TURBOFAN ENGINE ASSEMBLY WITH GEARBOX
First Claim
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1. A turbofan engine assembly comprising:
- an internal combustion engine in fluid communication between a compressor and a turbine, the internal combustion engine having an engine shaft;
a bypass duct surrounding the internal combustion engine; and
a fan drivingly engaged to the engine shaft via a gearbox, the gearbox configured to increase an output speed of the fan relative to an input speed of the engine shaft.
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Abstract
A turbofan engine assembly including an internal combustion engine in fluid communication between a compressor and a turbine, the internal combustion engine having an engine shaft, a bypass duct surrounding the internal combustion engine, and a fan drivingly engaged to the engine shaft via a gearbox, the gearbox configured to increase an output speed of the fan relative to an input speed of the engine shaft.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A turbofan engine assembly comprising:
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an internal combustion engine in fluid communication between a compressor and a turbine, the internal combustion engine having an engine shaft; a bypass duct surrounding the internal combustion engine; and a fan drivingly engaged to the engine shaft via a gearbox, the gearbox configured to increase an output speed of the fan relative to an input speed of the engine shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A turbofan engine assembly comprising:
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a compressor; a plurality of rotary internal combustion engines each including an engine rotor having three apex portions mounted for eccentric revolutions within an internal cavity defined in a housing, the internal cavity having an epitrochoid shape with two lobes, the rotary internal combustion engines having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor through at least one first passage of an intercooler; a turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the rotary internal combustion engines; a bypass duct surrounding the rotary internal combustion engines, compressor and turbine; and a fan configured to propel air through the bypass duct and through an inlet of the compressor, the fan drivingly engaged to a shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines via a gearbox, the gearbox defining a speed ratio of a rotational speed of the shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines on a rotational speed of the fan, the speed ratio being smaller than 1 so that the gearbox defines a speed increase from the shaft of the rotary internal combustion engines to the fan. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of driving a fan of a turbofan engine assembly, the method comprising:
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rotating a shaft with an internal combustion engine of the turbofan engine assembly; and driving the fan with the shaft of the internal combustion engine via a gearbox of the turbofan engine assembly, the gearbox configured so that the fan is rotated at a greater rotational speed than that of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification