Abstract
Hybrid powertrains for a fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter, and a V/STOL aircraft. A core of the jet engine rotates an integral generator without gear train, that provides current to charge batteries located in various locations on the aircraft. The batteries are used to power electric motors that provide the sole source of torque to fans, propellers, or rotors that propel the aircraft. These differ from the prior configurations by provisioning integrated architectures.
Claims
1. A jet engine for a fixed wing aircraft comprising: i. a nacelle: ii. a fan case assembled inside the nacelle, wherein the fan case houses a fan; iii. at least one jet engine core is assembled inside the nacelle, wherein the at least one jet engine core includes a low pressure compressor section, a high pressure compressor section, a combustion chamber, a high pressure turbine section, and a low speed turbine section; iv. an electric motor disposed in the fan compartment, wherein operation of the electric motor is independent from the at least one jet engine core, and wherein the fan is rotatably connected to the electric motor; v. a generator is rotatably coupled to the at least one jet engine core; vi. at least one battery disposed outside the fan case and inside the nacelle, wherein the at least one battery receives current from the generator; vii a backup battery disposed outside the nacelle receives current from the generator; and viii. an electronic engine controller responsive to the propulsion requirements of the jet engine selectively provides current to the electric motor from one or more of the at least one battery, the generator, or the backup battery.
2. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the at least one battery includes a plurality of batteries connected by wiring that provides current to the electric motor, wherein the wiring is supported by a fan support structure to provide current to the electric motor.
3. The jet engine of claim 1 further comprising: at least one backup battery disposed in the fuselage of the fixed wing aircraft, wherein the backup battery provides current to the at least one battery connected to the motor.
4. The jet engine of claim 1 further comprising: at least one backup battery disposed in a dry bay of the wing of the fixed wing aircraft or fuselage, wherein the backup battery provides current to the at least one battery connected to the motor.
5. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is disposed in a concentric relationship relative to the generator, wherein the motor and generator are disposed in the fan nacelle.
6. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is disposed in axial alignment with the generator, with the electric motor being disposed in the fan nacelle in front of the fan frame and the generator is disposed behind the fan frame.
7. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the fan rotates at a fan speed that is controlled by a controller to match the flow and performance characteristic of the core flow and is independent of the at least one jet engine core.
8. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein a flexible joint is provided between the low speed spool and the generator.
9. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the at least one jet engine core includes a low speed spool operatively connected to low pressure compressor section and the low speed turbine section, and includes a high speed spool operatively connected to the high pressure compressor section the high pressure compressor section and high pressure turbine section, wherein the low speed spool and the high speed spool both rotate about an axis of rotation and are concentric with each other.
10. The jet engine of claim 1 wherein the jet engine is selected from the group consisting of one of the following: a turbofan engine; a turboprop jet engine; a turbojet engine; and a jet engine having an afterburner.
11. A helicopter, comprising: i. a fuselage; ii. a main rotor; iii. a tail rotor; iv. a jet engine having a core with an axis of rotation, wherein the jet engine is assembled to the fuselage with the axis of rotation oriented in a longitudinal direction; v. a generator driven by the jet engine; vi. an energy storage system that receives current from the generator; vii. a first electric motor that rotates the main rotor and that receives current from the energy storage system; viii. a second electric motor that rotates the tail rotor and that receives current from the energy storage system; and ix. an electronic engine controller responsive to the propulsion requirements of the helicopter selectively provides current to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor from one or more of the energy storage systems.
12. The helicopter of claim 11 wherein at least one jet engine core of the jet engine includes a low speed spool, and/or a high speed spool, wherein the generator is driven by one of the spools.
13. The helicopter of claim 11 wherein the fuselage includes a cabin below the main rotor, and wherein the energy storage system is disposed inside or integral to the cabin.
14. The helicopter of claim 11 wherein the main rotor is driven directly by the first electric motor with no transmission operatively connected between the first electric motor and the main rotor, except a reduction gear pair for starting, contingent on the architecture.
15. The helicopter of claim 11 wherein the tail rotor is driven directly by the second electric motor with no transmission operatively connected between the second electric motor and the tail rotor.
