Embedded electric machine

• US 10,071,811 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kupiszewski, Thomas, Miller, Brandon Wayne, Vondrell, Randy M., Gemin, Paul Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gugger, Sean
• Application Number:
  US15/242,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20180051702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 21/01 Boundary layer ingestion [BLI] propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0226 comprising boundary layer control means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/026 comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/12 within, or attached to, wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/18 within, or attached to, wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/04 associated with fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/00 Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/162 Bearing supports
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/065 Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/16 characterised by cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 5/00 Plants including an engine, other than a gas turbine, driving a compressor or a ducted fan
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/98 : Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 : Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. An electric communication bus is electrically connected to the electric machine and extends through the core air flowpath to, e.g., electrically connect the electric machine to one or more systems of the gas turbine engine or a propulsion system including the gas turbine engine.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:

a compressor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section together defining a core air flowpath;

a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;

an electric machine coupled to the rotary component at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine mounted at least partially within or aft of the turbine section along the axial direction;

an electric communication bus electrically connected to the electric machine and including an intermediate section, the intermediate section extending through the core air flowpath at a location within at least one of the turbine section or the exhaust section; and

a cooling system for cooling at least a portion of the intermediate section of the electric communication bus.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the intermediate section comprises an electric cable positioned within a conduit containing a cooling fluid.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the cooling fluid is a lubrication oil.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the electric communication bus comprises an electric cable, wherein the electric cable comprises at least one high conductivity core volume, at least one oxidation barrier volume, at least one dielectric barrier volume, and at least one external armor volume.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising:

a strut extending through the core air flowpath within the turbine section of the gas turbine engine, and wherein the electric communication bus extends through the core air flowpath within the strut.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the electric communication bus includes a first juncture block for electrically connecting the intermediate section of the electric communication bus to the electric machine, and wherein the cooling system is configured to actively cool the first juncture block.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the electric communication bus includes a second juncture block positioned outward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction for electrically connecting the intermediate section of the electric communication bus to an outlet line, and wherein the cooling system is configured to actively cool the second juncture block.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the intermediate section includes an uncooled section.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the electric communication bus is configured as a superconducting electric communication bus.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the superconducting electric communication bus comprises a refrigerant system.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the electric machine is an electric generator configured to generate electrical power at 500 volts or more of electrical power during operation of the gas turbine engine.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component.

13. A propulsion system for an aeronautical device comprising:

an electric propulsor; and

a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising

a compressor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section together defining a core air flowpath;

a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;

an electric machine coupled to the rotary component at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine mounted at least partially within or aft of the turbine section along the axial direction;

an electric communication bus electrically connecting the electric machine to the electric propulsor and including an intermediate section, the intermediate section extending through the core air flowpath at a location within at least one of the turbine section or the exhaust section; and

a cooling system for cooling at least a portion of the intermediate section of the electric communication bus.

14. The propulsion system of claim 13, wherein the gas turbine engine is a first gas turbine engine and wherein the electric machine is a first electric machine, wherein the first gas turbine engine and first electric machine are configured to generate electrical power at a first voltage level, wherein the propulsion system further comprises:

a second gas turbine engine comprising a second electric machine electrically connected to the electric communication bus, wherein the second gas turbine engine and second electric machine are configured to generate electrical power at a second voltage level, wherein the first voltage level is at a positive voltage level and the second voltage level is at a negative voltage level, and wherein the first gas turbine engine and first electric machine and second gas turbine engine and second electric machine together provide the electric propulsor with a desired power level.

15. The propulsion system of claim 13, wherein the intermediate section comprises an electric cable positioned within a conduit containing a cooling fluid.

16. The propulsion system of claim 13, wherein the electric communication bus includes a first juncture block for electrically connecting an intermediate section of the electric communication bus to the electric motor, wherein the cooling system is configured to actively cool the first juncture block, and wherein the intermediate section includes an uncooled section.