SUPERCONDUCTING ULTRA POWER EFFICIENT RADIAL FAN AUGMENTED NANO-AERO DRIVE (SUPERFAN)

Abstract

A gas turbine engine which includes an outer casing; a central longitudinal hollow shaft with a forward air inlet; a three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan with front and rear fan blades and a diffuser blade interposed between said front and rear fan blades wherein the diffuser blade rotates in an opposite direction to the front and rear fan blades; a multiple stage superconducting axial compressor positioned aft of the three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan; a multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core positioned aft of the multiple stage variable speed superconducting axial compressor, whereby the electric power from the multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core powers the three stage superconducting electric bypass fan and the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine comprising: an outer casing; a central longitudinal hollow shaft with a forward air inlet and superconductive electric pathways to power an electric bypass fan from a superconducting electric generation turbine core. a three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan with front and rear fan blades and a diffuser blade interposed between said front and rear fan blades wherein the diffuser blade rotates in an opposite direction to the front and rear fan blades; which receives electricity from the 3-stage superconducting turbine core. a multiple stage superconducting axial compressor positioned aft of the three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan; a multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core positioned aft of the multiple stage variable speed superconducting axial compressor. a superconducting bulk trapped field turbine core providing electricity to a 3-stage superconducting electric bypass for and a multiple stage superconductive axial compressor.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the front fan blade, the diffuser fan blade, and the rear fan blade are incorporated respectively into a first blisk, a second blisk, and a third blisk each positioned radially outwardly from the longitudinal hollow shaft and said blisks respectively have first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 wherein first, second, and third stator coils are fixed to the outer casing in proximate opposed relation respectively to the first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 wherein an exhaust flow is impinging upon the superconducting turbine blades generate electric power in the blisk and established to rotate the superconducting electric bypass fan adding kinetic energy to the exhaust flow and inducing a higher mass flow of air compressed electrically across of the electric bypass fan the fixed first, second, and third stator coils.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 wherein the stator coils are cryogenic copper field coils.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 wherein there are superconducting stator channels between the stators coils and the outer casing and superconducting cables in the outer casing and electrical power flows from the stator coils to the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor is a variable speed multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein a high speed plasma injector connects the multiple stage axial compressor with the ion plasma combustor.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein a low speed plasma injector connects the multiple stage axial compressor with the ion plasma combustor.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core includes an inlet guide vane.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core includes an outlet guide vane.

12. A gas turbine engine comprising: an outer casing; a central longitudinal hollow shaft with a forward air inlet; a three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan with front and rear fan blades and a diffuser blade interposed between said front and rear fan blades wherein the diffuser blade rotates in an opposite direction to the front and rear fan blades; a variable speed multiple stage superconducting axial compressor positioned aft of the three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan; and a multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core positioned aft of the multiple stage variable speed superconducting axial compressor, wherein the front fan blade, the diffuser fan blade, and the rear fan blade are incorporated respectively into a first blisk, a second blisk, and a third blisk each positioned radially outwardly from the longitudinal hollow shaft and said blisks respectively have first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 wherein first, second, and third stator coils are fixed to the outer casing in proximate opposed relation respectively to the first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 wherein an exhaust flow is established which generates electric power in a three stage superconducting turbine core and powers the superconducting electric bypass fan and does so by inducing an electrical current into the fixed first, second, and third stator coils which drives the fan blades to push and compress air for thrust in SUPERFAN.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 wherein the stator coils are cryogenic copper field coils.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 wherein there are superconducting stator channels between the stators coils and the outer casing and superconducting cables in the outer casing and electrical power flows from the stator coils to the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 wherein a high speed plasma injector connects the multiple stage axial compressor with the ion plasma combustor and a low speed plasma injector connects the multiple stage axial compressor with the ion plasma combustor.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 wherein the multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core includes an inlet guide vane and an outlet guide vane.

19. A gas turbine engine comprising: an outer casing; a central longitudinal hollow shaft with a forward air inlet; a three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan with front and rear fan blades and a diffuser blade interposed between said front and rear fan blades wherein the diffuser blade rotates in an opposite direction to the front and rear fan blades; a variable speed multiple stage superconducting axial compressor positioned aft of the three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan; a multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core positioned aft of the multiple stage variable speed superconducting axial compressor, wherein the front fan blade, the diffuser fan blade, and the rear fan blade are incorporated respectively into a first blisk, a second blisk, and a third blisk each positioned radially outwardly from the longitudinal hollow shaft and said blisks respectively have first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils, and the first, second, and third cryogenic copper field stator coils are fixed to the outer casing in proximate opposed relation respectively to the first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils, and an exhaust flow is established by the combustor impinging on the three stage turbine rotor blades generating electricity in the superconducting electric core and rotates the superconducting electric bypass fan adding kinetic energy to the mass air flow as bypass air and is driven by an electrical current in the fixed first, second, and third stator coils.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 wherein there are superconducting stator channels between the stators coils and the outer casing and superconducting cables in the outer casing and electrical power flows from the stator coils to the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of a preferred embodiment of the hybrid gas turbine engine of the invention;

