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US 8,727,270 B2Granted
Aircraft, propulsion system, and system for taxiing an aircraft
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsDonald Burns, Kaushik Rajashekara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique aircraft. Another embodiment is a unique aircraft propulsion system. Still another embodiment is a unique system for taxiing an aircraft without starting one or more main aircraft propulsion engines. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft taxiing and propulsion systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
Claims21
A propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine having at least a high pressure (HP) spool and a low pressure (LP) spool, wherein the LP spool is operative to drive a propulsor;
- and
- a hybrid auxiliary power unit (APU) mechanically coupled to both the HP spool and the LP spool, wherein the hybrid APU includes an APU compressor;
- an APU turbine;
- and a fuel cell fluidly disposed between the APU compressor and the APU turbine, wherein the fuel cell is operative to receive as an oxidant air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- to generate electrical power using a fuel and the oxidant;
- to heat the air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- and to discharge the heated pressurized air into the APU turbine, wherein the hybrid APU is operative to supply rotational power to both the HP spool and the LP spool at the same time.
5 more elements
An aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- an empennage coupled to the fuselage;
- a plurality of wings coupled to the fuselage;
- and
- at least one propulsion system, including:
- a gas turbine engine having at least a high pressure (HP) spool and a low pressure (LP) spool, wherein the LP spool is operative to drive a propulsor;
- and wherein the gas turbine engine is coupled to at least one of the fuselage, the empennage and at least one of the plurality of wings;
- a hybrid auxiliary power unit (APU) mechanically coupled to both the HP spool and the LP spool, wherein the hybrid APU includes an output reduction gearbox, an APU compressor;
- an APU turbine;
- and a fuel cell fluidly disposed between the APU compressor and the APU turbine, wherein the fuel cell is operative to receive as an oxidant air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- to generate electrical power using a fuel and the oxidant;
- to heat the air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- and to discharge the heated pressurized air into the APU turbine;
- and wherein the hybrid APU is operative to supply rotational power to both the high pressure spool and the low pressure spool at the same time;
- and
- a shafting system mechanically coupling both the HP spool and the LP spool to the output reduction gearbox, wherein the hybrid APU is operative to supply rotational power to both the HP spool and the LP spool via the shafting system and the output reduction gearbox.
13 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine having at least a high pressure (HP) spool and a low pressure (LP) spool, wherein the LP spool is operative to drive a propulsor;
- and
- means for supplying mechanical power from a hybrid APU to both the high pressure spool and the low pressure spool, wherein the means for supplying mechanical power is operative to supply rotational power to both the HP spool and the LP spool at the same time,
- wherein the hybrid APU includes an APU compressor;
- an APU turbine;
- and a fuel cell fluidly disposed between the APU compressor and the APU turbine, wherein the fuel cell is operative to receive as an oxidant air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- to generate electrical power using a fuel and the oxidant;
- to heat the air pressurized by the APU compressor;
- and to discharge the heated pressurized air into the APU turbine.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.