Unconventional integrated propulsion systems and methods for blended wing body aircraft

• US 7,665,689 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McComb, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonzell; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/563,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.3, 244/60, 244/62, 244/53.B, 602/661, 602/62, 602/69, 137/15.1, 137/15.2
• US Class Current: 244/12.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/02 the jets being propulsion jets
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2039/105 of blended wing body type
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/14 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/00 Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Integrated propulsion systems and methods for blended wing aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a propulsion system at least one engine operatively disposed within an engine flow duct having an engine inlet and an engine exhaust aperture, and at least one fan operatively disposed within a fan flow duct having a fan inlet and a fan exhaust aperture. The engine and fan rotational axes extending at least approximately along a lengthwise direction of the aircraft, the fan flow duct being separate from the engine flow duct. A transmission assembly is operatively coupled between the at least one engine and the at least one fan, the transmission assembly being configured to transmit a rotary output from the at least one engine to rotate the at least one fan.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

an airfoil-shaped body;

a plurality of fans having separate fan axes;

a fan cowl on a surface of the body for forming a fan passageway for the plurality of fans, the fan passageway having a flush inlet;

a plurality of engine cowls on at least one of an upper surface of the fan cowl and an opposite surface of the body; and

a plurality of turbine engines for driving the fans, each engine inside an engine cowl;

wherein the fan cowl is on an upper surface of the body and the engine cowls are on an upper outer surface of the fan cowl.

2. An aircraft comprising:

an airfoil-shaped body;

a plurality of fans having separate fan axes;

a fan cowl on a surface of the body for forming a fan passageway for the plurality of fans, the fan passageway having a flush inlet;

a plurality of engine cowls on at least one of an upper surface of the fan cowl and an opposite surface of the body; and

a plurality of turbine engines for driving the fans, each engine inside an engine cowl;

wherein the fan cowl is on an upper surface of the body; and

wherein the engine cowls are on a lower surface of the body.

3. A Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft comprising:

an airfoil-shaped fuselage;

a plurality of fans having separate fan axes;

a fan cowl on a surface of the fuselage for forming a fan passageway for the plurality of fans, the fan passageway having a flush inlet;

a plurality of engine cowls on at least one of an upper surface of the fan cowl and an opposite surface of the fuselage; and

a plurality of turbine engines for driving the fans, each engine inside an engine cowl.

4. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the plurality of fans receive a fan airflow from the fan inlet, and wherein the each of the plurality of engines receives an engine airflow from a corresponding engine inlet.

5. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the fan cowl is on an upper surface of the fuselage, and the engine cowls are on a lower surface of the fuselage.

6. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein a number of fans is greater than a number of engines.

7. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the fans an engine are located behind a leading edge of the fuselage.

8. The aircraft of claim 3, further comprising active flow control at the fan inlet to reduce flow distortion.

9. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the fan cowl is on an upper surface of the fuselage and the engine cowls are on an upper outer surface of the fan cowl.

10. The aircraft of claim 3, further comprising a fan nozzle assembly operatively coupled to a fan exhaust aperture and having a plurality of flaps configured to provide at least one of a thrust vectoring and a thrust reversing.

11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the fan nozzle assembly is configured to provide a thrust reversing, and wherein the fan nozzle assembly includes an upper flap and a lower flap, and wherein at least one of the upper and lower flaps includes an articulable reverser portion configured to be articulated to provide the thrust reversing.

12. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the fan nozzle assembly is configured to provide a thrust reversing, and wherein the at least one fan includes a variable pitch fan configured to reverse a fan flow through the fan duct to provide the thrust reversing.

13. The aircraft of claim 3, further comprising:

a transmission assembly operatively coupled between at least one engine and the plurality of fans, the transmission assembly being configured to transmit a rotary output from the at least one engine to rotate the fans.

14. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein a number of fans is greater than a number of engines.

15. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising a fan nozzle assembly operatively coupled to a fan exhaust aperture and configured to provide thrust reversing, and wherein the at least one fan includes a variable pitch fan configured to reverse a fan flow through the fan duct to provide the thrust reversing.

16. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the transmission assembly includes:

at least one engine shaft operatively coupled to the at least one engine;

at least one engine gearbox and clutch assembly operatively coupled to the at least one engine shaft;

at least one cross shaft extending laterally with respect to the at least one engine shaft and operatively coupled to the at least one engine gearbox and clutch assembly;

at least one fan gearbox and clutch assembly operatively coupled to the at least one cross shaft; and

at least one fan shaft operatively coupled between the at least one fan gearbox and clutch assembly and the at least one fan.

17. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the at least one fan comprises a first fan and a second fan, the at least one fan shaft comprises a first fan shaft, the at least one fan gearbox and clutch assembly comprises a first fan gearbox and clutch assembly, and the at least one cross shaft comprises a first cross shaft, the transmission assembly further including:

a second cross shaft extending laterally with respect to the at least one engine shaft and operatively coupled to the at least one engine gearbox and clutch assembly;

a second fan gearbox and clutch assembly operatively coupled to the second cross shaft; and

a second fan shaft operatively coupled between the second fan gearbox and clutch assembly and the second fan.

18. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising at least one lift fan disposed within a lift fan duct and configured to provide a lifting force, wherein the transmission assembly is operatively coupled between the at least one engine and the at least one lift fan, the transmission assembly being configured to transmit the rotary output from the at least one engine to rotate the at least one lift fan.

19. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein the lift fan duct extends between an upper surface of the aircraft and a lower surface of the aircraft, the system further comprising at least one fence member projecting downwardly from the lower surface proximate the lift fan duct, the at least one fence member being configured to provide an increased pressure on the lower surface during operation of the at least one lift fan.