[0063] FIG. 2 is a table showing program and engine details;

[0064] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section showing a three stage superconducting bulk turbine core;

[0065] FIG. 4 is a three quarter view single stage HTS coil, HTS bulk plate, and HTS coil superconducting turbine core;

[0066] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the HTS plates and the HTS pancake coils;

[0067] FIG. 6 is a view of the power electric core;

[0068] FIG. 7 is a view of the three stage core showing magnetic torque being dependent on geometrical parameters;

[0069] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a pulsed magnetic field feedback circuit to the rotor blisk bulk superconductors;

[0070] FIGS. 9 and 9A are a view showing electrical segmentation and turbine layout and related equations;

[0071] FIG. 10 is a view of the turbine superconducting bulk trapped field 8-pole core;

[0072] FIG. 11 is a graph showing pulsed field amplitude at blisk at Gd—Ba—Cu—O;

[0073] FIG. 12 is a view of the single axial electromagnetic superconducting stage of a 3-stage core;

[0074] FIG. 13 is a graph showing a power density spectrum of gas turbine and electrical machines;

[0075] FIG. 14 is a view showing how DC current is pumped down to and around the 8-pole bulk Gd—Ba—Cu—O ring superconducting arrays through the use of a superconducting flux pump;

[0076] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram showing the electric bypass design cycle and down select to sizing/mission operation;

[0077] FIG. 16 is a view showing the ion plasma can annular combustor;

[0078] FIG. 17 is a vector flow design and innovation diagram;

[0079] FIG. 18 is an electric non-Brayton cycle schematic;

[0080] FIG. 19 is a flow diagram showing the ion plasma combustor control system;

[0081] FIGS. 20 and 20A are respectively graphs and equations showing and predicting engine compressor performance;

[0082] FIG. 21 shows flow chart metrics of performance;

[0083] FIG. 22 shows first stage compressor performance analysis; and

[0084] FIG. 23 shows step by step parametric performance analysis starting with the first stage compressor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Superfan Power Generation Turbine Core:

[0085] Referring to FIG. 1, the SuperFan power generation core is a 3-stage turbine with associated power extracting counter rotating blisks 20, 22, and 24 removing kinetic energy from the exhaust flow, and with embedded superconducting power generation technology embedded in each blisk houses the capacity to induce current into inter-stage stationary fixed stators, affixed to the outer casing. Electric power flows from the rotating blisks into the fixed stators where it flows inboard to the engine hollow core, and outboard to the engine casing through superconducting stator channels and is then distributed through superconducting cables (60) in the hollow—core forward to the electric compressor and associated triple-stage, all-electric bypass fans. The embedded superconductors in the rotating blisks are of a design that is greatly unique and innovative as of what is known in the art. A superconducting machine design is strongly dependent on the desired method of cooling. With significant cooling available as through the use of a cryogen in liquid form (Hydrogen or Nitrogen) it allows both the rotor and the stator to be superconducting, meaning in the turbine core the rotating turbine blisks are superconducting and the stationary stators may also be superconducting. In the SuperFan 3-stage turbine blisks core design, the core uses what is termed an “axial trapped magnetic flux design” with the rotating blisks rotating and suspended above, with magnetic levitation permanent magnets, the hollow core shaft, guided in electromagnetic channels, and with the associated stators hung from the ceiling of, what you will call, the outer the engine casing. It will be understood that the gas turbine engine includes an outer casing 26. There is also a central longitudinal hollow shaft 28 with a forward air inlet 30 and a three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan 32 with a front fan blade 34 and rear fan blade 36. A diffuser blade 38 is interposed between the front and rear fan blades, and the diffuser blade which rotates in an opposite direction to the front and rear fan blades.

[0086] A multiple stage superconducting axial compressor 40 is positioned aft of the three stage rotating superconducting electric bypass fan. A multiple stage superconducting electric turbine core 42 is positioned aft of the multiple stage variable speed superconducting axial compressor.

[0087] The front fan blade, the diffuser fan blade, and the rear fan blade are incorporated respectively into the first blisk, the second blisk, and the third blisk, with each being positioned radially outwardly from the longitudinal hollow shaft. These blisks respectively have first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils 44, 46, and 48. First, second, and third stator coils 50, 52, and 54 are fixed to the inner hollow core and outer casing in proximate opposed relation respectively to the first, second, and third integral superconducting rotor electromagnetic coils. A mass flow of accelerated air is generated by the 3-stage bypass fan 56 is established which rotates the superconducting electric bypass fan to remove kinetic energy from the exhaust flow to induce an electrical current in the fixed first, second, and third stator coils.

