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US 11,111,029 B2Granted
System and method for operating a boundary layer ingestion fan
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorZachary Charles Hoisington
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft includes a fuselage having a tail section and an engine core coupled via an external pylon to the fuselage. The aircraft further includes a boundary layer ingestion (BLI) fan coupled to the tail section of the fuselage and coupled via a shaft to the engine core.
Claims21
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage having a tail section;
- a first engine core without a third fan collocated with the first engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft, the first engine core coupled to the fuselage via an external pylon;
- a boundary layer ingestion (BLI) fan coupled to the tail section of the fuselage and coupled to the first engine core via a shaft, wherein the shaft provides power that rotates the BLI fan;
- a second engine core coupled to the fuselage, the second engine core including a second fan collocated with the second engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- and
- a propulsion system configured to adjust a thrust ratio between the BLI fan and one or more fans, wherein the one or more fans include the second fan, wherein the thrust ratio has a first value during a take-off portion of a flight, and wherein the thrust ratio is increased to a second value for a cruise portion of the flight.
3 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage having a tail section;
- a first engine core without a third fan collocated with the first engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft, the first engine core coupled to the fuselage via an external pylon;
- a pair of wings coupled to the fuselage;
- a second engine core coupled to a first wing of the wings, the second engine core including a second fan collocated with the second engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- a boundary layer ingestion (BLI) fan coupled to the tail section of the fuselage and coupled via a mechanical driveshaft system or a hydraulic drive system to the first engine core;
- and
- a propulsion system configured to adjust a thrust ratio between the BLI fan and one or more fans, wherein the one or more fans include the second fan, wherein the thrust ratio has a first value during a take-off portion of a flight, and wherein the thrust ratio is increased to a second value for a cruise portion of the flight.
4 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage having a tail section;
- a tail coupled to the tail section of the fuselage;
- a first engine core coupled to the tail, the first engine core without a fan collocated with the first engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- a second engine core coupled to the fuselage, the second engine core including a second fan collocated with the second engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- a boundary layer ingestion (BLI) fan coupled to the tail section of the fuselage and coupled to the first engine core by a shaft;
- and
- a propulsion system configured to adjust a thrust ratio between the BLI fan and one or more fans, wherein the one or more fans include the second fan, wherein the thrust ratio has a first value during a take-off portion of a flight, and wherein the thrust ratio is increased to a second value for a cruise portion of the flight.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating power by a first engine core coupled by an external pylon to a fuselage of an aircraft, the first engine core without a third fan collocated with the first engine core to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- generating thrust for the aircraft via a second fan of a second engine core coupled to the fuselage, wherein the first engine core and the second engine core are asymmetrically positioned relative to a longitudinal centerline of the fuselage;
- applying the power via a shaft to a mechanical driveshaft system or a hydraulic drive system to drive a boundary layer ingestion (BLI) fan coupled to a tail section of the fuselage and aft of the first engine core, wherein driving the BLI fan causes the BLI fan to provide thrust to the aircraft;
- and
- adjusting a thrust ratio between the BLI fan and one or more fans, wherein the one or more fans include the second fan, wherein the thrust ratio has a first value during a take-off portion of a flight, and wherein the thrust ratio is increased to a second value for a cruise portion of the flight.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.