Aircraft propulsion system

• US 20060254255A1
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aircraft Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan Aircraft Aerospace Exploration Agency, Nihon University Educational Association
• Original Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Nihon University Educational Association
• Inventors: Yanagi, Ryoji, Nomura, Hiroshi, Okai, Keiichi, Tagashira, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/226.100
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/06 with front fan
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 55/00 Dynamo-electric machines having windings operating at cryogenic temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

To provide an aircraft propulsion system which can secure the optimum thrust and thrust vector for flight conditions, as well as the optimum sectional area for the engine, and which is highly compatible with the environment. An electrical generator is coupled to a turbofan engine, the electrical generator is driven by output power of the turbofan engine to output electric power, and an electromagnetic driving fan is driven by the electric power. On the other hand, after bringing each of coils in the electromagnetic driving fan to a superconductive state, liquid hydrogen is introduced to a heat exchanger, collects the energy of exhaust as heat, is then vaporized, and thereafter supplied to a combustor and to a fuel cell. Further, the electromagnetic driving fan is changed in its rotational phase by a rotating mechanism portion, is made movable in a width direction of a wing and a wing chord direction by a slide mechanism portion, and can be stored inside or outside the wing by a storage mechanism portion.

Claims

1. An aircraft propulsion system, comprising a first propulsion unit which generates thrust and a second propulsion unit which has thrust vectoring means for varying a vector of the thrust, wherein the second propulsion unit is an electromagnetic driving fan in which an armature coil is disposed on an outer circumference of the fan, and an excitation coil is disposed on an inner peripheral surface of a casing portion of the fan so as to face the armature coil, and which is driven by electromagnetic force generated by a mutual induction effect between the armature coil and the excitation coil.

2. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing the second propulsion unit in a wing or folding the unit at an external surface of the wing, and wing moving means for moving the second propulsion unit with respect to a width direction of the wing and a wing chord direction.

3. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the first propulsion unit uses liquid hydrogen as fuel.

4. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 3, further comprising means in which the liquid hydrogen brings the armature coil and the excitation coil to a superconductive state, and is vaporized by receiving heat from the first propulsion unit or the second propulsion unit.

5. The aircraft propulsion system according to any of claims 1 through 4, wherein the first propulsion unit or the second propulsion unit comprises electrical output generating means.

6. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 5, wherein the electrical output generating means is an aircraft generator, a fuel cell, or a combination thereof with an electrical accumulator.

7. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 6, wherein the fuel cell uses liquid hydrogen as fuel.

8. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 6, wherein the fuel cell is disposed between a compressor and a combustor that configure the first propulsion unit.

9. The aircraft propulsion system according to claim 6, wherein the second propulsion unit comprises means for increasing inlet pressure of the fuel cell.