[0088] The stator coils are cryogenic copper field coils. There are superconducting stator channels 58 between the stator coils and the outer casing and superconducting cables 60 in the outer casing. Electrical power flows from the stator coils to the multiple stage superconducting axial compressor.

[0089] The multiple stage superconducting axial compressor is a variable speed multiple stage superconducting axial compressor. A high speed plasma injector 62 and a low speed plasma injector 64 connect the multiple stage axial compressor with an ion plasma combustor 66. There is also an inlet guide vane 68 and a static inlet guide vane 70.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 2, in a first embodiment of the SuperFan invention and its associated 3-Stage turbine core, counter rotating trapped flux field bulk superconducting magnets, as in Gd—Ba—Cu—O single grain bulks, are associated to generate multi-megawatt levels of AC electricity in the generator armatures (Blisk Rotor) and align with Bi2223 wound superconducting coils in the stator. In the Gd—Ba—Cu—O trapped field bulk magnets a cryogen is used for cooling to 50K-65K, creating the cryogenic environment and superconducting condition. Liquid hydrogen is preferred (double utility of the hydrogen cryogen is that it may be also used as fuel to burn in the combustor for combustor with resultant exhaust flow to drive the 3-stage superconducting core). The “hydrogen is pumped through the associated shaft and across a rotating ferromagnetic seal”, to be introduced into each one of the three rotating superconducting turbine blisks holding the eight-pole Gd—Ba—Cu—O bulk field magnets. Referring to FIG. 3, the wound Bi2223 HTS electromagnetic plates in an 8-pole configuration are associated with the four stators, aligned axially on either side of each rotating blisk. They are integrated to the outer engine casing, structurally, do not rotate, and pull in the induced power from the synchronous (AC voltage or DC voltage with inverter) movement of the high-speed blisk rotor, with the built in Gd—Ba—Cu—O bulk “puck” superconductors, it passing with small air gap (5.0 mm) between the rotor and the stator. Multi-megawatt power is induced in the embedded cable channels in each stator, and is then moved distally outward to the engine casing, and with a plurality of power electronics and power buses, the power is managed and filtered, and then distributed forward to run the 13-stage, variable-speed, electric superconducting axial compressor and the 3-stage, electric variable speed, fan-diffuser-fan, SuperFan propulsor.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 4, this power generation architecture as described here in the SuperFan 3-stage superconducting turbine core of the engine offering a “superconducting bulk trapped field electromagnetics” architecture has not been seen before of what is known in the art and is unique and novel in aerospace propulsion with gas turbines. Trapped field bulk superconducting architectures offer power and torque densities that are as much as 20 times higher than what is observed in synchronous machine HTS field wound power generation architectures. This novel SuperFan power generation turbine core with the novel “superconducting bulk trapped field electromagnets” pose the very high power densities and efficiencies because of the greatly reduced Joule heating. Referring to FIG. 5, current densities in the Bi2223 coils as to be utilized in the stators receiving power from the bulk Gd—Ba—Cu—O superconductors rotating in the turbine rotor blisks will see current densities in the range from 10,000 to 20,000 A/cm2 in the generated magnetic field. These high power densities are of the “trapped field” electromagnetic induction synchronous machine design with injected excitation flux of electric power achieved with a superconducting flux pump at 1.0%-2.0% (FIGS. 8 and 14) of total generated power. This power generation architecture achieves with bulk superconductors in a trapped field architecture magnetic fields of magnitude over 10 to 20 times higher than in the use of conventional magnets without the trapped field flux field generation. Electromagnetic torques in the SuperFan superconducting power generation core, and those applied as in replacing the mechanical shaft are well above what is presently seen and observed in gas turbines of today, these being between 6 Kw/Kg-8 Kw/Kg. These torque metrics are what is observed in the use of mechanical drive shafts to power turbomachinery bypass fans with the commonly known limited mechanical linkage. Bulk superconductors can exhibit JsC of 5×10−4 Amps/cm−2 at 1-Tesla and 77K (boiling point of liquid nitrogen), resulting in trapped fields of 1.5T-2.0T. Moving to a Gd—Ba—Cu—O in the bulk superconductor “pucks” of the design and an 8-pole synchronous machine and going to a 77T operation temperature with hydrogen, in the SuperFan blisks in the rotor, a “trapped field above 3-Tesla” can be achieved. The electromagnetic architecture of the 3-stage superconducting turbine core in SuperFan is so defined to achieve power densities of 40Kw/kg (approximately 24.6 HP/lb.) to 60 Kw/Kg (approximately 36.9 HP/lb.) at rotational speeds of 8000 rpm to 10,000 rpm with a DC current used to produce a DC magnetic field.

