Back to results
US 12,404,031 B2Granted
Hybrid propulsion systems
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorStephen Andrew Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example hybrid aircraft propulsion system includes one or more power units configured to output electrical energy onto one or more electrical busses; a plurality of propulsors; and a plurality of electrical machines, each respective electrical machine configured to drive a respective propulsor of the plurality of propulsors using electrical energy received from at least one of the one or more electrical busses.
Claims11
An aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft propulsion system comprising:
- an electric machine configured to convert rotational mechanical energy generated by a gas-turbine of a turbo-generator system into alternating current (AC) electrical energy;
- a first rectifier configured to convert a first portion of the AC electrical energy output by the electric machine into first direct current (DC) electrical energy and output the first DC electrical energy onto a propulsion DC electrical bus;
- a second rectifier configured to convert a second portion of the AC electrical energy output by the electric machine into second DC electrical energy and output the second DC electrical energy onto the propulsion DC electrical bus;
- and
- a plurality of series propulsion units positionally mirrored across a centerline of the aircraft that propel the aircraft using electrical energy received via the propulsion DC electrical bus, wherein the aircraft propulsion system does not include an electrical energy storage system (ESS) that provides electrical energy to the propulsion DC electrical bus,
- wherein the turbo-generator system is included in a parallel propulsion unit mounted on the centerline of the aircraft, the parallel propulsion unit including a propulsor mechanically driven by the gas-turbine of the turbo-generator system.
3 more elements
An airframe comprising:
- an electric machine configured to convert rotational mechanical energy generated by a gas-turbine of a turbo-generator system into alternating current (AC) electrical energy;
- a first rectifier configured to convert a first portion of the AC electrical energy output by the electric machine into first direct current (DC) electrical energy and output the first DC electrical energy onto a propulsion DC electrical bus;
- a second rectifier configured to convert a second portion of the AC electrical energy output by the electric machine into second DC electrical energy and output the second DC electrical energy onto the propulsion DC electrical bus;
- and
- a plurality of series propulsion units positionally mirrored across a centerline of the airframe that propel the airframe using electrical energy received via the propulsion DC electrical bus, wherein the airframe does not include an electrical energy storage system (ESS) that provides electrical energy to the propulsion DC electrical bus,
- wherein the turbo-generator system is included in a parallel propulsion unit mounted on the centerline of the airframe, the parallel propulsion unit including a propulsor mechanically driven by the gas-turbine of the turbo-generator system.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.