16. A vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft comprising: i. a fuselage; ii. a wing assembled to the fuselage, wherein the wing includes a right wing portion and a left wing portion; iii. an electric motor attached to each of the right wing portion and the left wing portion; iv. a propeller rotated by the electric motor, wherein the electric motor and the propeller are pivotable relative to the wing between a flying position wherein the axis of rotation of the propeller is horizontal to provide thrust in a forward direction, and a takeoff and landing position wherein the axis of rotation of the propeller is vertical to provide thrust in a vertical direction; v. one or more energy storage systems; vi. a jet engine assembled in a fixed position on the wing to provide thrust in the forward direction, wherein the electric motor and fan pivot together relative to the jet engine; vii. a generator rotated by the jet engine provides current to the energy storage system; and viii. an electronic engine controller responsive to the propulsion requirements of the V/STOL aircraft selectively provides current to the electric motor from the one or more energy storage systems.
17. The V/STOL aircraft of claim 16 wherein the generator is rotated by a spool of the jet engine.
18. The V/STOL aircraft of claim 16 wherein the propeller along with the exhaust nozzle is oriented with the axis of rotation horizontal in a cruise flight orientation and the propeller is oriented with the axis of rotation vertical in the V/STOL flight orientation.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fixed wing aircraft having jet engines and an energy storage system in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a turbofan jet engine in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a turbofan jet engine in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partial cross-section view of a turbofan jet engine in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure with the electric motor disposed in an axially tandem orientation with the generator.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partial cross-section view of a turbofan jet engine in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure with the electric motor and the generator disposed in a concentric relationship relative to the generator.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary partial cross-section view of the turbofan jet engine of FIG. 5.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a helicopter having a jet engine in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a turbojet engine in a forward propulsion orientation
[0022] FIG. 9 is a diagram of a control system for a helicopter in accordance with one aspect of this disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a S/VTOL aircraft with the jet engines in cruise condition
[0024] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a S/VTOL aircraft with the jet engines in a vertical takeoff orientation.
[0025] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of a S/VTOL aircraft jet engine in a forward propulsion orientation.
[0026] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine with the propeller moved to a vertical takeoff orientation.
[0027] FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine with a motor frame supported at the front spar of the wing that includes a hinge at an upper location.
[0028] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine with a motor frame supported at the front spar of the wing that includes a hinge at an intermediate location.
[0029] FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine with a motor frame supported at the front spar of the wing that includes a hinge at an upper location and a pitch control structure.
[0030] FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine with the pitch control structure shown in FIG. 16.
[0031] FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine that includes a split front faring in a forward propulsion orientation.
[0032] FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view of a turboprop jet engine that includes a split front faring in a take-off and landing orientation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a fixed wing aircraft 10 is illustrated that includes a fuselage 12 and a pair of wings 14. A propulsion system 16 is assembled to each of the wings 14. The term jet engine as used herein refers to a turbofan, turbojet, turboshaft, turboprop, and engines with afterburners. The propulsion system 16 provides propulsion and current to charge fan case battery packs 18, fuselage battery packs 20, and dry bay battery packs 22.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a turbofan propulsion system 24 for a commercial airplane is illustrated in perspective. A nacelle 26 includes an air inlet cowl 28, a fan cowl 30, and a core and thrust reverser cowl 32. The exhaust system 34 includes a fan exhaust nozzle 36 and a core exhaust nozzle 36 and a plug 38. A pylon 40 attaches the turbofan propulsion system 24 to the wing 14.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, the air inlet cowl 28, fan cowl 30, and core and thrust reverser cowl 32 are shown separated from a jet engine core 42. A fan case 44 encloses a fan 46 and is enclosed by the fan cowl 30. In one exemplary embodiment, the electric motor is a brushless electric motor. The fan 46 is driven by an electric motor 48 (shown in FIGS. 4-6) that is independent from the jet engine core 42. The term independent as used herein means that the jet engine core 42 does not provide mechanical torque to the fan 46.