[0092] The SuperFan 3-Stage power generation core is an advanced design whose turbomachinery architecture and subsequent superconducting turbine performance has not been noted before and has not been observed in prior art based on references to this field of use in superconducting turbo-electric aero-propulsion. Referring to FIG. 7, to achieve the aforementioned high power densities in the 3-stage superconducting turbine generation core the pole field magnets are wound with Bi-2223 HTS wire in the stators, and are adjacent to, across the designated air gap of 5.0 mm, the “stator-rotor-stator” turbine single-stage machine a Gd—Ba—Cu—O bulk superconducting “puck magnet” 8-pole array” which are assembled in the rotor blisk plates. These rotor plates are observed in FIGS. 3, 5, 6; of which there are three in order (stator-rotor-stator), these blisks are rotated by the high-speed flow from the combustor with hot exhaust impinging and rotating turbine blades of the blisk(s). The intermittent stator stages (stationary) containing the triangular wire Bi-2223 HTS magnets, hold stator turbine blades to straighten the exhaust flow. A liquid cryogen, either nitrogen to operate at a nominal 77K, or hydrogen to operate at 40K-50K is used and passed across a rotating ferromagnetic seal to which a magnetized surfactant is added to the cryogen as it leaves the storage vessel in the engine core and enters the rotating, bulk superconducting Gd—Ba—Cu—O magnets. The SuperFan 3-stage superconducting bulk field design core allows for magnetization of 2.7T up to 3.5T field strength in this high-speed, homopolar synchronous machine, bulk superconducting design generating power in AC or DC with magnetic flux pump (FIG. 1), offering a smaller and lighter weight generator machine, and suitable to the required high-speed of gas turbomachinery. Projected weights with cryostats custom designed to the cryogenic environment is called for to target a 110 lb./stage design weight in the SuperFan core. Thus for seven stages (stator-rotor -stator-rotor-stator-rotor-stator) it accounts for a 770 lb. turbine core (without engine casing or power electronics, cryostats or superconducting injection flux pump) producing 90MW or 127,000 shaft horse power delivering 135,000 lb. thrust of SuperFan with a 118 inch diameter triple-counter rotating bypass fan at a 20:1 bypass ratio. Non-conventional topologies in the superconducting machine architectures such as these here in SuperFan are required to meet the power density and torque requirements. Typically, in aerospace propulsion torque demands made of electric superconducting machines can be lower than ground based industrial application because really only the high power is required at take-off, and more nominal power loadings and torque demands are seen at the cruise condition at altitude. The very light weight of the turbine blisk superconducting generator machines and associated topologies in the SuperFan 3-Stage turbine core are designed around the notion of a high force density superconducting generators. Referring to FIG. 8, here more than 3.0T in magnetic field strength, and a DC current to minimize AC losses, is designed at the magnetic shear gap (approximately 5.0 mm between the rotor and the stators). Flux concentrations and flux trapping is created about the YBCO electromagnetic “puck’ bulk round plates (8-pole) in the stators of the turbine core.

[0093] SuperFan superconducting 3-stage turbine core is three high torque density generation machines which are possible through developing large magnetic fields through the rotor coils in a cryogenic environment HTS wire in the rotor field race track “triangular” coils operating at 20K-30K. Low loss of power density and improved electrical stability, between the rotating bulk field YBCO magnets and the wound Bi2223 wire triangular race track plates occurs with large magnetic fields initially being injected into the coils, and as observed in the design and simulations of the SuperFan design power generation currents are defined in the design of more than 200 amps/sq. cm (FIGS. 10, 11, 13).

[0094] Large capacity, high density, high-speed superconducting generators require very high torque generation to be effective due to the creation of the large magnetic fields within the rotor coils of this synchronous machine. The SuperFan multistage, axial superconducting power generation core is such a machine in a series of three stages as rotors with the bulk superconducting magnets and the four interstage stators housing wound Bi2223 field electromagnets. HTS rotor bulk field magnets cooled with hydrogen or nitrogen are attractive as the magnetic field strength and power density can be an order of magnitude higher than as observed in conventional machines, and at half the weight and at one third the size. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, in order to generate these large fields, and to show HTS fields of the bulk field magnets in the rotor of the SuperFan superconducting power generation core, large currents (often >200A) must be injected or excited into the bulk field magnets. This requires in each of the three stages of the SuperFan bulk field magnet rotors be penetrated by at least two metal current leads carrying DC current from ambient temperature to cryogenic temperature (FIG. 14). The DC current leads used in this SuperFan power generation core on each one of the rotor blisks containing the bulk field superconducting magnets impose a substantial thermal load upon the cryogenic system, both ohmic heating and thermal conduction heating. This the incurred cooling requirements leads to significant additional thermal loading and cryogenic management. A further design challenge of the axial synchronous rotor turbine blisk superconducting machines in the SuperFan power generating core is the requirement of large DC generated currents across a rotating joint, in order to excite the HTS bulk field magnets. Existing excitation technologies such as slip rings and high frequency brushless exciters all reduce performance and increase complexity of the machine design. Slip-ring contacts suffer from arc erosion at high currents and are unsuited for operation at high speeds above 1000 rpm. Additionally, it reduces the machines power density, reliability, and can cause high maintenance costs.

