A gas turbine engine has a low speed input shaft drives a first plurality of accessories. A high speed input shaft drives a second plurality of accessories. The first plurality of accessories rotating about a first set of rotational axes perpendicular to a first plane. The second plurality of accessories rotating about a second set rotational axes perpendicular to a second plane. The first and second planes extending in opposed directions away from a drive input axis. Compressed air is tapped and passes through a heat exchanger, then to a boost compressor, and then to at least one rotatable components in a main compressor section and a main turbine section. The boost compressor driven on a boost axis, which is non-parallel to the first set of rotational axes and the second set of rotational axes.

An energy storage includes a first container including an inner space, a plurality of pressure vessels for compressed air that are stacked in rows inside the inner space of the first container, a tank containing a heat transfer fluid arranged inside the inner space of the first container, a compressor adapted to compress air, and a plurality of pneumatic ducts for compressed air connected to the compressor. The plurality of pneumatic ducts includes a plurality of heat exchangers adapted to enable a heat exchange between compressed air contained in the plurality of pneumatic ducts and heat transfer fluid contained inside the tank. The plurality of pneumatic ducts is connected to the plurality of pressure vessels supplying pressure vessels with compressed air, an electric turbine connected by the plurality of pneumatic ducts with the plurality of pressure vessels supplying compressed air for rotating the electric turbine to generate electric current.

A propulsion system includes a first compressor in fluid communication with a fluid source. A first conduit is coupled to the first compressor, and a heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the first compressor via the first conduit. A second conduit is positioned proximal to the heat exchanger. A combustor is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger via the second conduit and is configured to generate a high-temperature gas stream. A third conduit is coupled to the combustor, and a first thrust augmentation device is in fluid communication with the combustor via the third conduit. The heat exchanger is positioned within the gas stream generated by the combustor.

An engine-driven cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft includes a first air cycle machine, a second air cycle machine, and a means for condensing a chilled air stream into liquid air for an aircraft use. The first air cycle machine includes a plurality of components operably coupled to a gearbox of a gas turbine engine and configured to produce a cooling air stream based on a first engine bleed source of the gas turbine engine. The second air cycle machine is operable to output the chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second engine bleed source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine.

An integrated hermetically sealed turboexpander-generator comprises a hermetically sealed casing arrangement, a turboexpander, a compressor and an electric generator, arranged in the hermetically sealed casing arrangement along a common shaft line, supported by active magnetic bearings. Also disclosed is a thermodynamic system using the integrated hermetically sealed turboexpander-generator to convert waste heat from a waste heat source into electric power. One of the turboexpander and of the compressor comprises two sections arranged in an overhung configuration at the ends of the common shaft line.

A system comprises a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine has a flow diffuser system, a combustor, a modified compressor section, and a turbine coupled to a shaft. The system includes a low pressure intercooled compressor, a high pressure intercooled compressor, a recuperator, and a compressed air storage tank. The compressed air storage tank is in selective fluid communication with the low pressure intercooled compressor via the high pressure intercooled compressor, and the recuperator. The high pressure intercooled compressor is configured to selectively receive compressed air from the low pressure intercooled compressor and is further configured to selectively compress the compressed air to a highly compressed air for storage in the compressed air storage tank. Each of the compressed air storage tank and the low pressure intercooled compressor is selectively and fluidly coupled to the gas turbine engine.

Power generation systems are described. The systems include a shaft, a compressor operably coupled to a first end of the shaft, a turbine operably coupled to a second end of the shaft, a generator operably coupled to the shaft between the compressor and the turbine, and a working fluid arranged in a closed-loop flow path that flows through each of the compressor and the turbine to drive rotation of the shaft. The shaft includes an internal fluid conduit configured to receive a portion of the working fluid at one of the first end and the second end and convey the portion of the working fluid through the generator to the other of the first end and the second end, wherein the portion of the working fluid is rejoined with a primary flow path of the working fluid.

A method of processing a stream of compressed air travelling between a gas compressor/expander subsystem and an underground accumulator in a compressed air energy storage system may include directing a thermal storage liquid through the first liquid flow path in a liquid charging flow direction from a thermal source reservoir toward a thermal storage reservoir whereby at least a portion of the thermal energy in the compressed air is transferred from the compressed air into the thermal storage liquid within the first reversible heat exchanger; including redirecting the compressed air through the first gas flow path in a gas discharging flow direction that is opposite the gas charging flow direction and redirecting the thermal storage liquid through the first liquid flow path in a liquid discharging flow direction whereby at least a portion of the thermal energy in the thermal storage liquid is returned into the compressed air.

Systems and methods for reducing the pressure of a first pressurized fluid, thereby reducing the temperature of the pressurized fluid, and utilization of the reduced-pressure and temperature fluid to cool a second fluid. Such an approach can enable a reduction in the size and weight of a hydraulic system, utilize waste energy in a system, and/or minimize electrical power requirements of a system, among other benefits.

The present disclosure relates to the field of energy storage, and provides a rapid-response energy storage system and a using method thereof. The system comprises an air storage chamber, a compressor unit, an expander unit, a compressor unit lubrication station, an expander unit lubrication station, a compressor unit oil cooler, an expander unit oil cooler, a compressor unit oil pump and an expander unit oil pump; an outlet of the compressor unit communicates with an inlet of the air storage chamber through a heating pipe inside the expander unit lubrication station, and an outlet of the air storage chamber communicates with a heating pipe inside the compressor unit lubrication station sequentially through a regulating valve and the expander unit; the compressor unit lubrication station, the compressor unit oil pump, an oil way inside the compressor unit and the high-temperature side of the compressor unit oil cooler are sequentially connected end to end to form a first oil circulation loop; and the expander unit lubrication station, the expander unit oil pump, an oil way inside the expander unit and the high-temperature side of the expander unit oil cooler are sequentially connected end to end to form a second oil circulation loop. According to the present disclosure, rapid responses can be achieved and the lubricating oil can be heated without the consumption of external thermal energy.