Gas-electric propulsion system for an aircraft
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJeffrey Anthony Hamel, Kurt David Murrow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one aspect the present subject matter is directed to a gas-electric propulsion system for an aircraft. The system may include a turbofan jet engine, an electric powered boundary layer ingestion fan that is coupled to a fuselage portion of the aircraft aft of the turbofan jet engine, and an electric generator that is electronically coupled to the turbofan jet engine and to the boundary layer ingestion fan. The electric generator converts rotational energy from the turbofan jet engine to electrical energy and provides at least a portion of the electrical energy to the boundary layer ingestion fan. In another aspect of the present subject matter, a method for propelling an aircraft via the gas-electric propulsion system is disclosed.
Claims20
A gas-electric propulsion system for an aircraft comprising a fuselage and a wing, the system comprising:
- a gas turbine engine coupled to the wing of the aircraft or coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft;
- an electric powered boundary layer ingestion fan positioned aft of the wing;
- an electric generator driven by the gas turbine engine and electrically coupled to the boundary layer ingestion fan, wherein the electric generator converts rotational energy from the gas turbine engine to electrical energy and provides at least a portion of the electrical energy to the boundary layer ingestion fan;
- and
- a battery electrically coupled to the electric generator and to the boundary layer ingestion fan.
A gas-electric propulsion system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a turbofan jet engine;
- an electric powered boundary layer ingestion fan positioned aft of the turbofan jet engine;
- an electric generator driven by the turbofan jet engine and electrically coupled to the boundary layer ingestion fan, wherein the electric generator converts rotational energy from the turbofan jet engine to electrical energy;
- and
- a battery electrically coupled to the electric generator and the boundary layer ingestion fan.
A gas-electric propulsion system for an aircraft comprising a fuselage and one or more wings, the system comprising:
- a gas turbine engine coupled to at least one of the one or more wings of the aircraft or coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft;
- an electric powered boundary layer ingestion fan extending at least partially below at least one of the one or more wings;
- an electric generator driven by the gas turbine engine and electrically coupled to the boundary layer ingestion fan, wherein the electric generator converts rotational energy from the gas turbine engine to electrical energy and provides at least a portion of the electrical energy to the boundary layer ingestion fan;
- and
- a battery electrically coupled to the electric generator and to the boundary layer ingestion fan.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.