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a novel and unique approach is used in the SuperFan superconducting turbine core to overcome the challenges of slip-ring DC current injection technology. SuperFan uses a unique design of a superconducting rotating flux pump exciter, where a DC current is injected directly across the cryostat wall, thus enabling the direct excitation of the HTS rotor bulk “puck” 8-pole trapped flux, synchronous rotor array in each turbine rotor machine blisk. across the cryostat wall, in the superconducting turbine core. The superconducting flux pump exciter injects DC electrical current (FIG. 14) and at variable frequency as denoted by the speed RPM of each individual SuperFan blisk in the turbine core. There is a superconducting flux pump injector associated with each turbine stage, thus a count of three. A voltage from an integrated capacitor energy storage bank in the SuperFan outer engine casing which is integrated across the stator delivering electric stages of DC current, a 1.0%-2.0% voltage current through a series-connected circuit “Ro”, at a constant open circuit voltage of V-infinity, at a resistance “Rd”. In operation the superconducting flux pump exciter with voltage, V-infinity, is observed to be proportional to the frequency of magnet crossings (8-pole bulk Gd—Ba—Cu—O magnets) over the HTS wire (or tape), which acts as the conductor to inject the required voltage at the cryogenic wall of the blisk interface, whilst Rd is attributed to the effect of dynamic resistance due to the oscillating magnetic fields experienced by the HTS 8-pole stator bulk magnets in the blisk.

Turbofan Cycle Analysis: Mechanical Versus Electrical

[0096] Referring to FIG. 15, the power balance between the fan Tf, the compressor, Tc and the turbine Tr, is developed through the relationship between total temperature Tt ratios across these components in the following expressions:

Tt=1−Tr/Ta[Tc−1+@9(Tf−1)]

[0097] For given values of Tr, Ta and Tc, there is one value of Tf for each value of alpha that satisfies all temperature ratios across these components. This can be further expressed in terms of bypass ratio, @ such thatt:

@=Taa(Tc−Tf)−Tc−1 TrTc(Tf−1)Tf−1

[0098] An expression of this equation can be derived in integral form (change in temperature and pressure ratio over time, to total change in bypass air and thus fan pressure ratio) to demonstrate a variable fan pressure ratio and bypass ratio for an electric multi-stage turbofan as compared to a mechanically driven turbofan as it relates to temperature, as bypass is inversely proportional to temperature and velocity.

[0099] The invention described herein, SuperFan, demonstrates that a multi-disc, turbofan assembly concept, because each fan disc is driven independently by an electric superconducting shaftless core blisk, the fan pressure ratio (hence the mass flow) and the bypass ratio can be varied and optimized against temperature across the main components, fan compressor and turbine. An integral expression of an “electric variable multi-stage ratio bypass fan” with “bypass ratio” in a mixed flow hybrid electric turbofan, as it relates to temperature and pressure, and as turbine temperature moves toward (Delta time) and an optimal temperature ratio of 1.0, divided by the fan temperature as it moves toward the compressor-turbine temperature ratio, the power balance of the turbine and the compressor total temperature is removed from the total endothermic/enthalpic power balance of the turbine, remaining and leaving the bypass thermic reaction of mixer gasses and variation of pressure across the fan independent and highly efficient (fan pressure ratio of change in Delta P).

Superfan Electromagnetic Combustor

[0100] Referring to FIG. 16, SuperFan has an electromagnetic combustor so designed to improve thrust and efficiency and to remove almost all greenhouse gas emissions by the application of a significantly large external electromagnetic field to a mixture of atomized air, molecularized with fuel to s specific predetermined density, in an annular turbine combustor configuration, where by a can-annular design predominates in a circumferential geometry about at central hollowcore and the rotating 3-spool shafts.

