AIRCRAFT POWER PLANT

• US 20140250861A1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: EAMES, David John Howard
• Granted Patent: US 9,581,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/204
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2027/005 Aircraft with an unducted turbofan comprising contra-rotating rotors, e.g. contra-rotating open rotors [CROR]
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0293 for turboprop engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/02 Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants fuselages specially adapted for mounting power plants B64C1/16; wings specially adapted for power plants B64C3/32
• 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: F01B 23/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby F01B11/00 takes precedence; fluid gearing F16H
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/42 specially adapted for the control of two or more plants simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/44 responsive to the speed of aircraft, e.g. Mach number control, optimisation of fuel consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/13 to control two or more engines simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft power plant is disclosed having a plurality of bladed rotors in flow communication driven by separate work producing devices. The work producing devices can take a variety of forms including an internal combustion engine and electric motor, for example. The bladed rotors can be associated with an aircraft pylon and can be driven independently to separate operating conditions to provide optimum performance. For example, the bladed rotors can be driven to separate operating conditions that improve a noise signature or performance of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an aircraft power plant having a first work producing device and a second work producing device; and

a first unducted air moving device in serial flow communication with a second unducted air moving device, the first unducted air moving device powered by the first work producing device and the second unducted air moving device powered by the second work producing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first work producing device is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and the second work producing device is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first work producing device is the same type of device as the second work producing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first work producing device includes a turbine structured to extract energy from a passing flow stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the turbine is downstream of a combustor, and wherein the first unducted air moving device is capable of rotating at a first rotational velocity and the second unducted air moving device is capable of rotating at a second rotational velocity.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes a controller structured to develop a command signal to the first work producing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller includes a module configured to provide the command based upon a function of airspeed.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an aircraft thrust producing device having a first power source including a first bladed device and a second power source including a second bladed device structured to convey a stream of working fluid, the first power source capable of generating power independent of the second power source; and

wherein the first power source delivers power to the first bladed device to convey the stream of working fluid to the second bladed device, wherein the second bladed device is powered by the second power source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bladed devices are open rotors.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first power source is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first power source is radially offset from an axis of rotation of the first bladed device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first power source is coupled via a shaft to the first bladed device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first bladed devices can be driven to a different velocity than the second bladed device.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, which further includes a control system configured to generate a signal representative of velocity used to drive the first bladed device to a first velocity.

15. A method comprising:

operating an aircraft power plant to develop thrust, the operating including;

rotating a first bladed air moving device to produce a first flow stream by action of a first power source;

delivering the first flow stream to a second bladed air moving device powered by a second power source;

independently driving each of the first bladed air moving device and second bladed air moving device from the first power source and second power source respectively.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the rotating includes spinning the first bladed air moving device as an open rotor.

17. The method of claim 15, which further includes providing power from the first power source to the first bladed air moving device, the first power source located radially offset from a rotation of the first bladed air moving device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the providing power includes rotating a shaft in mechanical communication with the first bladed air moving device.

19. The method of claim 18, which further includes rotating a gearing coupled to the shaft and the first bladed air moving device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first bladed air moving device is capable of spinning at a different speed than the second bladed air moving device.