ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT WITH A HYBRID POWER PLANT

• US 20140283519A1
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Inventors: MARIOTTO, Damien, CONNAULTE, Matthieu
• Granted Patent: US 9,447,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/698
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• 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 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• 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: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft (1) having at least one rotor (2) driven by a main gearbox (3), at least one fuel-burning engine (4), an on-board electricity network (7), and at least one electrical machine (10) corresponding to the engine (4) and capable of operating both in electric motor mode and also in electricity generator mode, each electrical machine (10) being mechanically connected to said main gearbox (3) by first connection means (20) and being electrically connected to said on-board electricity network (7). Second mechanical connection means (40) connect each electrical machine (10) mechanically to a gas generator (5) of an engine.

Claims

1. A rotary wing aircraft having at least one rotor driven in rotation by a main gearbox, said aircraft having at least one fuel-burning engine comprising a gas generator and a free turbine in order to drive said main gearbox, said aircraft being provided with an on-board electricity network and with at least one electrical machine operating in electric motor mode and in electricity generator mode, each electrical machine being mechanically connected to said main gearbox via first connection means and electrically connected to said on-board electricity network, wherein said electrical machine is suitable for driving said main gearbox and for generating electricity energy, said aircraft is provided with second mechanical connection means for mechanically connecting each electrical machine to a gas generator, each first connection means comprising an upstream portion situated between a first mechanical member and an electrical machine, together with a downstream portion situated between the main gearbox and the first mechanical member, the first mechanical member being provided with two rotary parts and with constraining means to constrain said two rotary parts to rotate together in flight permanently except in the event of the electrical machine jamming, and for separating said two rotary parts from rotating together on the ground when the upstream portion rotates at an upstream speed of rotation (Vmr) faster than a downstream speed of rotation (Vbtp) of the downstream portion.

2. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical member comprises a clutch.

3. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said first mechanical member comprises a blockable freewheel provided with a driving rotary part connected to the main gearbox and a driven rotary part connected to a reversible machine and to a constraining system for constraining the driving rotary part to rotate together with the driven rotary part so as to operate:

either in an interpenetrating mode in flight during which the driving rotary part and the driven rotary part are constrained to rotate together;

or else

in a freewheel mode on the ground during which the driving rotary part drives rotation of the driven rotary part when said driving rotary part possesses a speed of rotation faster than the speed of rotation of the driven rotary part.

4. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrical machine is mechanically connected only to the main gearbox and to a gas generator.

5. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrical machine is mechanically connected to the main gearbox, and also to a gas generator and to the free turbine of a gas generator, by being interposed between said free turbine and said main gearbox.

6. An aircraft according to claim 4, wherein said aircraft has a freewheel provided with a driving portion connected to a free turbine and a driven portion connected to a drive shaft of first connection means, the drive shaft co-operating with an electrical machine and leading to said first mechanical member of the first connection means, a rotor brake being arranged between said first mechanical member and the main gearbox.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein each electrical machine is connected to electrical energy storage means.

8. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein each electrical machine is connected to the on-board electricity network via a power converter.

9. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least one second connection means comprises mechanical means presenting a transmission ratio (α

) greater than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine.

10. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least second connection means include a separator member for separating an electrical machine from a gas generator in predetermined situations.

11. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said aircraft has one electric motor per engine, each electric motor being mechanically connected to a gas generator and electrically connected to the on-board electricity network.

12. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said aircraft includes a power converter arranged between said electric motor and said on-board electricity network.

13. An aircraft according to claim 12, wherein at least one second connection means includes a freewheel having a driving portion connected to a gas generator of a given engine and a driven portion connected to mechanical means presenting a predetermined transmission ratio (α

), said transmission ratio (α

) being greater than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine.

14. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least one second connection means includes a freewheel comprising a first driving portion connected to a gas generator of a given engine and a first driven portion connected to first mechanical means presenting a first predetermined transmission ratio (α

), the second connection means including a second freewheel comprising a second driven portion connected to said gas generator of a given engine and a second driving portion connected to second mechanical means presenting a second predetermined transmission ratio (β

), said first transmission ratio (α

) being greater than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the first gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine, and said second transmission ratio (β

) being less than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine.

15. An aircraft according to claim 14, wherein said first mechanical means and said second mechanical means are connected to an intermediate shaft, and a breakable section is interposed between said second mechanical means and said intermediate shaft.

16. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein at least one second connection means includes a second mechanical member having two movable parts capable of being constrained reversibly to rotate together with each other on request, namely a driving movable part connected to a gas generator of a given engine, and a driven movable part connected to mechanical means presenting a predetermined transmission ratio (α

), said transmission ratio (α

) being greater than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine.

17. An aircraft according to claim 16, wherein said second mechanical member comprises a blockable freewheel having said driving movable part connected to a gas generator and said driven movable part connected to said mechanical means together with a device for constraining the driving movable part in rotation with the driven movable part to operate:

either, on the ground, in an interpenetrating mode during which the driving movable part of the second mechanical member and the driven movable part of the second mechanical member are constrained to rotate together;

or else

in flight, in a freewheel mode during which the driving movable part of the second mechanical member drives rotation of the driven movable part of the second mechanical member when said driving movable part of the second mechanical member possesses a speed of rotation faster than the speed of rotation of the driven movable part of the second mechanical member.

18. An aircraft according to any one of claim 1, wherein at least one second connection means includes a freewheel comprising a driven portion connected to a gas generator of a given engine and a driving portion connected to mechanical means presenting a predetermined transmission ratio (α

), said transmission ratio (α

) being greater than the quotient of the maximum speed of rotation of the gas generator divided by the maximum speed of rotation of the free turbine of the given engine.