Constant-speed twin spool turboprop unit

• US 6,082,967 A
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engine Company
• Original Assignee: Societe Nationale D'Etude Et De Construction De Moteurs D'Aviation
• Inventors: Loisy, Jean Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, RICHARD SUKYOON
• Application Number:
  US09/047,403
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 416/129, 416/128, 416/130, 416/124, 416/125, 416/126, 416/170 R, 415/65, 415/66, 415/67, 415/68, 415/69, 60/39.161, 60/39.162, 60/226.1
• US Class Current: 416/129
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/113 with variable power transmission between rotors
• 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

Abstract

A constant-speed twin spool turboprop unit including a twin spool gas generator having a low-pressure spool and a high-pressure spool each including a compressor and a turbine which drives the compressor, is described in which at least one propeller of the unit is driven by at least the high-pressure spool of the gas generator.

Claims

1. A constant-speed twin spool turboprop unit comprising a twin spool gas generator having a low-pressure spool and a high-pressure spool, and at least one propeller, said low-pressure spool including a low-pressure compressor, a low-pressure shaft and a low-pressure turbine which drives the low-pressure compressor via the low-pressure shaft, and said high-pressure spool including a high-pressure compressor, a high-pressure shaft and a high-pressure turbine which drives said high-pressure compressor via the high-pressure shaft, wherein at least one of said at least one propeller is driven by at least said high-pressure turbine via the high-pressure shaft.

2. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool has a variable pitch.

3. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool is driven through a speed reducing gear assembly.

4. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool is disposed at the front of said turboprop unit and upstream of said gas generator.

5. A turboprop unit according to claim 3, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool is disposed between the compressor of said low-pressure spool and the compressor of said high-pressure spool and around said speed reducing gear assembly.

6. A turboprop unit according to claim 5, wherein said speed reducing gear assembly is of the planetary type.

7. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool is driven jointly by said high-pressure spool and said low-pressure spool through a torque-distributing reduction gear assembly.

8. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one propeller comprises a first propeller and a second propeller, and wherein said first propeller is driven by said high-pressure spool and said second propeller is driven by said low-pressure spool so as to contrarotate relative to said first propeller.

9. A turboprop unit according to claim 8, wherein said first propeller is driven through a first speed reducing gear assembly, and said second propeller is driven through a second speed reducing gear assembly which is of the planetary type.

10. A turboprop unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one propeller driven by said high-pressure spool is a high-speed propeller of the propfan type.