Aircraft with electric propulsion means

• US 20140367510A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus
• Inventors: Zaneboni, Jason, Saint-Jalmes, Bruno, Viala, Stphane
• Granted Patent: US 9,950,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/62
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/26 Attaching the wing or tail units or stabilising surfaces
• 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: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/04 associated with fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft with an electric propulsion arrangement which includes a fuselage, a wing system attached to the fuselage, and a tail unit attached to a rear part of the fuselage. The electric propulsion arrangement is arranged on each side of the fuselage, an electrical energy generator and electricity storage and supply devices are arranged substantially along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the fuselage. The aircraft thus incorporates a hybrid motorization.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage,

a wing system attached to the fuselage,

a tail unit attached to a rear part of the fuselage,

electric propulsion means arranged on each side of the fuselage,

an electrical energy generator, and

electricity storage and supply means,

the electrical energy generator and the electricity storage and supply means being arranged substantially along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the fuselage.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the electric propulsion means comprise at least two electric motors with fans arranged on the wing system on each side of the fuselage, respectively.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein a front edge of a wing root of the wing system is arranged at the rear of the fuselage, at a distance from a front end of the fuselage substantially comprised between 60 and 70% of the length of the fuselage.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the tail unit comprises a profile extended on each side by stabilizing surfaces, the electrical energy generator being incorporated in the rear part of the fuselage.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the fuselage comprises on its upper surface an air guide for the electrical energy generator.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising a fairing extending from an upper surface of the fuselage above said electric propulsion means, the electric propulsion means being housed between the fairing, the fuselage and the wing system.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the fairing comprises a central portion extending from an upper surface of the fuselage, above the electric propulsion means arranged on the wing system, said central portion of fairing comprising on each side of the fuselage respectively a lateral edge that is substantially vertical and firmly fixed to the wing system.

8. The aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the fairing comprises a rear portion extending in a direction of a rear end of the fuselage, a width of said rear portion of the fairing decreasing from a central portion of the fairing to the rear end of the fuselage.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy generator cooperates with an exhaust gas duct, an internal surface of said exhaust gas duct having an active exhaust gas treatment surface.

10. The aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the exhaust gas duct has a shape widening from a gas outlet of the electrical energy generator towards the rear end of the fuselage.

11. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising on each side of the fuselage, a joining surface projecting from the fuselage extending between a rear edge of a wing root of the wing system and the tail unit.

12. The aircraft according to claim 11, wherein said joining surface extends substantially in a same plane as the wing system.

13. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the electricity storage and supply means are arranged close to a center of gravity of the aircraft equipped with the electric propulsion means and the electrical energy generator.

14. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the electricity storage and supply means fit an internal shape of the fuselage.

15. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising several electric motors with fans arranged symmetrically on the wing system on each side of the fuselage.

16. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the fuselage comprises a front part having a width measured along a pitch axis, and a height measured along a yaw axis, increasing in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft starting from a front end of the fuselage.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16, wherein the fuselage comprises a central part arranged to receive a payload and a rear part in which the electrical energy generator is arranged, a width of said fuselage decreasing in the central part and the rear part to the rear end of the fuselage.

18. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the electricity storage and supply means supply the electric propulsion means with electrical energy.