Patent Application
20240208657
This disclosure relates generally to an aircraft and, more particularly, to a propulsion unit for the aircraft with multiple propulsor rotors.
Various types and configurations of propulsion systems are known in the art for an aircraft. In an effort to reduce emissions and/or increase efficiency, some efforts have been focused to provide propulsion systems with electric motors capable of driving propulsion system propulsor(s). While known propulsion systems with electric motors have various benefits, there is still room in the art for improvement.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an aircraft system is provided that includes a first propulsor rotor, a second propulsor rotor and an electric machine. The first propulsor rotor is rotatable about an axis. The second propulsor rotor is rotatable about the axis. The electric machine includes a first electric machine rotor, a second electric machine rotor and an electric machine stator radially between the first electric machine rotor and the second electric machine rotor. The first electric machine rotor is rotatable about the axis and rotatably connected to the first propulsor rotor. The first electric machine rotor and the electric machine stator form a first motor configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor. The second electric machine rotor are rotatable about the axis and rotatably connected to the second propulsor rotor. The second electric machine rotor and the electric machine stator form a second motor configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, another aircraft system is provided that includes a propulsion unit and a power source discrete from the propulsion unit. The propulsion unit includes a first propulsor rotor, a second propulsor rotor, a first motor and a second motor. The first propulsor rotor is rotatable about an axis. The second propulsor rotor is rotatable about the axis. The first motor includes a first rotor and a stator that circumscribes and extends axially along the first rotor. The first motor is configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor. The second motor includes the stator and a second rotor that circumscribes and extends axially along the stator. The second motor is configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor. The power source is electrically coupled to and configured to electrically power the first motor and the second motor.
According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, another aircraft system is provided that includes a fuselage, a wing, a plurality of propulsion units and a power source. The wing is connected to and projects out from the fuselage. The propulsion units are mounted to the wing. Each of the propulsion units includes a first propulsor rotor, a second propulsor rotor, a first motor and a second motor. The first propulsor rotor is rotatable about an axis. The second propulsor rotor is rotatable about the axis. The first motor is coupled to and configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor. The second motor is coupled to and configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor. The power source is mounted to the wing and electrically coupled to the first motor and the second motor of each of the propulsion units. The power source is spaced from a first of the propulsion units spanwise along the wing.
The aircraft system may also include a thermal engine configured to power the first motor and the second motor through the power source.
The first motor may be configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor in a first direction about the axis. The second motor may be configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor in a second direction about the axis that is opposite the first direction.
The first motor may be configured to drive rotation of the first propulsor rotor in a first direction about the axis. The second motor may be configured to drive rotation of the second propulsor rotor in the first direction about the axis.
The electric machine stator may circumscribe the first electric machine rotor. The second electric machine rotor may circumscribe the electric machine stator.
The second propulsor rotor may be arranged axially between the first propulsor rotor and the electric machine.
The second propulsor rotor may be arranged axially between the first propulsor rotor and the first motor.
The electric machine stator may extend axially along the first electric machine rotor and the second electric machine rotor.
The second electric machine rotor may axially overlap the first electric machine rotor.
The aircraft system may also include a power source electrically coupled to the electric machine and configured to power the first motor and the second motor.
The power source may include: one or more power storage devices; and/or one or more electrical generators.
The aircraft system may also include an aircraft fuselage, an aircraft wing and a propulsion unit. The aircraft fuselage may house the power source. The aircraft wing may project out from the aircraft fuselage. The propulsion unit may include the first propulsor rotor, the second propulsor rotor and the electric machine. The propulsion unit may be mounted to the aircraft wing.
The aircraft system may also include a powerplant configured to power the electric machine through the power source. The powerplant may be housed within the fuselage.
The powerplant may be configured as or otherwise include a thermal engine.