[0101] An electric current from the superconducting turbine power core of SuperFan is distributed into the atomized air by a plurality of ion plasma fuel injectors of which at least two injectors, a high speed and a low speed injector (FIG. 16) make up the fuel combustion injection process of one of the each twelve can-annular combustor chambers, thus to affect the propagation speed, stability, flame size and shape of combustion chemistry of the fuel air mixture at the flame front. One aspect of the disclosed SuperFan electromagnetic combustor is the illustration of a single can-annular combustor in side-view, with a flame holder, flame holder region, combustion region and a high speed, and low speed electromagnetic fuel injector(s) with electric arc generation coils and permanent magnet fuel distribution coils (FIG. 16), so designed for combustion efficiency and includes a novel radial magnetic soaring arc flame stabilizer (RMSAFS) to stabilize the flame front and its progression across the combustor. No physical cavities or apertures to capture combustion products to improve residence time and stabilize flame intensities and position as are seen in current art. None are observed in the SuperFan Ion Plasma Combustor, thus making this component of the invention in the SuperFan gas turbine unique in its process to stabilize the flame front during circulation of combustion products in the can annular architecture extracting the kinetic energy from the fuel into high speed flow in cycling to thermal energy and a positive delta on thrust. This configuration also addresses combustion noise, reducing it as the flame front is protected from temperatures surges and instabilities which the magnetic arc field controls, which is the driver for acoustic stability and can be suppressed to as low levels as 65 dB while the NOx emission can be kept in the single digit range according to SuperFan engineering data (6.0-9.0 PPM) with 1300.0 Degree C. combustor exit temperatures at atmospheric conditions.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 19, according to the disclosed technology here of plasma injector combustion, a plasma discharge is created by applying a direct (DC) electric field between two electrodes. The Magnetic Ion Plasma Annular Injection Combustor (MIPAIC) receives power from DC electricity from the 3-stage superconducting turbine core of SuperFan, which is set behind the combustor, receiving its flow to operate and rotate. The electric load is directly deposited to the ion plasma injection electrodes. A power bus controls and maintains the electric load within specific limits to control the discharge and plasma intensity so as to maintain an average electron temperature (Te) and average gas temperature Tg, where gas temperature from combustion is roughly 2800 F. Air exits in between the electrode pairs in a circular arc ring which follows the circumference of the interior curvature of the outer casing of the combustion annular can of which there are twelve units, and lie inside of the combustor liner that is adjacent to the cylindrical geometry of the engine casing. Referring to FIG. 18, there is shown the layout and schematic of the electric architecture of the ion plasma power control system, which comprises of a plurality of sensors, coupled to a switch controller. The energy source comes from the superconducting turbine core which is coupled through a capacitor bank in the power management architecture, along with pulse power and a three phase governor, and to a controller, and a combustor core thermal generator. A switch relay case which runs off the switch controller an in series through the power bus provides electrical power to the respective plasma injection electrodes. Control maybe programmed to control the switch controller and provide optimal plasma injection and combustion performance.

[0103] Positioning is set whereby the location of the injectors is more closely aligned with the upstream end of each combustor annular can where the inlet velocity is highest from the combustion gases. Thus the placement of the ion plasma injectors is set so that the highest degree of plasma atmospheric saturation can occur of the fuel and the magnetic field enhances to the highest level of charge density, and thus highest atmospheric charge density ratio of the fuel within the magnetic field, and enhancing to the highest parts per million count of fuel to density ratio of the incoming air (oxidizer), and as determined by the pressure differential from the upstream compressor and diffuser air, and the temperature gradient across the combustor can, from the downstream lower pressure and diffused combustor air. This is done so that the perimeter of diffused combustor air, and its velocity, is slowed by the last several diffuser vane stages in front of the combustor, and the cylindrical arrangement of annular combustor cans, and the higher velocity compressed air, interacts with the higher density molecularized fuel that is dispersed as it is coming from the higher density arrangement of the electrically charged ion plasma injectors. At the square area of the surfaces at the interior perimeter of first the annular combustor cans, compared to the lower density placement per square area of the ion fuel injectors at the back of the can annulus, the flow is dispersed evenly but accelerated (closed end) by the plasma discharges of the plasma injectors and the magnetic fields on the control of flame front and flame intensity which is a component of required residence time and creation of lean electric ion plasma fuel combustion.

