Stowable electric-hybrid propfan
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsLeo J. Veilleux, Jr., Lubomir A. Ribarov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electricity generation and propulsion system of an aircraft is provided. The electricity generation and propulsion system includes a fuselage, a hybrid-electric power generation system operably disposed in the fuselage and a ram air turbine (RAT) device. The RAT device is coupled with the hybrid-electric power generation system and is stowable in the fuselage and deployable to an exterior of the fuselage. The RAT device is operable as a RAT when deployed into an airstream that drives rotations of the RAT from which the hybrid-electric power generation system generates electricity, and the RAT device is operable as a propulsor when deployed and driven by the hybrid-electric power generation system.
Claims20
An electricity generation and propulsion system of an aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a hybrid-electric power generation system operably disposed in the fuselage;
- and
- a ram air turbine (RAT) device, which is coupled with the hybrid-electric power generation system, and which is stowable in the fuselage and deployable to an exterior of the fuselage,
- the RAT device being operable as a RAT when deployed into an airstream that drives rotations of the RAT from which the hybrid-electric power generation system generates electricity, and
- the RAT device being operable as a propulsor when deployed and driven by the hybrid-electric power generation system.
A method of operating an electricity generation and propulsion system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- ascertaining a current flight regime and a current condition of the aircraft;
- determining whether to deploy a RAT device in accordance with at least one of the current flight regime and the current condition of the aircraft;
- deploying the RAT device based on a result of the determining;
- judging whether to operate the RAT device, upon deployment, as one of a RAT and a propulsor in accordance with at least one of the current flight regime and the current condition of the aircraft;
- and
- operating the RAT device as the one of the RAT and the propulsor based on a result of the judging.
An aircraft, comprising:
- on-wing engine assemblies having an absence of thrust-reversers;
- a fuselage;
- a hybrid-electric power generation system operably disposed in the fuselage;
- and
- ram air turbine (RAT) devices, which are each coupled with the hybrid-electric power generation system, and which are each stowable in the fuselage and deployable to an exterior of the fuselage,
- the RAT devices each being operable as a braking thrust generating propulsor when deployed during a landing and driven by the hybrid-electric power generation system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.