to support surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture and a heat exchanger which is adapted to transfer the heat from the hot surface against which the surface burning takes place to the working fluid of the engine.

I claim: .[.1. A system of the type comprising, in combustion, a heat engine and a heat input device, said heat engine having a gas working fluid wherein: said heat input device comprises a unitary heat exchange body having an extended surface against which surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture can take place, and a heat exchange surface forming part of the heat exchange body and in thermal contact with the extended surface, said heat exchange surface being directly heated by conduction of heat from the extended surface and adapted to transfer this heat to the 
     
        working fluid of the engine..]. 2. The system of claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.12 
     
     
        .Iaddend.wherein said heat engine comprises a Stirling cycle engine. 3. The system of claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.12 .Iaddend.wherein said heat engine 
     
     
        comprises a gas turbine engine. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said gas turbine engine comprises a compressor, a combustion system and a turbine, the compressor and turbine being drivingly interconnected and the combustion system being adapted to heat compressed gas from the compressor before it passes through the turbine to drive the turbine, the combustion system also comprising means within which said surface burning of .[.a.]. 
     
     
        .Iadd.said .Iaddend.fuel oxidant mixture may take place. 5. The system of claim 4 wherein said gas is air, and the airflow through the engine 
     
     
        provides the oxidant for said surface burning. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the compressed air from the compressor is heated by heat exchange in the combustion system before passing through the turbine, exhaust air 
     
     
        from the turbine providing the oxidant for the surface burning. 7. The system of .Iadd.claim 6 .Iaddend.further comprising a heat exchanger adapted to exchange heat between the exhaust of the surface burning device 
     
     
        and the compressor delivery air. 8. The improvement of claim .[.11.]. .Iadd.13 .Iaddend.wherein said surface burning takes place within a matrix 
     
     
        having an extended surface. 9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said 
     
     
        matrix comprises a cylindrical bundle of fine tubes. 10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical bundle is rotatable about its axis and said surface burning takes place within a segment of the cylinder, the remainder of the bundle being used to exchange heat with the working fluid of the engine. .[.11. In a system of the type including a heat engine and a surface burning heat input device the improvement wherein said surface burning heat input device comprises: a unitary heat exchange body having an extended surface against which surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture can take place, and a heat exchange surface forming part of the heat exchange body and in thermal contact with the extended surface, said heat exchange surface being directly heated by conduction of heat from the extended surface and adapted to transfer this heat to the working fluid of the engine..]. .Iadd. 12. An engine system comprising a heat engine, and   a heat input device for said engine comprising a heat exchange body having an extended surface adapted for surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture;   means for forming a combustible oxidant-fuel mixture in said heat exchange body, and   a heat exchange surface forming at least a portion of said heat exchange body, said heat exchange surface being heated by the surface burning of said fuel and oxidant mixture. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. An engine system comprising   a heat engine, and   a heat input device for said engine;   said heat input device comprising a heat exchange body having an extended surface adapted for surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture;   means for forming a combustible oxidant-fuel mixture in said heat exchange body;   means for surface burning said oxidant-fuel mixture in said heat exchange body to thereby raise the temperature of said extended surface substantially above the temperature of the exhaust gases from the combustion of said fuel-oxidant mixture, and   a heat exchange surface forming at least a portion of said heat exchange body and being in thermal contact with said extended surface, said heat exchange surface being heated by said surface burning of said fuel-oxidant mixture. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. The engine of claim 13 wherein said heat exchange body includes a matrix having said extended surface, said matrix being rotatable about an axis therethrough, said surface burning taking place at any instance of time within a portion of said matrix and the remainder of said matrix at said instance of time being said heat exchange surface, the portion of said matrix on which said surface burning and said heat exchange occurs continuously changing as said matrix rotates. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. A system of the type comprising in combination a heat engine and a heat input device, said heat engine having a gas working fluid wherein:   said heat input device comprises a unitary heat exchange body having an extended surface against which surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture takes place; and   a heat exchange surface forming part of the heat exchange body and in thermal contact with the extended surface, said heat exchange surface being directly heated by conduction of heat from the extended surface and adapted to transfer this heat to the working fluid of the engine. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16. In a system of the type including a heat engine and a surface burning heat input device, the improvement wherein said surface burning heat input device comprises:   a unitary heat exchange body having an extended surface against which a surface burning of a fuel and oxidant mixture takes place; and   a heat exchange surface forming part of the heat exchange body and in thermal contact with the extended surface, said heat exchange surface being directly heated by conduction of the heat from the extended surface and adapted to transfer this heat to the working fluid of the engine. .Iaddend.