Radial flow gas turbine engine with annular combustor liner

摘要

A small gas turbine engine having a small, high speed shaft assembly including a central shaft member, a radial outflow compressor rotor secured to one end of the central shaft member with its inlet end disposed outboard of the shaft assembly, and a radial inflow turbine rotor secured to the other end of the central shaft member with its discharge end disposed outboard of the shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is supported at its ends, outboard of the rotors, by a pair of bearings which are axially secured but allow limited radial movement of the shaft assembly. An annular combustor is disposed between the turbine and compressor rotors in encircling relation to the central shaft member. Fuel is supplied to the combustor chamber from the exhaust end of the turbine through an axial passage in the shaft assembly opening at one end outboard of the exhaust end bearing and communicating at its other end with radial ports in the central shaft member arranged to sling fuel into the combustor chamber. The shaft assembly housing comprises two cast sections which are coupled together to enclose the combustor with the end portion of each housing section shaped to define a shroud for the radial blades of the turbine and compressor rotors, respectively. A cast nozzle plate and a diffuser plate are secured to the respective housing sections. The nozzle and diffuser plates each include an annular outer portion defining the vanes for the turbine and compressor rotors, respectively, and a central hollow hub portion embracing the central shaft member of the shaft assembly; the inboard ends of the two hub portions are axially spaced to expose the radial ports in the central shaft member and allow slinging delivery of fuel into the combustor. An annular air inlet to the compressor rotor spaces the shaft assembly housing from a transmission housing, and the compressor end of the shaft assembly is coupled, outboard of the compressor end bearing, to speed reduction gearing journalled within the transmission housing.