ENHANCED CANOPY FOR MOBILE GROUND POWER UNIT

Abstract

A mobile ground power unit includes a housing in which an engine and an electric generator are disposed. The housing features a canopy having an outer wall facing outside. The outer wall has a single piece covering an upper side of the engine and extending downwards along at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit. The canopy has an inner wall facing inside. The inner wall features a horizontal area covering the upper side of the engine and is extending from the horizontal area downwards along the at least two different vertical sides. The inner wall and the outer wall define a hollow space between each other. The canopy has an integrated ducting system with an inlet opening within the outer wall of the canopy, whereby the hollow space constitutes an air channel for exchanging fluid between the inside and the outside of the housing.

Claims

1. Mobile ground power unit for supplying power to an aircraft parked on the ground, the ground power unit comprising an engine and an electric generator, whereby the electric generator is configured to be driven by the engine, a housing whereby the engine and the electric generator are dis-posed within the housing, wherein the housing features as a component a canopy having an outer wall facing outside the housing, wherein the outer wall is having at least one area consisting of a single piece that is covering an upper side of the engine and that extends downwards along at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit, wherein the canopy comprises an inner wall facing inside the housing, wherein the inner wall features a horizontal area covering the upper side of the engine and is extending from said horizontal area downwards along the at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall define a hollow space between each other, wherein the canopy comprises an integrated ducting system, whereby the ducting system comprises an inlet opening within the outer wall of the canopy, whereby the hollow space constitutes an air channel for exchanging fluid between the inside and the outside of the housing.

2. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall is extending from the horizontal area downwards along at least one vertical side of the ground power unit.

3. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall is opposing the outer wall on more than 75% of the outer wall's inner surface area.

4. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the canopy consists of one single piece.

5. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the canopy is configured to slide on a chassis or on another housing part or a part of the ground power unit so as to be retractable by a sliding movement.

6. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the ducting system comprises at least one exhaust opening within the inner wall of the canopy.

7. Ground power unit according to claim 6, wherein the exhaust opening is located within the horizontal area of the inner wall.

8. Ground power unit according to claim 6, wherein the inlet opening and the exhaust opening are offset from each other.

9. Ground power unit according to claim 6, wherein the exhaust opening is covered by a heat shield which is permeable to air.

10. Ground power unit according to claim 6, wherein the ducting system comprises at least two exhaust openings, wherein one of the exhaust openings is set up for providing cooling air to the surrounding of the engine, whereas another of the exhaust openings is set up to specifically direct air into the air intake of the engine.

11. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening is located on one end of the ground power unit, wherein this one end is vis-à-vis another end of the ground power unit, wherein the other end of the ground power unit comprises a housing exhaust, set up for letting escape used air out of the housing.

12. Ground power unit according to claim 1, wherein the ground power unit comprises a fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank comprises a wall that forms at least one channel that allows air to pass from one side of the fuel tank to another side of the fuel tank.

13. Canopy as a component of a housing for a ground power unit, wherein the ground power unit comprises an engine and an electric generator, wherein the electric generator is configured to be driven by the engine, wherein the canopy is having an outer wall facing outside the housing, wherein the outer wall is having at least one area consisting of a single piece that is covering an upper side of the engine and that extends down-wards along at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit, wherein the canopy comprises an inner wall facing inside the housing, wherein the inner wall features a horizontal area for covering the upper side of the engine and is set up for extending from said horizontal area downwards along the at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall define a hollow space between each other, wherein the canopy comprises an integrated ducting system, whereby the ducting system comprises an inlet opening within the outer wall of the canopy, whereby the hollow space constitutes an air channel for exchanging fluid between the inside and the outside of the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described—by way of example only—with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby

[0070] FIG. 1 is a sketch of a GPU according to the invention, having a canopy according the invention,

[0071] FIGS. 2a-2g are drawings of a GPU according to the invention based on FIG. 1 and incorporating as well many of the advantageous preferred features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0072] FIG. 1 is showing a side view of a GPU 1 according to the invention having a canopy 31.1 according the invention. The GPU 1 comprises an engine 10 and an electric generator 20. The electric generator 20 is configured to be driven by the engine. The GPU comprises a housing 30 whereby the engine 10 and the electric generator 20 are disposed within the inside of the housing 30, which features the canopy 31.1 as a component 31. This component 31 is preferably rotor molded or rotor cast. The canopy 31.1 comprises an inner wall 32 facing inside the housing 30 and an outer wall 33 facing outside the housing 30, wherein the inner wall 32 and the outer wall 33 define a hollow space 34 between each other. The outer wall 33 is having an area consisting of a single piece that is covering an upper side—here all the upper side—of the engine 10 and in this case also of the generator 20 and that extends downwards along at least two different vertical sides of the ground power unit 1.

