Energy harvesting for hybrid propulsion systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11802489-B1
Application number	US-202217942945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2022
Priority date	Sep 12, 2022
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a system includes a turbine configured to fluidly connect to a heat engine to be driven by exhaust from the heat engine, the turbine including a turbine shaft, and a generator operatively coupled to the turbine shaft to be driven by the turbine configured to receive rotational input power from turbine shaft and to convert the rotational input power to output power to generate electrical energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a turbine configured to fluidly connect to a heat engine to be driven by exhaust in an exhaust path from the heat engine, the turbine including a turbine shaft; and
a generator operatively coupled to the turbine shaft to be driven by the turbine configured to receive rotational input power from turbine shaft and to convert the rotational input power to output power to generate electrical energy, wherein the turbine is directly driven by the exhaust from the heat engine without any intervening mechanical, electrical, or pneumatic components between the heat engine and the turbine in the exhaust path, wherein there is no compressor connected to be driven by the turbine shaft.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the heat engine configured to drive a heat engine shaft;
an electric motor configured to drive an electric motor shaft; and
a transmission system including at least one gearbox, wherein the transmission system is configured to receive rotational input power from each of the heat engine shaft and the electric motor shaft and to convert the rotation input power to output power to generate thrust.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an electric energy storage unit electrically connected to provide power to the electric motor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the electric energy storage unit is electrically connected between the generator and the electric motor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the generator is configured to provide electrical energy to be stored in the electric energy storage unit to charge the electric energy storage unit.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electric motor does not contribute to charging the electric energy storage unit.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the turbine is not mechanically connected to the transmission system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric energy storage unit includes a battery.

9. A method comprising:
directly driving a turbine with exhaust from an internal combustion engine, wherein there is no compressor connected to be driven by the turbine;
extracting electrical power from rotation of the turbine;
storing the electrical power in an electric energy storage unit; and
using the stored electrical power to drive an electric motor of a hybrid propulsion system to generate thrust.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Spierling Todd A

Classifications

• B64D27/351

  using energy recovery · CPC title

• B64D35/025

  of parallel type · CPC title

• B64D27/33

  Hybrid electric aircraft · CPC title

• F01D15/10 Primary

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators · CPC title

• F02B37/10 Primary

  at least one pump being alternatively {or simultaneously} driven by exhaust and other drive, {e.g. by pressurised fluid from a reservoir or an engine-driven pump} · CPC title