Hybrid electric multiple shaft core
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsMichael D. Greenberg, Lance L. Smith, Dennis P. Cronin, Nancy Poisson, Christopher D. Ramsey, Neil Terwilliger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid electric engine of an aircraft includes a compressor, a turbine operably connected to the compressor via a variable gear ratio gearbox and a combustor configured to drive the turbine via a flow of combustion products. An electric motor is operably connected to the variable gear ratio rear box and configured to input rotational energy into the gearbox. The input of rotational energy into the gearbox from the electric motor changes a rotational speed of one of the compressor or the turbine relative to the other of the compressor or the turbine.
Claims14
A hybrid electric engine of an aircraft, comprising:
- a high pressure compressor located at and rotatable about an engine central longitudinal axis;
- a high pressure turbine located at and rotatable about the engine central longitudinal axis, the high pressure turbine operably connected to the high pressure compressor via a variable gear ratio gearbox;
- a combustor configured to drive the high pressure turbine via a flow of combustion products;
- and
- an electric motor operably connected to the variable gear ratio gearbox and configured to input rotational energy into the variable gear ratio gearbox;
- wherein the rotational energy inputted into the variable gear ratio gearbox from the electric motor changes a rotational speed of one of the high pressure compressor or the high pressure turbine relative to the other of the high pressure compressor or the high pressure turbine;
- wherein the variable gear ratio gearbox is located axially between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine;
- wherein:
- the variable gear ratio gearbox is operably connected to the high pressure turbine via a first tower shaft operably connected to a turbine shaft at a first axial end of the high pressure compressor;
- and
- the variable gear ratio gearbox is operably connected to the high pressure compressor via a second tower shaft operably connected to a compressor shaft at a second axial end of the high pressure compressor opposite the first axial end;
- wherein the compressor shaft is located radially outboard of the turbine shaft and axially overlaps the turbine shaft.
A method of operating a hybrid electric engine, comprising:
- combusting a fuel at a combustor;
- driving a high pressure turbine about an engine central longitudinal axis via products of combusting the fuel at the combustor;
- driving a high pressure compressor about the engine central longitudinal axis via driving of the high pressure turbine, the high pressure turbine and the high pressure compressor operably connected to a variable gear ratio gearbox;
- inputting rotational energy from an electric motor into the variable gear ratio gearbox;
- changing a rotational speed of the high pressure compressor relative to the high pressure turbine via inputting the rotational energy into the variable gear ratio gearbox;
- wherein the variable gear ratio gearbox is located remotely from the engine central longitudinal axis;
- wherein the variable gear ratio gearbox is located axially between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine;
- wherein:
- the variable gear ratio gearbox is operably connected to the high pressure turbine via a first tower shaft operably connected to a turbine shaft at a first axial end of the high pressure compressor;
- and
- the variable gear ratio gearbox is operably connected to the high pressure compressor via a second tower shaft operably connected to a compressor shaft at a second axial end of the high pressure compressor opposite the first axial end;
- wherein the compressor shaft is located radially outboard of the turbine shaft and axially overlaps the turbine shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.