Ram air turbine with speed increasing gearbox

A ram air turbine power system comprising:

• a ram air turbine having a turbine shaft projecting rearward, and turbine blades for rotating said turbine shaft;
• an electrical generator, disposed rearward of said ram air turbine, for providing an electrical power source, said electrical generator having a rotatable power shaft, said power shaft having a generally hollow tubular shape defining a rear end, said turbine shaft extending generally coaxially within said power shaft and having a rear end;
• and
• a gearbox including an epicyclic star gear system, said epicyclic star gear system having an output gear and an input gear, said output gear comprising a planetary sun gear spline coupled to said power shaft generally at the rear end of said power shaft and said input gear comprising a planetary ring gear spline coupled to said turbine shaft generally at the rear end of said turbine shaft whereby said turbine shaft rotatably drives said input gear, said input gear rotatably drives said output gear through a gear train comprising a planet gear, and said output gear drives said power shaft, whereby said power shaft rotates at a greater speed than said turbine shaft.

A method for power generation comprising steps of:

• deploying a ram air turbine having a turbine shaft projecting rearward, and turbine blades for rotating said turbine shaft;
• using said ram air turbine to drive an electrical generator, disposed rearward of said ram air turbine, for providing an electrical power source, said electrical generator being driven by a rotatable power shaft, said power shaft having a generally hollow tubular shape defining a rear end, said turbine shaft extending generally coaxially within said power shaft and having a rear end;
• and
• driving said rotatable power shaft of said electrical generator through a gearbox including an epicyclic star gear system, said epicyclic star gear system having an output gear and an input gear, said output gear comprising a planetary sun gear spline coupled to said power shaft generally at the rear end of said power shaft and said input gear comprising a planetary ring gear spline coupled to said turbine shaft generally at the rear end of said turbine shaft whereby said turbine shaft rotatably drives said input gear, said input gear rotatably drives said output gear through a gear train comprising a planet gear, and said output gear drives said power shaft, whereby said power shaft rotates at a greater speed than said turbine shaft.

A ram air turbine power system comprising:

• a housing;
• a ram air turbine having a turbine shaft driven by turbine blades;
• a power shaft connected to said turbine shaft at the rear of said housing;
• and
• a planetary gear train for transferring rotation from said turbine shaft to said power shaft with a ring gear of said planetary gear train being connected to said turbine shaft.