Patent classifications
B64D2033/024
BATTERY PREHEATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS IN AN AIRCRAFT HYBRID ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN
A battery heating system for a hybrid aircraft powertrain includes a combustion engine, a battery pack, a combustion engine coolant circuit, and a battery pack coolant circuit. The battery heating system further includes a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the combustion engine coolant circuit and the battery pack coolant circuit. The battery heating system further includes at least one throttling device operatively connected to one of the combustion engine coolant circuit or the battery pack coolant circuit. The battery heating system further includes a controller configured to transmit a signal to the at least one throttling device to adjust a flow of coolant through the heat exchanger of at least one of the combustion engine coolant circuit or the battery pack coolant circuit.
AIRCRAFT
An aircraft comprises a machine body. The machine body encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a combustor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The machine body comprises a single fluid inlet aperture, with the fluid inlet aperture being configured to allow a fluid cooling flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the heat exchanger module. The heat exchanger module is configured to transfer a waste heat load from the gas turbine engine and the ancillary systems to the fluid cooling flow prior to an entry of the entire fluid cooling flow into the fan module.
TURBOFAN GAS TURBINE ENGINE
A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter (D). The heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements.
The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The inlet duct has a fluid path length along a central axis of the inlet duct between a downstream-most face of the heat transfer elements and an upstream-most face of the fan assembly. The fluid path length is less than 10.0*D.
AIRCRAFT
An aircraft comprises a machine body which encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine. The turbofan gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger module, fan assembly, compressor module, turbine module, and exhaust module. The heat exchanger module communicates with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes first heat transfer elements that transfer heat energy from a first fluid within the transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the transfer elements before entry of the airflow into a fan assembly inlet. The first fluid contained within transfer elements has a temperature, and the airflow passing over the transfer element surface has a temperature. The turbofan gas turbine engine further includes at least one second heat transfer element, with the or each second heat transfer element transfers heat energy from the first fluid to a second fluid.
AIR DIRECTION ARRANGEMENT FOR AN AIRCRAFT WITH INTEGRATED HEAT EXCHANGER
An air direction arrangement for an aircraft. The air direction arrangement contains an inlet opening and an inlet channel connected thereto and which is at least partially surrounded by an outer wall. The inlet channel is configured to guide air to an engine of the aircraft. The outer wall contains at least one outlet channel and at least one outlet element. The outlet element is configured to selectively release or close the outlet channel for an air flow from the inlet channel into the environment of the aircraft. The air direction arrangement contains a heat exchanger in the outlet channel to discharge thermal energy to the air flow which is flowing from the inlet channel into the environment of the aircraft.
Dual hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft having a cross-connecting clutch
A propulsion system for an aircraft is disclosed, and includes a first propeller, a second propeller, a first hybrid propulsion system, a second hybrid propulsion system, and a cross-connecting clutch. The first hybrid propulsion system includes a first motor coupled to a first engine by a first overrunning clutch, where the first hybrid propulsion system is operably coupled to drive the first propeller. The second hybrid propulsion system includes a second motor coupled to a second engine by a second overrunning clutch, where the second hybrid propulsion system is operably coupled to drive the second propeller. The cross-connecting clutch is operably coupled to both the first hybrid propulsion system and the second hybrid propulsion system and configured to actuate into an engaged position.
System and method for cooling a leading edge of a high speed vehicle
A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply may be in fluid communication with at least one fluid passageway that passes through the outer wall to deliver a flow of cooling fluid, such as liquid metal, to the stagnation point. The liquid metal vaporizes when the leading edge experiences a high heat load, thereby transpiration cooling the leading edge and/or facilitating a magnetohydrodynamic process for generating thrust or electricity.
MOTOR-INTEGRATED FAN, AND VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING CRAFT
A motor-integrated fan sucks air from a suction port and blows out the sucked air from a blow-out port. The motor-integrated fan includes a shaft part that is provided at a center of a rotational axis; a rotation part that is rotated about the shaft part; an outer peripheral part that is provided on an outer periphery of the shaft part; a motor that rotates the rotation part; a heat generating part that generates heat due to an operation of the motor; and a cooling unit that cools the heat generating part with cooling air. The cooling unit includes an air intake port that takes the cooling air in, an air discharge port that discharges the cooling air, and a cooling flow channel that leads to the air discharge port from the air intake port via the heat generating part.
Heat exchange module for a turbine engine
A heat exchange module is provided for a turbine engine. The heat exchange module includes a duct and a plurality of heat exchangers. The duct includes a flowpath defined radially between a plurality of concentric duct walls. The flowpath extends along an axial centerline through the duct between a first duct end and a second duct end. The heat exchangers are located within the flowpath, and arranged circumferentially around the centerline.
Self-regulating back-side pressurization system for thermal insulation blankets
High-pressure fan duct bleed air is used to pressurize a cavity between the fan duct inner wall and the inner wall thermal insulation blankets. The cavity is pressurized to prevent hot air from the nacelle core compartment from flowing under the insulation blankets and degrading the fan duct inner wall. Pressure regulating valves (PRV) allow better control of the cavity pressure during different phases of the flight profile and under different levels of insulation blanket seal degradation by passively controlling exit area from the cavity based on an established pressure limit. Moreover, the pressurization system can be implemented as a passive cooling system by increasing the mass flow rate into the cavity and then the core compartment to a level suitable for core compartment cooling. The cooling air can be vented at the forward end of the insulation blanket assembly to provide core compartment ventilation flow, or vented through dedicated ports in the insulation blanket for targeted core compartment component cooling.