[0104] For the magnetic ion plasma combustor process to begin, heated airflow from the SuperFan compressor impinges upon the closed end of the annular combustor, which sits in a circumferential geometry around the interior of the combustor liner (FIG. 16.). The diameter of the combustor liner closely matches the diameter of the last stage of the last compressor stage at approximately 42.0 inches. The circumferential arrangement of the annular combustor and its geometry is set so the predominant mixing area between the molecularized fuel and the compressor inlet air flow is slightly smaller in diameter, where the height of the annulus of the combustor is a maximum of approximately 10.0″. Bypass air from the triple-fan of SuperFan provides additional thrust and cools the interior of the combustor. The annular combustor is structurally supported by the interior and exterior combustor liners and at their circumference, of the end plate for the combustor chamber. The annular combustor has a series of holes circumferentially at the closed end, with also a series of stream tubes with slots in them which allows heated compressed air into the annulus of the combustor where the ion plasma injector arrays are located. The annular ion plasma combustor of SuperFan has a plurality of ion plasma injectors, both high-speed and low-speed, joined by an ignition assembly and adjoining fuel pumps, spaced circumferentially around the combustor, evenly spaced about the combustor zones. There are twelve combustor zones about the combustor, radially. Each combustion region has a flame holder sector, or region, and this sector is so designed for combustor efficiency and placement of the flame front as molecular density of mixing fuel and air increases with expansion and movement aft from the front of the annular combustor to the back of the combustor. The combustor efficiency design which is observed by the placement and the distribution of each high-speed and low-speed plasma injector also includes a novel, radial magnetic soaring arc flame stabilizer (RMSAFS) to stabilize the flame front and its progression across the combustor (FIG. 16). No physical activities or cavities or apertures are used to stabilize the flame front during circulation of the fuel and its atomization, as is known in the current art. This makes such features in the combustor novel and unique in the SuperFan ion plasma combustor design. This configuration also addresses combustion noise, reducing it as the flame front is protected by temperature surges and instabilities which the magnetic arc field controls, which is the driver for acoustic stability and can be suppressed to as low a level as 80 dB while the NOx emission can be kept in the single digit level (6.0-9.0PPM) with 1300 degree C., combustor exit temperature at atmospheric condition.

Hybrid-Electric Aero-Propulsion Versus All-Electric Aero-Propulsion.

[0105] The energy density of jet fuel is 43.0 MJ/Kg, while Lithium Ion Polymer batteries achieve not even 1.0 MJ/Kg of energy density. It is hard pressed to think that all electric propulsion has any chance at all in flying passengers at 250 seats per airliner across the country, not alone a short hop from LA to San Francisco. But it amazing how many young companies are trying this when the energy and scientific facts are stacked against them, the physics and math are not just there.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 20-21, energy density is only half of the problem when it comes to the reality of development of electric propulsion for flight, versus a hybrid electric propulsion system as can be examined in a flow chart of engine metric efficiency. In looking at a medium range aircraft, let's base the engine propulsion system on the CCFM56 turbofan engine. These engines produce between 100 kN to 150 kN of thrust. In cruise their thrust is considerably lower due to the low density in cruise altitude and due to them moving at Mach 0.85. We use a value of 25 kN—this is enough so that two engines (one under each wing) will comfortably push an A320 class passenger aircraft (think JetBlue, they fly the largest fleet of A320's globally) through thin air at altitude.

[0107] The power to produce such an amount of thrust is force times speed. The speed when flying at Mach 0.85 at 35,000 ft. is 240 m/s, so the power produced by one engine is 6.0 MW. Now if one examines how big and heavy an electric motor is to be to produce 6.0 MW continuously, it is considerable. Big industrial motors come in at 1 kW/Kg, so the electric motor to support this flight condition is 6 tons. This is three times the weight of a CFM56-2 at 4,298 lb. The electric motor in this case here still has no casing, no fan, no power management electronics and no energy source (lithium batteries or hydrogen fuel cells are the current choice). The smaller electric motors for aircraft are pushing 10 kW/Kg, which is the power to weight ratio of the GE90 turbofan, but when the small electric motors are scaled up to size will lose half that power to weight ratio, so 5 kW/Kg. Also, even at 98% efficiency the motor will generate 120 kW of heat—this needs to be removed, and operating in thin air makes this challenging.

[0108] With current technology of today the motor could achieve maybe 2 or 3 kW/Kg—this means the motor driving our hypothetical engine comes in at 2 to 3 tons. Add to this the fan, the engine casing, the power management electronics (but will not need the high pressure components of the turbomachinery), but double the fan weight because it is needed to be compensated for the high energy core flow, which is missing. This is 50% of the weight of the CFM56-2, so 1.2 tons of additional weight is added.

[0109] This hypothetical aircraft propulsion motor will be twice as heavy as the parts it replaces. There is considerable work needing to be done, even with the influx of synchronous AC superconducting motor machines, before all electric propulsion has any advantage to power a 200 passenger airliner. Then there is the notion of range, and the challenges of an energy source to power twin electric fan motors in the A320 Airbus example here across 2000 nautical miles, wheels up to touch down. Electric propulsion does offer the advantage of not dumping half of the energy supplied to it (jet fuel) overboard in a hot, fast moving, noisy gas stream.

