A power system for an aircraft engine provides rotational drive to propeller driven and turbofan jet engine powered aircraft by use of a propeller or fan drive motor. Electrical power is provided to the drive motor by a high efficiency electrical power generator with reduced electromagnetic drag or reverse torque. The electric generator utilizes a solid state rotor that does not rotate which allows for power generation without reverse torque or the usual energy required to rotate the rotor inside the stator of the generator. Only the magnetic poles of the disclosed rotor rotate to generate the power. The fan blades of the turbofan jet engine are driven by the electric drive motor in which the rotor is a part of the fan as well as the drive from the high pressure turbine.

According to one aspect, a genset includes a gas turbine engine having a low pressure shaft wherein the gas turbine engine is adapted to provide mechanical power to a propulsion type load. The genset further includes a generator having an input power shaft wherein the generator is adapted to receive mechanical power to develop electric power. The genset further includes an output power shaft having a first end coupled to the low pressure shaft of the gas turbine and a second end coupled to the input power shaft of the generator and a plurality of struts wherein the first ends of the plurality of struts are coupled to the gas turbine engine and second ends of the plurality of struts are coupled to the generator at locations substantially aligned with a center of gravity of the generator. A suspension apparatus attaches the gas turbine engine and the generator at mounting locations substantially aligned with a gas turbine engine center of gravity and at mounting locations substantially aligned with the generator center of gravity, respectively.

A propulsor includes an electric motor, a fan unit, and a thrust system positioned downstream of and coupled to the fan unit. The electric motor converts electrical power to mechanical rotation to rotationally drive the fan unit and create an air stream directed towards the thrust control system

An aircraft power system according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, a battery, a motor/generator coupled to the battery, an inertial drum rotatable about an axis of rotation and coupled to the motor/generator, wherein the motor/generator drives rotation of the inertial drum in a first operating mode and is driven by the inertial drum in a second operating mode; and a housing defining a chamber for the inertial drum, the chamber filled with low-viscosity medium to reduce friction on the inertial drum.

The present invention includes a distributed propulsion system for a craft that comprises a frame, a plurality of hydraulic or electric motors disposed within or attached to the frame in a distributed configuration; a propeller operably connected to each of the hydraulic or electric motors, a source of hydraulic or electric power disposed within or attached to the frame and coupled to each of the disposed within or attached to the frame, wherein the source of hydraulic or electric power provides sufficient energy density for the craft to attain and maintain operations of the craft, a controller coupled to each of the hydraulic or electric motors, and one or more processors communicably coupled to each controller that control an operation and speed of the plurality of hydraulic or electric motors.

A vehicle having a first configuration for road use and a second configuration for air use, comprising: road wheels; a traction drive propulsion unit for driving road wheels when in contact with the ground; a thrust propulsion unit for driving a propeller to drive the vehicle through the air; and wherein, when the vehicle is configurable into any of: the first configuration, in which the traction drive propulsion unit is engaged to drive the road wheels on the ground, and the thrust propulsion unit is disengaged from the propeller; the second configuration, in which the traction drive propulsion unit is disengaged such that no drive is provided to the road wheels, and the thrust propulsion unit is engaged with the propeller to drive the vehicle thorough the air; or an intermediate configuration in which the traction drive propulsion unit is engaged to drive the road wheels on the ground, and the thrust propulsion unit is engaged with the propeller to drive the vehicle through the air. A method of operating the vehicle comprises: placing the vehicle in the intermediate configuration with the road wheels in contact with the ground; operating the thrust propulsion unit to drive the propeller, and simultaneously operating the traction drive propulsion unit to drive the wheels, so as to accelerate the vehicle to a predetermined airspeed; and disengaging the traction drive propulsion unit such that no drive is provided to the road wheels, and the propeller drives the vehicle thorough the air.

A hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a propulsor, such as a propeller or ducted fan. A motor/generator drives the propulsor and/or generates electrical energy to be stored in an on-board battery pack. A power turbine is directly connected to the motor/generator via a power shaft, and is driven by exhaust from a gas generator system. The gas generator system has a compressor, a combustor, and a gas generator turbine that drives the compressor via a compressor shaft as well as produces exhaust gas output for the power turbine.

Systems and methods of heat management of turbine engines including turbofans, turboprops and turboshafts and fan driven propulsion systems. The propulsion system may comprise a fan, nacelle, an electrical or mechanical heat source and a cooling system consisting of heat exchangers in the fan duct and on the nacelle and coolant pumps. The heat source can be a motor or a generator or turbine machinery or accessories rotationally coupled to rotating shafts. The heat management system transfers heat to the air in the fan flow path to provide additional fan thrust. The heat management system also transfers heat to structural members in the gas flow path that require anti-icing.

A propulsion system for an aircraft including at least two main gas turbine engines and a plurality of dedicated boundary layer ingestion fans. The propulsion system is arranged such that a combined thrust produced by the boundary layer ingestion fans is less than 20 percent of a total thrust of the main engines and the boundary layer ingestion fans. The boundary layer ingestion fans are controllable and selectively turned off at lower speeds.

A power system of an aircraft includes a hybrid energy storage system with at least two energy storage subsystems each having a different power-energy density. The power system also includes one or more electric motors operably coupled to the hybrid energy storage system and to an aircraft engine. The power system further includes a means for controlling one or more electric power flows of the hybrid energy storage system to/from the one or more electric motors based on a modeled electric power demand associated with an engine load of one or more spools of the aircraft engine.