[0037] Fan case battery packs 18 provide current to the fan 46 and are assembled to the fan case 44. By powering the fan 46 from the fan case battery packs 18 power is conserved because the mass of the aircraft can be reduced because the wiring for the electric motor 48 can be of reduced mass. The current provided to the electric motor 48 may, alternatively or in combination, be provided by a generator 52 (shown in FIGS. 4-6), the fuselage battery packs 20 or the dry bay battery packs 22. An electronic engine controller 54, responsive to the propulsion requirements of the jet engine, selectively provides current to the electric motor 48 from one or more of the fan case battery packs 18, the generator 52, the fuselage battery packs 20, or the dry bay battery packs 22.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 4, a partially cut-away fragmentary enlarged view of the fan case 44, fan 46 are shown with a fan frame 56, the generator 52, and the electric motor 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 48 and generator 52 are assembled to the fan frame 56 in axial alignment with the central axis of the jet engine core 42 with the electric motor 48 in front of the generator 52. The fan frame 56 supports bearings 58 that, in turn, support the fan 46, the motor 48, and the generator 52 for relative rotation. The generator 52 is rotated by the jet engine core 42 to produce current to charge the fan case battery packs 18, the fuselage battery packs 20, or the dry bay battery packs 22. The generator 52 may also provide current to the motor 48 directly.
[0039] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative arrangement is illustrated with a partially cut-away fragmentary enlarged view of the fan case 44, fan 46 are shown with a fan frame 56, the generator 52, and the electric motor 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 48 and generator 52 are assembled to the fan frame 56 concentrically with each other and have a common axis of rotation with the electric motor 48 surrounding the generator 52. The fan frame 56 supports bearings 58 that support the fan 46, the motor 48, and the generator 52 for relative rotation. The generator 52 is rotated by the jet engine core 42 to produce current to charge the fan case battery packs 18, the generator 52, the fuselage battery packs 20, or the dry bay battery packs 22.
[0040] In both the embodiments of FIG. 4 and of FIGS. 5 and 6, The electric motor 48 is not driven by the jet engine core and does not receive any torque from the jet engine core 42. Signal and power cables 60 (wiring) are routed through the fan frame 56 between the electronic engine controller 54 (controller/inverter), the battery packs (18, 20, and 22) and the generator 52. A flexible joint 62 is provided between the generator 52 and the jet engine core 42 to absorb vibration and mitigate differential displacement from the jet engine core 42, should the architecture demand.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 7, a helicopter 70 is illustrated that includes a fuselage 72, a main rotor 74, a tail rotor 76, and a jet engine 16 having an axis of rotation oriented in a longitudinal direction.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 8, a turbojet engine 78 is illustrated in cross-section. The turbojet engine 78 does not include a fan and is an example of a propulsion system 16 that may be included in the helicopter embodiment (FIGS. 7-9) or vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) vehicles (FIGS. 10-19). The turbojet engine 78 includes an inlet 80 that houses a generator 82 that is integral with the jet engine core 84. The engine core 84 includes a compressor section 86 having a selected number of compressor blades 88. A combustion chamber 90 is disposed behind the compressor 86. A turbine section 92 receives exhaust from the combustion chamber 90 that is expelled from the turbojet engine 78. The generator 82 is connected to one of the jet engine core s (not shown) and rotates with the jet engine core that provides torque to rotate the generator 82.
[0043] Current is provided by the generator to the battery pack 22 described above with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6. However, the generator 82 does not provide current to any fan case battery packs 50 nor to any dry bay battery packs 22. The fuselage battery packs 20 provide current to the main rotor 74 and tail rotor 76 of the helicopter 70. In a V/STOL vehicle 100 the generator 82 provides current to either or both of the fuselage battery packs 20 and dry bay battery pack 22.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 9, a flow chart illustrates one example of the drive and control systems of the helicopter 70. Two turbojet engines 78 that include an integral generator 82 provide current to an AC/DC converter 102 that converts the AC current to DC current to charge the fuselage battery pack 20. The fuselage battery packs 20 provide current to a power distributor and speed controller 104. An engine control system 106 responsive to the propulsion requirements and stabilization requirements of the helicopter 70 controls the power distributor and speed controller 104. Current is provided to a main rotor electric motor 108 that rotates the main rotor and to a tail rotor electric motor 110 that rotates the tail rotor 76. Engine control system 106 communicates with the power distributor and speed controller 104 to control the amount of current provided to the electric motors 108 and 110 and speed of rotation of the main rotor 74 and the tail rotor 76.
