Propulsion system, anti-icing method of rotor and aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139261-B2
Application number	US-202217699921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2022
Priority date	Nov 12, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

According to one implementation, a propulsion system includes a rotor, a motor and an anti-icing mechanism. The rotor has blades. The motor rotates the rotor. The anti-icing mechanism deices the blades using heat generated by driving of the motor. Further, according to one implementation, an aircraft includes the above-mentioned propulsion system. Further, according to one implementation, an anti-icing method of a rotor having blades includes deicing the blades using heat generated by driving of a motor for rotating the rotor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A propulsion system for an aircraft, the propulsion system comprising:
rotor blades;
a motor including a stator and a rotor;
a rotating shaft having i) a first portion where the rotor of the motor is mounted around the rotating shaft, and ii) a second portion where the rotor blades are attached to the rotating shaft, wherein the rotating shaft transfers power from the motor to rotate the rotor blades; and
a first heat transfer member disposed inside the rotating shaft to extend from the first portion to the second portion of the rotating shaft such that the first heat transfer member contacts the rotor of the motor at the first portion via a lateral surface of the rotating shaft;
second heat transfer members respectively disposed on the rotor blades to contact the first heat transfer member at the second portion via the lateral surface of the rotating shaft,
wherein the first heat transfer member receives heat generated in the motor via the first portion of the rotating shaft and transfers the heat to the second heat transfer member via the second portion of the rotating shaft to deice the rotor blades; and
wherein the first heat transfer member includes at least one of a first heat conductor and a heat pipe including a first heat transferring fluid, and the first heat conductor is made of at least one of carbon fibers and a material containing carbon nanotube.

2. The propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer member has thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of the rotating shaft.

3. The propulsion system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the second heat transfer members have thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of the rotor blades,
wherein the second heat transfer members transfer the heat from the first heat transfer member to the rotor blades respectively, and
wherein the second heat transfer members each include at least one of a second heat conductor and a second heat transferring fluid.

4. The propulsion system according to claim 3 ,
wherein each second heat conductor is attached to the second end of the rotating shaft,
wherein the rotor blades extend from the second end of the rotating shaft, and
wherein each second heat conductor extends from the second end of the rotating shaft to halfway along a length of each respective blade rotor.

5. The propulsion system according to claim 4 ,
wherein each second heat conductor is made of at least one of carbon fibers and a material containing carbon nanotube.

6. The propulsion system according to claim 4 , further comprising:
deicing boots attached to the rotor blades respectively, the deicing boots including the second heat transfer members and rubbers disposed on surfaces of the second heat transfer members respectively.

7. The propulsion system according to claim 3 ,
wherein each second heat conductor is made of at least one of carbon fibers and a material containing carbon nanotube.

8. The propulsion system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
deicing boots attached to the rotor blades respectively, the deicing boots including the second heat transfer members and rubbers disposed on surfaces of the second heat transfer members respectively.

9. The propulsion system according to claim 3 , further comprising:
deicing boots attached to the rotor blades respectively, the deicing boots including the second heat transfer members and rubbers disposed on surfaces of the second heat transfer members respectively.

10. The propulsion system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first heat transfer member and the second heat transfer member are configured to deice the rotor blades by transmitting, to the rotor blades, not less than 15% of the heat generated by the motor.

11. An aircraft comprising:
the propulsion system according to claim 3 .

12. The propulsion system according to claim 3 , wherein an end of each second heat conductor is embedded in the second end of the rotating shaft so that each second heat conductor is in contact with the first heat conductor.

13. The propulsion system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first heat transfer member and the second heat transfer member are configured to deice the rotor blades by transmitting, to the rotor blades, not less than 15% of the heat generated by the motor.

14. An aircraft comprising:
the propulsion system according to claim 2 .

15. The propulsion system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first heat transfer member and the second heat transfer member are configured to deice the rotor blades by transmitting, to the rotor blades, not less than 15% of the heat generated by the motor.

16. An aircraft comprising:
the propulsion system according to claim 15 .

17. An aircraft comprising:
the propulsion system according to claim 1 .

18. An anti-icing method for the propulsion system according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
deicing the rotor blades using the heat generated by driving of the motor for rotating the rotor blades.

19. The anti-icing method of the rotor according to claim 18 ,
wherein the heat generated by the motor is transmitted to the rotor blades through the first heat transfer member of which thermal conductivity is determined to allow transmitting, to the rotor blades, not less than 15% of the heat generated by the motor.

20. The propulsion system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second heat transfer members have thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of the rotor blades,
wherein the second heat transfer members transfer the heat from the first heat transfer member to the rotor blades respectively, and
wherein the second heat transfer members each includes at least one of a second heat conductor and a second heat transferring fluid.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kotani Kazuaki

Classifications

• B64D15/06 Primary

  Liquid application · CPC title

• B64C11/00 Primary

  Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64U20/60

  UAVs characterised by the material · CPC title

• B64U20/70

  Constructional aspects of the UAV body · CPC title