Hybrid propulsion system including a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10450886-B2
Application number	US-201514977694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

An aeronautical propulsion system includes a fan having a plurality of fan blades and an electric motor drivingly connected to the fan for rotating the plurality of fan blades. A chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is included for providing the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of electric energy during operation of the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, resulting in a more efficient aeronautical propulsion system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a core engine;
a fan mechanically coupled to the core engine;
an electric motor drivingly connected to at least one of the core engine and the fan;
a nacelle defining a bypass passage;
an air duct in airflow communication with the bypass passage
a first reactant supply line;
a second reactant supply line configured to receive a flow of air from the air duct; and
a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor for providing the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of electric energy during operation of the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor fluidly coupled to the first reactant supply line and the second reactant supply line for receiving a first reactant from the first reactant supply line and a second reactant from the second reactant supply line during operation, the second reactant being the flow of air from the air duct.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is rechargeable by a fuel through the first reactant supply line, and wherein the fuel is at least one of hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, liquefied hydrogen, syngas, aviation turbine fuel, or reformate.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor provides the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of alternating current electrical power during operation of the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor comprises a first cell portion having a first catalytic electrode and a second cell portion having a second catalytic electrode, wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is in communication with a first reactant supply through the first reactant supply line and a second reactant supply through the second reactant supply line, and wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor enables the first and second reactant supplies to selectively communicate with the first catalytic electrode of the first cell portion and the second catalytic electrode of the second cell portion.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuel tank; and
a reformer in flow communication with the fuel tank and the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, wherein the reformer is configured to receive a flow of fuel from the fuel tank and provide a flow of at least one of hydrogen, syngas, or reformate to the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor through the first reactant supply line.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the fuel tank is also in flow communication with the core engine.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hydrogen fuel tank in flow communication with the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor provides the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of electric energy during at least one of a takeoff operating mode, a climb operating mode, or a cruise operating mode.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is drivingly connected to the fan through a mechanical coupling unit.

10. An aeronautical propulsion system comprising:
a fan having a plurality of fan blades;
an electric motor drivingly connected to the fan for rotating the plurality of fan blades;
a nacelle at least partially surrounding the fan and defining an airflow passage;
an air duct in airflow communication with the airflow passage for receiving a flow of air from the airflow passage;
a first reactant supply line;
a second reactant supply line configured to receive the flow of air from the air duct; and
a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor for providing the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of electric energy during operation, the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor fluidly coupled to the first reactant supply line and the second reactant supply line for receiving a first reactant from the first reactant supply line and a second reactant from the second reactant supply line during operation.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electric motor is drivingly connected to the fan through a mechanical coupling unit.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is rechargeable by a fuel provided through the first reactant supply line, and wherein the fuel is at least one of hydrogen, syngas, or reformate.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is configured to provide the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of alternating current electrical power during operation.

14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a fuel tank; and
a reformer in flow communication with the fuel tank and the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, wherein the reformer is configured to receive a flow of fuel from the fuel tank and provide a flow of at least one of hydrogen, syngas, or reformate to the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the fan is an aft fan configured to be mounted at an aft end of an aircraft incorporating the aeronautical propulsion device.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor comprises a first cell portion having a first catalytic electrode and a second cell portion having a second catalytic electrode, wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor is in communication with a first reactant supply and a second reactant supply, and wherein the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor enables the first and second reactant supplies to selectively communicate with the first catalytic electrode of the first cell portion and the second catalytic electrode of the second cell portion.

17. A method for operating an aeronautical propulsion system, the method comprising:
providing mechanical power to a fan of the aeronautical propulsion system with an electric motor; and
providing electrical power to the electric motor with a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, wherein providing electrical power to the electric motor comprises switching a flow of a first reactant to a first cell portion of the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor and a flow of a second reactant to a second cell portion of the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor to recharge the chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor, the second reactant being a flow of air from an air duct in airflow communication with a bypass passage.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing electrical power to the electric motor with a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor includes providing the electric motor with a substantially continuous flow of alternating current electrical power during operation.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing electrical power to the electric motor with a chemically rechargeable ultra-capacitor includes providing electrical power to the electric motor during at least one of a takeoff operating mode, a climb operating mode, or a cruise operating mode.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the nacelle surrounds at least a portion of the fan and the core engine and defines the bypass passage with the core engine, and wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises:
a fuel tank in flow communication with the core engine for providing a flow of fuel to the core engine;

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Sennoun Mohammed El Hacin

Classifications

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F02K5/00

  Plants including an engine, other than a gas turbine, driving a compressor or a ducted fan · CPC title

• F02C7/32

  Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries · CPC title

• F05D2260/4031

  as in toothed gearing · CPC title