[0045] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the V/STOL vehicle 100 is illustrated in two different operational modes. The V/STOL vehicle 100 includes two turboprop engines 112 In FIG. 10, the V/STOL vehicle 100 is in a flying position with the axis of rotation of the propeller 114 oriented in a horizontal orientation to provide thrust in a forward direction. In FIG. 11, the V/STOL is a take-off or a landing position wherein the axis of rotation of the propeller is oriented vertically to provide lift in a vertical direction. As used herein the term horizontal is a relative term in that the aircraft climbs and turns and is not always strictly horizontal. The term vertical is a relative term in that the aircraft may move partially in the horizontal direction during take-off and landing.
[0046] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the turboprop engine 112 is illustrated in FIG. 12 with the axis of rotation of the propeller 114 oriented in a horizontal direction to provide thrust in a forward direction. The propeller 114 in FIG. 13 is oriented in a take-off or a landing position wherein the axis of rotation of the propeller is oriented vertically along with the vector controlled exhaust nozzle 126. This is achieved at the aircraft level with engine and aircraft control system coordination.
[0047] The turboprop engines 112 each include a brushless generator 116 that is disposed in an engine mount and support structure 118 and is housed in a turboprop nacelle. The propeller includes a pitch control mechanism (not shown) that is provided in combination with a brushless motor 120. The turboprop engine 112 receives air through an inlet 122, through a compressor gas turbine section 124, and to the exhaust nozzle 126. The compressor gas turbine section 124 may be an axial flow or centrifugal flow type of turbine. The motor 120 and propeller 114 are attached to the turboprop engine 112 by an articulating linkage 128 that is more fully described below with reference to FIGS. 13-20.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 13, the turboprop engine 112 is shown with the motor and pitch control systems rotated to the take-off and landing vertical thrust position by the articulating linkage 128. The structure of the articulating linkage 128 may be altered with two embodiments being shown and described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 14, an intermediate hinge configuration is shown in greater detail wherein the articulating linkage 128 includes a lower linear actuator 130, an upper linear actuator 132 and an intermediate hinge 134 that is supported by a stationary bracket 136 and is disposed between the lower linear actuator 130 and the upper linear actuator 132. The support bracket and the actuation system are supported at the wing front spar and engine mount support structure 142. The lower linear actuator 130 is extended and the upper linear actuator 132 is retracted to move the motor 120 and propeller 114 from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation for take-off and landing. The lower linear actuator 130 is retracted and the upper linear actuator 132 is extended to move the motor and propeller from the vertical orientation to the horizontal orientation for flight. The propeller and brushless motor 120 pivot about the intermediate hinge 134.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 15, a high hinge configuration is shown to include an upper hinge 138 that is supported by a bracket 140 attached to the wing front spar and engine mount support structure 142. An intermediate linear actuator 144 and the lower linear actuator 130 are extended to move the motor 120 and propeller 114 from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation for take-off and landing. The intermediate linear actuator 144 and the lower linear actuator 130 are retracted from the vertical orientation to the horizontal orientation for flight. A hollow propeller shaft 146 is received in the brushless motor 120 and is aligned with the intermediate linear actuator 144. The shaft 146 is such that it permits control/power cables 162 for pitch control mechanism shown in FIG. 16 to pass through.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the articulated linkage 128 is shown with the motor and a pitch control linkage 150. The pitch control linkage 150 includes the motor 120 with a spur/bevel gear 152 and worm gear pairs 154. The spur gears 152 rotate the propellers 114 for pitch control. FIG. 17 is a cross-section showing the motor 120 and pitch control linkage 150. A linkage for a two propeller system is shown but additional propellers may be added with additional linkages. This embodiment shows a concept of the pitch control mechanism using an electromechanical arrangement, however other means of pitch control mechanisms can be adopted and should be obvious to the skilled in the art.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, A split faring 156 is shown that includes a top faring 158 and a bottom faring 160. The articulated linkage 128 is shown to be enclosed in the split faring 156 and is used to move the motor 120 and propeller 114 from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation for take-off and landing. The propeller 114 and motor 120 are shown in the cruise flight orientation in FIG. 18 and are shown in the take-off and landing position in FIG. 19.
[0053] The embodiments described above are specific examples that do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. The features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the following claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and includes modifications of the illustrated embodiments.