The aircraft system may also include an aircraft fuselage, an aircraft wing and a propulsion unit. The aircraft wing may project out from the aircraft fuselage. The propulsion unit may include the first propulsor rotor, the second propulsor rotor and the electric machine. The propulsion unit may be mounted to the aircraft wing. The power source may be mounted to the aircraft wing.
The aircraft system may also include a powerplant configured to power the electric machine through the power source. The powerplant may be mounted to the aircraft wing.
The powerplant may be configured as or otherwise include a thermal engine.
The first propulsor rotor may be a first un-ducted rotor. In addition or alternatively, the second propulsor rotor may be a second un-ducted rotor.
The first propulsor rotor may be a first ducted rotor. In addition or alternatively, the second propulsor rotor may be a second ducted rotor.
The aircraft system may also include a first propulsion unit, a second propulsion unit and a power source. The first propulsion unit may include the first propulsor rotor, the second propulsor rotor and the electric machine. T second propulsion unit may be discrete from the first propulsion unit. The second propulsion unit may include a second electric machine. The power source may be electrically coupled to the electric machine and the second electric machine. The power source may be configured to power the first propulsion unit and the second propulsion unit.
The present disclosure may include any one or more of the individual features disclosed above and/or below alone or in any combination thereof.
The foregoing features and the operation of the invention will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The propulsion unit 22 includes a first propulsor rotor 28, a second propulsor rotor 30 and an electric machine 32. The propulsion unit 22 also includes a drivetrain system 34 operatively connecting the electric machine 32 independently to the first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30.
The first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 are each configured as or otherwise include a bladed rotor. Each propulsor rotor 28, 30 may be an open rotor (e.g., an un-ducted rotor) such as a propeller rotor for a propeller propulsion system. Other examples of the open rotor include a propulsor rotor for a propfan propulsion system or a propulsor rotor for a pusher fan propulsion system. The present disclosure, however, is not limited to such exemplary open rotors nor to open rotor propulsion systems. Each propulsor rotor 28, 30, for example, may alternatively be a ducted rotor such as a fan rotor for a fan propulsion system. In such embodiments, the first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 are each housed within a duct such as a fan duct; e.g., see dashed line 36 in
The first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 are each rotatable about a common (the same) rotational axis 38, which rotational axis 38 may be an axial centerline of the respective propulsor rotor 28, 30. The first propulsor rotor 28 may be configured to rotate in a first direction (e.g., a clockwise or counterclockwise direction) about the rotational axis 38. The second propulsor rotor 30 may be configured to rotate in a second direction (e.g., a counterclockwise or clockwise direction) about the rotational axis 38, which second direction is opposite from the first direction. With such an arrangement, the first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 are arranged as contra-rotating propulsor rotors. The present disclosure, however, is not limited to such an exemplary arrangement. The first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30, for example, may alternatively be configured to rotate in a common (the same) direction about the rotational axis 38. With such an arrangement, the first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 are arranged as co-rotating propulsor rotors.
The first propulsor rotor 28 and the second propulsor rotor 30 of
Referring to
Referring to
The second machine rotor 44 extends axially along the rotational axis 38, 48. The second machine rotor 44 of
The machine stator 46 is arranged radially between the first machine rotor 42 and the second machine rotor 44. This machine stator 46 extends axially along the rotational axis 38, 48. The machine stator 46 of
During operation, the machine stator 46 is configured to (a) induce a first electromagnetic field 68 with the first machine rotor 42 and its first permanent magnets 54 and (b) induce a second electromagnetic field 70 with the second machine rotor 44 and its second permanent magnets 62. The electromagnetic interaction between the electric machine members 42 and 46, 44 and 46 drives the first machine rotor 42 and the second machine rotor 44 to rotate in opposite directions (or alternatively, in the same direction) about the rotational axis 38, 48. The first machine rotor 42 and the machine stator 46 may thereby form a first electric motor 72 (“first motor) configured to mechanically power the first propulsor rotor 28 of
The drivetrain system 34 of
The second propulsor rotor 30 of
The power source 24 is configured to provide electrical power (electricity) to the electric machine 32 to power the electric motors 72 and 74. The power source 24 of
The power source 24 of
The power storage device(s) 86 of
The powerplant 26 is configured to mechanically power the electrical generator 88. The powerplant 26 of
The powerplant 26 may be configured as any apparatus capable of mechanically driving rotation of the generator rotor 90. The powerplant 26, for example, may be configured as or otherwise include a thermal engine. Examples of the thermal engine include, but are not limited to, a gas turbine engine, a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a rotary internal combustion engine. This thermal engine may be configured as a traditional thermal engine, or alternatively as a hybrid-electric thermal engine. In another example, the powerplant 26 may be configured as or otherwise include a fuel cell.
