Rotor wing aircraft having a bypassable radial inflow turbine

• US 20070095969A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Walliser, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,510,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/7.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/14 the jets being other than main propulsion jets jet flaps B64C9/38
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/18 the means being jet-reaction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/24 with rotor blades fixed in flight to act as lifting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/385 Variable incidence wings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

Aircraft including an airframe having a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end. The aircraft further includes a power plant mounted on the airframe producing exhaust during operation. The aircraft also includes a rotor/wing including a plurality of blades connected to a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the airframe and a radial inflow turbine mounted on the airframe in fluid communication with the power plant for receiving exhaust from the power plant. The radial inflow turbine includes a body forming an annular vortical chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion. The radial inflow turbine also includes a hub rotatably connected to the body and operatively connected to the drive shaft. In addition, the radial inflow turbine includes a plurality of vanes extending radially outward from the hub. The hub and the vanes are positioned in the vortical chamber.

Claims

1. Aircraft comprising:

an airframe having a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end;

a power plant mounted on the airframe producing exhaust during operation thereof;

a stoppable rotor/wing including a plurality of blades connected to a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the airframe for providing thrust and/or lift for selectively facilitating aircraft hover and/or forward flight; and

a radial inflow turbine mounted on said airframe in fluid communication with said power plant for receiving exhaust from the power plant, said turbine including;

a body forming an annular vortical chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a hub rotatably connected to the body and operatively connected to the drive shaft; and

a plurality of vanes extending radially outward from said hub, the hub and the vanes being positioned in said vortical chamber.

2. Aircraft as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a gearbox connected to said turbine hub and said drive shaft for controlling an amount of power transferred from the turbine hub to the drive shaft.

3. Aircraft as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the upper portion of the vortical chamber has a maximum radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the lower portion of the vortical chamber; and

each of said vanes has a maximum radius corresponding to the maximum radius of the upper portion of the vortical chamber and a minimum radius corresponding to the maximum radius of the lower portion of the vortical chamber.

4. Aircraft as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

each vane includes a top positioned in the upper portion of the vortical chamber and a bottom positioned in the lower portion of the vortical chamber; and

each vane is pitched from its top to its bottom.

5. Aircraft as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radial inflow turbine further includes:

an inlet for receiving the exhaust from the power plant, wherein said vortical chamber is in fluid communication with said inlet;

an aft outlet downstream from said inlet;

a chamber outlet downstream from said vortical chamber; and

a valve positioned adjacent to said inlet for selectively allowing the exhaust to the pass through the turbine body to the aft outlet or diverting the exhaust through the vortical chamber and out of the chamber outlet.

6. Aircraft as set forth in claim 5 further comprising an anti-torque and yaw control system mounted on the airframe adjacent to the aft end of the fuselage, wherein the aft outlet and the chamber outlet of said turbine are in fluid communication with said anti-torque and yaw control system for transferring exhaust from the turbine to the anti-torque and yaw control system during operation of the aircraft.

7. Aircraft as set forth in claim 1 wherein said power plant is a first power plant, said aircraft further comprises:

a second power plant mounted on the airframe producing exhaust; and

the turbine further includes;

a first inlet and a second inlet downstream from said first power plant and said second power plant, respectively, for receiving exhaust from the power plants;

a first aft outlet and a second aft outlet downstream from said first inlet and said second inlet, respectively;

a chamber outlet downstream from said vortical chamber; and

a valve positioned adjacent to each inlet for selectively directing the exhaust from the corresponding power plant to the corresponding aft outlet or through the vortical chamber and out of the chamber outlet.

8. Aircraft as set forth in claim 7 further comprising an anti-torque and yaw control system mounted on the airframe adjacent to the aft end of the fuselage, wherein the aft outlets and the chamber outlet of said turbine are in fluid communication with said anti-torque and yaw control system for transferring exhaust from the turbine to the anti-torque and yaw control system during operation of the aircraft.

9. A method of operating aircraft having an airframe, a power plant mounted on the airframe, a rotor including a plurality of blades extending radially outward from a drive shaft that is rotatably mounted on the airframe, and a radial inflow turbine mounted on said airframe, the method comprising:

producing exhaust using said power plant;

directing said exhaust from said power plant to said radial inflow turbine;

converting said exhaust received from the power plant to mechanical rotational power using the radial inflow turbine;

transferring said mechanical rotational power from said radial inflow turbine to said rotor thereby rotating the rotor to provide lift and/or thrust to the aircraft.

10. A method of operating aircraft as set forth in claim 9 wherein said radial inflow turbine includes a body mounted on said airframe and plurality of vanes extending radially outward from a hub connected to said drive shaft and rotatably connected to said turbine body and wherein said converting step includes passing said exhaust received from the power plant over said turbine vanes thereby rotating the vanes and the hub.

11. A method of operating aircraft as set forth in claim 10 wherein said transferring step includes transferring power from said rotating turbine vanes and hub to said drive shaft and said rotor by way of a gearbox connected to said hub and said drive shaft.