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US 10,094,235 B2Granted
System, propulsion system and vehicle
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorDonald W. Burns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique vehicle. Another embodiment is a unique propulsion system. Yet another embodiment is a unique system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for vehicle propulsions systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
Claims20
A propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine including a spool configured to power a propulsor;
- an auxiliary power unit (APU) comprising a thermodynamic machine configured to be mechanically engaged with the spool to supply power to the propulsor sufficient to taxi the aircraft;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively mechanically engage the APU to the spool to taxi the aircraft without starting the gas turbine engine.
1 more element
A propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a turbofan engine including a turbofan, a high pressure (HP) spool, and a low pressure (LP) spool, wherein the LP spool is configured to rotate the turbofan to impart motion to the aircraft in taxiing, take-off, cruise and landing modes;
- an auxiliary power unit (APU) engine comprising a thermodynamic machine configured to supply rotational power to the LP spool sufficient to power the turbofan to taxi the aircraft;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively mechanically engage the APU engine to the LP spool in the taxiing mode to taxi the aircraft without starting the turbofan engine, and to selectively mechanically disengage the APU from the LP spool in at least one of the take-off, cruise, and landing modes.
1 more element
A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine including a spool configured to power a propulsor, wherein the propulsor is configured to impart motion to the vehicle during normal vehicle moving operations;
- an auxiliary power unit (APU) comprising a thermodynamic machine operative to supply rotational power to the spool sufficient to power the propulsor to impart motion to the vehicle in a taxiing operation;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively mechanically engage the APU to the spool to power the propulsor to impart the motion to the vehicle without starting the gas turbine engine.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.