The compressor section 96, the combustor section 97, the HPT section 98A and the LPT section 98B are arranged sequentially along a core flowpath 102 (e.g., an annular flowpath) within the gas turbine engine 94. This flowpath 102 extends within the gas turbine engine 94 from an upstream airflow inlet 104 into the gas turbine engine 94 to a downstream combustion products exhaust 106 from the gas turbine engine 94.
Each of the engine sections 96, 98A and 98B includes a respective bladed rotor 108-110. Each of these bladed rotors 108-110 includes a plurality of rotor blades arranged circumferentially around and connected to one or more respective rotor disks. The rotor blades, for example, may be formed integral with or mechanically fastened, welded, brazed, adhered and/or otherwise attached to the respective rotor disk(s).
The compressor rotor 108 is connected to the HPT rotor 109 through a high speed shaft 112. At least (or only) the compressor rotor 108, the HPT rotor 109 and the high speed shaft 112 may collectively form a high speed rotating structure 114 of the gas turbine engine 94. The LPT rotor 110 is connected to a low speed shaft 116, which low speed shaft 116 may extend axially through a bore of the high speed rotating structure 114 and its high speed shaft 112. At least (or only) the LPT rotor 110 and the low speed shaft 116 may collectively form a low speed rotating structure 118. This low speed rotating structure 118 may be coupled to and rotatable with the generator rotor 90 of
The engine rotating structures 114 and 118 and their shafts 112 and 116 of
During gas turbine engine 94 operation, air enters the flowpath 102 through the airflow inlet 104 and is directed into the compressor section 96. The air within the flowpath 102 may be referred to as “core air”. This core air is compressed by the compressor rotor 108 and directed into a combustion chamber 124 (e.g., an annular chamber) of a combustor within the combustor section 97. The fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 124 by one or more fuel injectors and mixed with the compressed air to provide a fuel-air mixture. This fuel-air mixture is ignited and combustion products thereof flow through and sequentially cause the HPT rotor 109 and the LPT rotor 110 to rotate. The rotation of the HPT rotor 109 drives rotation of the compressor rotor 108 and, thus, compression of the air received from the airflow inlet 104. The rotation of the LPT rotor 110 and, more generally, the low speed rotating structure 118 provides mechanical power for driving (e.g., rotating) the generator rotor 90 of
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments, the propulsion units 22 may be configured to counterrotate. For example, the first propulsor rotor 28 for each propulsion unit 22 disposed to a first side of an aircraft fuselage 130 may be configured to rotating in a first direction, whereas the first propulsor rotor 28 for each propulsion unit 22 disposed to a second side of the aircraft fuselage 130 may be configured to rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction. In other embodiments, the propulsion units 22 may be configured to corporate. For example, the first propulsor rotors 28 for the propulsion units 22 disposed to both sides of the aircraft fuselage 130 may be configured to rotate in a common (the same) direction.
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments, referring to
The electric machine 32 is described above as a radial flux electric machine. It is contemplated, however, the electric machine 32 may alternatively be configured as an axial flux electric machine or a transverse flux electric machine.
While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure. For example, the present disclosure as described herein includes several aspects and embodiments that include particular features. Although these features may be described individually, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that some or all of these features may be combined with any one of the aspects and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
