# US 12,595,765 B2 · Bifurcation integrated electrical system for hybrid aircraft propulsion system

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- Number: US 12,595,765 B2
- Document ID: US12595765B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/431,620
- Filed: 2024-02-02
- Published: 2025-08-07
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2024-02-02
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: RTX Corporation
- Inventors: Thomas E. Clark; Murat Yazici; Jeffrey T. Morton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595765B2

## CPC

- F02C 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
- F02K 3/06: with front fan
- B64D 27/10: of gas-turbine type (jet aircraft B64D27/16)
- B64D 27/16: of jet type
- B64D 27/33: Hybrid electric aircraft
- B64D 47/00: Equipment not otherwise provided for
- F02C 3/00: Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of combustion products as the working fluid (generated by intermittent combustion F02C5/00)
- F02C 7/266: Electric (sparking plugs H01T)
- F02C 7/36: Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H)
- F02K 3/04: the plant including ducted fans, i.e. fans with high volume, low pressure outputs, for augmenting the jet thrust, e.g. of double-flow type
- B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
- F01D 15/10: Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
- F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator
- F05D 2260/40: Transmission of power
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A system for an aircraft includes a fan rotor, an engine core, a fan case, a core case, a bifurcation, an inner electrical system, an outer electrical system and multiple electrical lines electrically coupling the inner electrical system to the outer electrical system. The engine core is configured to drive rotation of the fan rotor about an axis. The fan case houses the fan rotor. The core case houses the engine core. The bifurcation radially crosses a bypass flowpath. The bypass flowpath is downstream of the fan rotor and located radially between the fan case and the core case. The inner electrical system is arranged with the engine core. The outer electrical system is mounted to the fan case. The electrical lines extend between and electrically couple the inner electrical system to the outer electrical system. The electrical lines run in parallel along one another radially through the bifurcation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a fan rotor;
an engine core configured to drive rotation of the fan rotor about an axis;
a fan case housing the fan rotor;
a core case housing the engine core;
a bifurcation radially crossing a bypass flowpath, the bypass flowpath downstream of the fan rotor and located radially between the fan case and the core case;
an inner electrical system arranged with the engine core;
an outer electrical system mounted to the fan case;
a plurality of electrical lines extending between and electrically coupling the inner electrical system to the outer electrical system, the plurality of electrical lines run in parallel along one another radially outward through the bifurcation, the plurality of electrical lines run in parallel, in an axially forward and upstream direction, from the bifurcation to a split location at the fan case, a first set of the plurality of electrical lines extending in a first direction circumferentially along the fan case away from the split location, each electrical line in the first set of the plurality of electrical lines configured for an operating power greater than twenty kilowatts and configured for an operating current greater than one hundred amps, a second set of the plurality of electrical lines extending in a second direction circumferentially along the fan case opposite the first direction and away from the split location, each electrical line in the second set of the plurality of electrical lines configured for an operating power less than twenty kilowatts and configured for an operating current less than fifty amps; and
a non-conductive barrier separating the first set of the plurality of electrical lines from the second set of the plurality of electrical lines as the plurality of electrical lines run in parallel through the bifurcation and from the bifurcation to the split location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operating power for the each electrical line in the first set of the plurality of electrical lines is greater than thirty kilowatts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operating power for the each electrical line in the second set of the plurality of electrical lines is less than fifteen kilowatts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical lines run in parallel axially along an aft section of the fan case.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein
the inner electrical system comprises a first electric machine;
the outer electrical system comprises a first control unit; and
the first set of the plurality of electrical lines comprises a first electrical line extending between and electrically coupling the first electric machine and the first control unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein
the engine core comprises a rotating assembly with a turbine rotor; and
the first electric machine is operatively coupled to the rotating assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the first electric machine comprises an electric motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the first electric machine comprises an electric generator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein
the inner electrical system further comprises a second electric machine;
the outer electrical system further comprises a second control unit; and
the first set of the plurality of electrical lines comprises a second electrical line extending between and electrically coupling the second electric machine and the second control unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein
the engine core comprises a rotating assembly with a turbine rotor; and
the first electric machine and the second electric machine are each operatively coupled to the rotating assembly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein
the engine core comprises a first rotating assembly and a second rotating assembly, the first rotating assembly comprises a first turbine rotor, and the second rotating assembly comprises a second turbine rotor; and
the first electric machine is operatively coupled to the first rotating assembly; and
the second electric machine is operatively coupled to the second rotating assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein
the second set of the plurality of electrical lines comprises a first electrical line;
the inner electrical system comprises an electrical component electrically coupled to the first electrical line; and
the electrical component comprises one of a sensor, an actuator or an ignitor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein
the second set of the plurality of electrical lines comprises a first electrical line;
the outer electrical system comprises an electrical component electrically coupled to the first electrical line; and
the electrical component comprises one of a controller or an exciter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more fluid lines run in parallel along the plurality of electrical lines radially outward through the bifurcation and axially forward to the split location, with the second set of the plurality of electrical lines laterally between the first set of the plurality of electrical lines and the one or more fluid lines.

### Claim 15

A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a fan rotor;
an engine core configured to drive rotation of the fan rotor about an axis;
a fan case housing the fan rotor;
a core case housing the engine core;
a bifurcation extending radially across a bypass flowpath, the bypass flowpath downstream of the fan rotor and radially between the core case and the fan case;
a first inner electrical component arranged with the engine core and having a first operating power greater than twenty kilowatts;
a second inner electrical component arranged with the engine core and having a second operating power less than twenty kilowatts;
a first outer electrical component mounted to the fan case;
a second outer electrical component mounted to the fan case;
a first line electrically coupling the first inner electrical component to the first outer electrical component; and
a second line electrically coupling the second inner electrical component to the second outer electrical component; and
a non-conductive barrier;
the first line and the second line run in parallel through the bifurcation and, in an upstream direction, to a split location at the fan case, the first line runs in a first circumferential direction along the fan case away from the split location to the first outer electrical component, and the second line runs in a second circumferential direction along the fan case opposite the first circumferential direction and away from the split location to the second outer electrical component, and
the non-conductive barrier separating the first line from the second line as the first line and the second line run in parallel through the bifurcation and from the bifurcation to the split location,
wherein the first line is configured for an operating current greater than one hundred amps, and the second line is configured for an operating current less than fifty amps.

### Claim 16

A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a fan rotor;
an engine core configured to drive rotation of the fan rotor about an axis;
a fan case housing the fan rotor;
a core case housing the engine core;
a lower bifurcation radially crossing a bypass flowpath, the bypass flowpath downstream of the fan rotor and located radially between the fan case and the core case;
a plurality of electric machines operatively coupled to the engine core and radially next to the core case;
a plurality of control units mounted to the fan case at a first lateral side of the fan case;
an electrical bus mounted to the fan case vertically above the plurality of control units and at the first lateral side of the fan case, the electrical bus electrically coupled to each of the plurality of control units;
a plurality of electrical lines extending between and electrically coupling the plurality of electric machines to the plurality of control units, the plurality of electrical lines extending radially outward through the lower bifurcation and, in an axially forward and upstream direction, from the lower bifurcation to the fan case; and
an engine controller mounted to the fan case at a second lateral side of the fan case opposite the first lateral side of the fan case,
wherein each electrical line in a first set of the plurality of electrical lines is configured for an operating current greater than one hundred amps, and each electrical line in a second set of the plurality of electrical lines is configured for an operating current less than fifty amps.