Electric aircraft power plants and associated methods are provided. One power plant includes an emergency power unit (EPU) for providing electric power in the event of a malfunction of a battery pack of an electric aircraft to permit the electric aircraft to make an emergency maneuver. The EPU includes a rocket engine for generating a stream of exhaust fluid using a rocket propellant, a turbine operatively connected to extract energy from the stream of exhaust fluid generated by the rocket engine, and an electric generator operatively connected to be driven by the turbine and to supply electric power to an electric motor propelling the electric aircraft.

A twin-vaned nozzle ring for a turbine nozzle of a turbocharger nozzle ring is made by assembling the nozzle ring from three separately formed parts. A center part includes a first ring of circumferentially spaced first vanes and a second ring of circumferentially spaced second vanes, the first and second rings being axially spaced and integrally joined to each other. The first vanes are circumferentially offset from the second vanes, and exits from the first vane passages are radially aligned with and circumferentially interleaved with exits from the second vane passages. First and second side walls are provided as separate parts. Finally, the first side wall is joined to a distal or outer face of the first ring, and the second side wall is joined to a distal face of the second ring to complete the assembly.

A twin-vaned nozzle ring for a turbine nozzle of a turbocharger nozzle ring is made by assembling the nozzle ring from three separately formed parts. A center part includes a first ring of circumferentially spaced first vanes and a second ring of circumferentially spaced second vanes, the first and second rings being axially spaced and integrally joined to each other. The first vanes are circumferentially offset from the second vanes, and exits from the first vane passages are radially aligned with and circumferentially interleaved with exits from the second vane passages. First and second side walls are provided as separate parts. Finally, the first side wall is joined to a distal or outer face of the first ring, and the second side wall is joined to a distal face of the second ring to complete the assembly.

The present invention is related to a multiple-inlet turbine casing (16) for a turbine rotor (60) which comprises a first fluid supply channel (70) configured to direct a first working fluid onto the turbine rotor (60) and a second fluid supply channel (74) configured to direct a second working fluid to impart torque on the turbine rotor (60) in the same direction as the direction in which torque is imparted on the turbine rotor (60) by the first working fluid. The first working fluid is an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and the second fluid may be steam and the turbine may be an inverted-Brayton-cycle turbine for recovery of waste energy from the exhaust gas of said internal combustion engine. Thus, the number of turbine rotors is reduced in comparison to a system comprising a single turbine for each distinct working fluid.

The present invention is related to a multiple-inlet turbine casing (16) for a turbine rotor (60) which comprises a first fluid supply channel (70) configured to direct a first working fluid onto the turbine rotor (60) and a second fluid supply channel (74) configured to direct a second working fluid to impart torque on the turbine rotor (60) in the same direction as the direction in which torque is imparted on the turbine rotor (60) by the first working fluid. The first working fluid is an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and the second fluid may be steam and the turbine may be an inverted-Brayton-cycle turbine for recovery of waste energy from the exhaust gas of said internal combustion engine. Thus, the number of turbine rotors is reduced in comparison to a system comprising a single turbine for each distinct working fluid.

A system includes a first inlet providing a medium from a source and a compressing device arranged in communication with the first inlet. The compressing device includes a compressor configured to receive the medium and a turbine located downstream from the compressor. The system additionally includes at least one heat exchanger and an electric motor operably coupled to the compressor. The system is powered by mechanical power from the medium and by electrical power from the electric motor. The input power of the electric motor is less than or equal to 0.5 kilowatts per pounds per minute of medium compressed.

A system includes a first inlet providing a medium from a source and a compressing device arranged in communication with the first inlet. The compressing device includes a compressor configured to receive the medium and a turbine located downstream from the compressor. The system additionally includes at least one heat exchanger and an electric motor operably coupled to the compressor. The system is powered by mechanical power from the medium and by electrical power from the electric motor. The input power of the electric motor is less than or equal to 0.5 kilowatts per pounds per minute of medium compressed.

System for electrical energy generation from steam comprising at least one stage, each stage including: a steam-driven rotating toroidal ring; a housing comprising a toroidal cavity for containing the rotating toroidal ring, the housing further comprising at least one steam inlet, the housing further comprising a plurality of steam outlets for removing pressurized steam from the channels for at least a second portion of rotation of the rotating toroidal ring within the toroidal cavity; at least one bearing arrangement comprised by or attached to the housing within the toroidal cavity; and at least one pair of electrical coils, each electrical coil located on the outer surface of the housing at locations diagonally opposite from the other coil of each pair across the axis of the minor radius of the toroidal cavity and within the specific region where a time-varying magnetic field will occur as the rotating toroidal ring rotates.

System for electrical energy generation from steam comprising at least one stage, each stage including: a steam-driven rotating toroidal ring; a housing comprising a toroidal cavity for containing the rotating toroidal ring, the housing further comprising at least one steam inlet, the housing further comprising a plurality of steam outlets for removing pressurized steam from the channels for at least a second portion of rotation of the rotating toroidal ring within the toroidal cavity; at least one bearing arrangement comprised by or attached to the housing within the toroidal cavity; and at least one pair of electrical coils, each electrical coil located on the outer surface of the housing at locations diagonally opposite from the other coil of each pair across the axis of the minor radius of the toroidal cavity and within the specific region where a time-varying magnetic field will occur as the rotating toroidal ring rotates.

A gas turbine engine includes a primary flowpath fluidly connecting a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. A heat exchanger is disposed in the primary flowpath downstream of the turbine section. The heat exchanger includes a first inlet for receiving fluid from the primary flowpath and a first outlet for expelling fluid received at the first inlet. The heat exchanger further includes a second inlet fluidly connected to a supercharged CO2 (sCO2) bottoming cycle and a second outlet connected to the sCO2 bottoming cycle. The sCO2 bottoming cycle is an overexpanded, recuperated Brayton cycle.