Integrated hybrid propulsion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12264587-B2
Application number	US-202318487771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2023
Priority date	Jan 21, 2021
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A hybrid propulsion system extracts electrical power using a combined heat engine and electrical generator. The propulsion system includes a gas generator, an electrical power generator disposed upstream of the gas generator and configured to be driven by a power turbine, an output power shaft mated to the power turbine and extending through a central axis of the gas generator and power generator unit, an engine enclosure circumferentially surrounding the power generator, and a shroud disposed between the power generator and the engine enclosure. The electrical power generator includes at least one rotating member and a stationary conductive member, wherein the at least one rotating member includes a magnetic portion, and rotation of the at least one rotating member relative to stationary conductive member generates a current transmissible by one or more coupled power output cables.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid propulsion system comprising:
an electrical power generator section configured to be driven by a power turbine;
an engine enclosure, wherein the engine enclosure is configured to circumferentially surround the power generator section; and
a shroud disposed between the power generator section and the engine enclosure, wherein the shroud comprises non-magnetic material;
wherein the power generator section comprises:
a low pressure compressor comprising at least three axial-flow compressor stage rotating members arranged along an output power shaft and wherein each of the at least three axial-flow compressor stage rotating members includes a magnetic portion; and
a conducting element mounted within the engine enclosure;
wherein rotation of the at least three axial-flow compressor stage rotating members relative to the conducting element generates a current transmissible by one or more coupled power output cables; and
wherein the shroud defines a clearance between the at least three rotating members and the engine enclosure, and wherein the shroud is disposed between the conducting element and the at least three axial-flow compressor stage rotating members.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more at least three axial-flow compressor stages comprises a plurality of blades, the magnetic portion being formed by at least a subset of the plurality of blades.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the subset of the plurality of blades comprises one or more magnetic alloys.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the subset of the plurality of blades is formed from at least one magnetic alloy.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the subset of the plurality of blades comprises a permanent magnet embedded within a tip portion of each blade such that only the subset of the plurality of blades is magnetized.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a composite material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a graphite epoxy composite.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises nickel chromium.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control system having at least one controller configured to control a power output within the power generator section.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein controlling the power output comprises at least one of controlling a rate of power generation within the power generator section or adjusting a speed of the power turbine.

11. A hybrid propulsion system comprising:
an electrical power generator section configured to be driven by a power turbine;
an engine enclosure, wherein the engine enclosure is configured to circumferentially surround at least the power generator section, and includes a conductive portion comprising a plurality of coils; and
a shroud disposed between the power generator section and the engine enclosure, wherein the shroud comprises non-magnetic material;
wherein the power generator section comprises:
a low pressure compressor comprising at least three axial-flow compressor stages arranged along an output power shaft and configured to rotate about an axis defined by the output power shaft, wherein each of the at least three axial-flow compressor stages includes a plurality of blades, a magnetic portion, and a non-magnetic portion; and
wherein rotation of the at least three axial-flow compressor stages relative to the engine enclosure generates a current; and
wherein the shroud defines a clearance between the at least three axial-flow compressor stages and the engine enclosure, and wherein the shroud is disposed between the conductive portion and the axial-flow compressor stages.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a gas generator section axially adjacent to the power generator section; and
wherein each of the at least three axial-flow compressor stages within the power generator section is driven by the output power shaft, which is coupled to the power turbine located downstream of the gas generator section.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the generated current is transmissible by one or more output cables coupled to the engine enclosure.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the engine enclosure comprises a non-magnetic section, wherein the non-magnetic section surrounds the power generator section.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the magnetic portion is formed by at least a subset of the plurality of blades.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each blade of the subset of the plurality of blades comprises a magnetic region and a non-magnetic region.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic region is disposed within a tip portion of each of the subset of the plurality of blades.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic region is distributed along a length of each of the subset of the plurality of blades.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of coils is integrally formed within the engine enclosure.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of coils is removably coupled to an interior surface of the enclosure.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Simonetti Joseph Lawrence
• Eisenhauer Mark P
• Strauss Michael

Classifications

• F05D2260/404

  through magnetic drive coupling · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F02C7/36

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• H02K7/1823 Primary

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title