[0073] This allows to have a GPU with a canopy that serves more than only covering from rain. It may also serve as sound damper, or duct system for fresh air.

[0074] FIG. 2a-2g are showing a GPU 1 according to the invention based on FIG. 1 incorporating as well many of the advantageous preferred features. FIG. 2a is a side view, FIG. 2b a frontal view, FIG. 2c and d cross-sectional views, wherein in FIG. 2d, the canopy is retracted, FIG. 2e a bottom view of only the canopy, wherein the approximate position of the section of FIGS. 2c and d is marked by a dash-dot-dotted line, FIG. 2h a section through the fuel tank and FIG. 2i the complete fuel tank.

[0075] The housing 30 features as a component 31 a canopy 31.1, which preferably is rotor molded or rotor cast, and which covers at least the upper side of the engine 10 and the generator 20. The canopy 31.1 is configured to be slid off the engine 10 and the generator 20.

[0076] The canopy 31.1 comprises an inner wall 32 facing inside the housing 30 and an outer wall 33 facing outside the housing 30, wherein the inner wall 32 and the outer wall 33 define a hollow space 34 between each other. The outer wall 33 is having an area consisting of a single piece that is covering an upper side—here all the upper side—of the engine 10 and in this case also of the generator 20 and that extends downwards along three different vertical sides of the ground power unit 1. The inner wall 32 features a horizontal area covering the upper side of the engine 10 and is extending from the horizontal area downwards along three vertical sides of the ground power unit 1. The inner wall 32 is opposing the outer wall 33 on more than 75% of the outer wall's 33 inner surface area. The canopy 31.1 consists of one single piece.

[0077] The canopy 31.1 comprises an integrated ducting system 35, whereby the ducting system comprises an inlet opening 35.1 and an inlet opening 35.1′ within the outer wall 33 of the canopy 31.1. The inlet openings 35.1 and 35.1′ are visible in FIG. 2e. They are positioned in a part of the outer wall 33 that is facing downwards, that prevents rain from falling into the duct system. The flow of air through the canopy 31.1 is depicted in FIG. 2c by a dashed arrow in case of the duct system for the engine air intake 11 and by a dash-dotted arrow in case of the duct system for the engine cooling. Those two duct functions are provided by the common hollow space 34 inside the canopy 31.1. The ducting system 35 comprises exhaust openings, i.e. opening 35.2 and opening 35.2′, within the inner wall 32 of the canopy 31.1. The exhaust openings 35.2, 35.2′ are located within the horizontal area of the inner wall 32. The exhaust opening 35.2 is located above the engine and covered by a heat shield 36 which is permeable to air. The exhaust opening 35.2′ is surrounded by a seal 37, which connects to an air intake 11 of the engine 10. The exhaust opening 35.2 is set up for providing cooling air to the surrounding of the engine 10, whereas the exhaust opening 35.2′ is set up to specifically direct air into the air intake 11 of the engine 10. The inlet openings 35.1, 35.1′ are located on one end of the ground power unit 1, wherein this one end is vis-à-vis an other end of the ground power unit 1, wherein the other end of the ground power unit 1 comprises a housing exhaust, set up for letting escape used air out of the housing 30. Ventilator 60, arranged at the housing exhaust, is set up for propelling used air out of the housing 30.

[0078] The GPU 1 further comprises a fuel tank 50, wherein the fuel tank 50 comprises a wall 51 that forms at least one channel 52 that allows air to pass from one side 50.1 of the tank to another side 50.2 of the fuel tank 50. The wall 51 of the fuel tank 50 is surrounding the channel 52 except for an inlet opening 52.1 and an outlet opening 52.2 of the channel 52. The channel 52 has an inlet on the bottom side of the fuel tank 50, which is the side 50.1, and an outlet on the top side of the fuel tank 50, which is the side 50.2. The channel 52 is located in the tank 50 at a position that is below and at one side of the generator 20 such that the generator 20 is in between the channel 52 and a ventilator 60 of the liquid cooling aggregate and therefore, an air stream will hit the generator 20. The channel 52 is furthermore positioned precisely at a generator 20 air intake. In FIG. 2c, the air flow due to the channel 22 is depicted by dashed arrows.

[0079] With this invention, a better canopy for a GPU is provided. The use of double walls increases security and reduces sound transmission and it allows to use the space in between the walls for other functions like cable trimming or guided air circulation. Furthermore, when combining the canopy with a fuel tank, preferably also rotor molded/cast, with an integrated channel, a very effective air management in the housing is possible. The subject matter described in this application (applicant's reference 65756 (713-3727)) is also connected to further inventions, described in two additional applications marked with applicant's reference 65755 (713-3728) and 65757 (713-3726), which are hereby incorporated by reference.