[0110] Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23 and concluding, hybrid electric turbofan propulsion as discussed here with SuperFan provides the ultimate solution to “going green” in the future of global commercial air transport. SuperFan offers many benefits including dramatic efficiency gains in fuel burn reduction and compressor efficiency via the shaftless electric architecture from onboard power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with on board engine power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by close to 95%; by powering the plasma injection combustor with the hollow shaftless superconducting power core providing variable electric speed fans, compressor and turbine 100% thermal and aerodynamic matching; and in achieving considerable noise reductions as the acoustic map of the hybrid electric turbofan blading is held in magnetic levitation with both root and tips of all blade and fan structures captured, vibration becomes non-existent.

[0111] On power source energy density, jet fuel is about 43 MJ/Kg, while Lithium polymer batteries achieve not even 1.0 MJ/Kg! In a future commercial electric aircraft motor for flight the electric current will be produced by either a high efficiency turbine-generator combination, or by fuel cells, burning hydrogen at twice the efficiency of a conventional jet engine. Hydrogen packs 142 MJ per Kilogram, at twice the efficiency the electric airliner would only need 162 Kg of hydrogen for every ton of jet fuel in a conventional jet. However, despite its amazingly high energy density content, hydrogen takes up three times the volume of other carbon fuels, so to fly, the A320 airliner scenario would make the airliner three times its size.

[0112] On Lithium batteries for all electric flight, the fact that empty batteries weigh as much as full ones is the final nail in the coffin of battery powered flight, cutting duration and range drastically. While your average long range jet lands at 60% of its take-off weight, the battery powered jet would have to carry those heavy batteries all the way to the final destination. To be competitive in this aircraft operation scenario with a US cross country range airliner, these hypothetical Lithium batteries would have to have twice the energy density of kerosene. With energy density, jet fuel has 34 MJ/Kg, whereas batteries having up to 0.36 MJ/Kg, so there would need to be more than 100 times more space on board to store the same amount of energy.

[0113] Additionally, even if Lithium ion battery technology advances dramatically over the next ten years to where it has equal energy density to jet fuel and is also stable (major safety concerns in aviation), the aircraft will need to carry the entire mass of the batteries for the entire duration of the flight. Thus as the flight goes on, far more energy will be used per mile on a battery powered flight than on a fuel-powered one, even if the batteries have the same energy density of the fuel. This also means that even more battery mass will be needed for the same range, since that extra energy requirement has come from the batteries.

[0114] The following prior art references may assist one of ordinary skill in the art in the practice of this invention.

[0115] “Aircraft Engine Emissions, Environmental (EMV) Unit”. International Civil Aviation Organization. 1.6.2011. http//www.icao.int/icao/en/env/aee.htm

[0116] “The Implementation of Powered Gearboxes into Turbofans to Improve Engine Efficiency”. AIAA 2014 Propulsion and Power Symposium, Session A8, Paper #144

[0117] “Development in Geared Turbofan AeroEngine”, IOP Science. 11.1.2016. http://iopscience.iop.org/article.10.1088/1757-899X/131/1/012019/pdf

[0118] “Flying's New Gear”. The Economist. 1.2.2016 http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21684775-quieter-more-economical-jet-engine-fitted-gearbox

[0119] “Aircraft Engine Emissions. Environmental (EMV) Unit”. International Civil Aviation Organization. 1.6.2011. http//:www.icao.int/icao/en/env/aee.htm

[0120] “Liebherr-Aerospace and Rolls Royce create power gearbox joint venture”. Liebherr. 6.11.2015. http//:www.liebherr.com/en/usa/latest-news/news-press-releases/detail/liebherr-aerospace-and-Rolls -Royce-create-power-gearbox-joint-venture.html

[0121] “High Power Superconducting Electric Motors”. 2007 Annual Review; NASA GRC. Dr. Philippe Masson, (UAPT PI), Jules Pienkos, PhD.

[0122] “High Specific Power HTS Electric Machines”. Konstantine Kovalev, et al., pe.org.pl/articles/2017/11/27.

[0123] Z. Sheng, J. Tang, S. Cheng and Z. Hu. “Modal Analysis of Double Helical Planetary Gears with Numerical and Analytical Approach”,. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 08.04.2014

[0124] G. Norris. “Rolls Royce Details Advance and UltraFan Test Plan”. Aviation Week. 08.25.2014.

[0125] “Rolls Royce runs worlds most powerful aerospace gear box for the first time”. Rolls Royce. 01.08.2016. http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/press-releases/yr-2016/pr-24-10-2016-rr-runs-worlds-most-powerful-aerospace-gearbox-for-the-first-time.aspx.

[0126] U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,510

[0127] U.S. Pat. No. 8,446,060

[0128] U.S. Pat. No. 8,720,205

[0129] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. Each and every page of this submission, and all contents thereon, however characterized, identified, or numbered, is considered a substantive part of this application for all purposes, irrespective of form or placement within the application. This specification is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure.