Apparatus for generating electrical energy for an aircraft and aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12345208-B2
Application number	US-202318476621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2022
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for an aircraft includes an electric machine and a gas turbine. The gas turbine includes a compressor, a turbine unit having a high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine, and a combustion chamber. The compressor is connected via a high-pressure shaft to the high-pressure turbine, and the low-pressure turbine is connected via a low-pressure shaft directly to an output shaft of the electric machine. The high-pressure shaft and the low-pressure shaft are rotatable in different directions. The electric machine is operable as a generator and may be operated as a motor to start the gas turbine. The output shaft is connected via a gear box unit and a free-wheel to the high-pressure shaft. The free-wheel separates the connection between the output shaft of the electric machine and the high-pressure shaft in the presence of a torque flow from the high-pressure shaft in a direction of the output shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating electrical energy for an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
an electric machine; and
a gas turbine device comprising:
a compressor unit;
a turbine unit comprising at least one high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine; and
a combustion chamber unit,

wherein the compressor unit is connected via a high-pressure shaft to the high-pressure turbine,
wherein the low-pressure turbine is connected via a low-pressure shaft directly to an output shaft of the electric machine,
wherein the high-pressure shaft, the low-pressure shaft, and the output shaft of the electric machine are arranged coaxially relative to each other,
wherein, during operation of the gas turbine device, the high-pressure shaft and the low-pressure shaft are configured to rotate in different rotation directions, and the low-pressure shaft and the output shaft are configured to rotate together in a same rotation direction,
wherein the electric machine is operable as a generator, such that the electrical energy is generated,
wherein the electric machine is operable as a motor, such that the electric machine is configured to start the gas turbine device with the high-pressure shaft, and the low-pressure shaft and the output shaft rotating in the different rotation directions, and the output shaft is connected via a gear box unit and a free-wheel to the high-pressure shaft,
wherein the free-wheel separates a connection between the output shaft of the electric machine and the high-pressure shaft in a presence of a torque flow from the high-pressure shaft in a direction of the output shaft,
wherein the gear box unit comprises a first spur pinion stage, the first spur pinion stage comprising a first spur pinion that is connected to the output shaft in a rotationally secure manner and meshes with a second spur pinion of the first spur pinion stage,
wherein the second spur pinion is connected in a rotationally secure manner to a shaft that is connected to a first connection half of the free-wheel,
wherein the gear box unit further comprises a second spur pinion stage and a third spur pinion stage,
wherein a first spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage is arranged in a rotationally secure manner on a shaft that is connected in a rotationally secure manner to a second connection half of the free-wheel, and
wherein a second spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage is connected in a rotationally secure manner via a shaft to a first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage, such that the second spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage and the first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage rotate in a same rotational direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage meshes with a second spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage, and
wherein the second spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage is actively connected in a rotationally secure manner to the high-pressure shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an additional gear of an auxiliary unit gear box device meshes with the first spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage, the additional gear being in the form of a spur pinion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein another spur pinion of the auxiliary unit gear box device engages with the additional gear of the auxiliary unit gear box device,
wherein the other spur pinion is arranged in a rotationally secure manner on a shaft of an auxiliary power unit, via which the auxiliary power unit is drivable by the high-pressure shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gear box unit is arranged in an axial direction of the output shaft between the electric machine and the compressor unit.

6. An aircraft comprising:
an apparatus for generating electrical energy for the aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
an electric machine; and
a gas turbine device comprising:
a compressor unit;
a turbine unit comprising at least one high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine; and
a combustion chamber unit,

wherein the compressor unit is connected via a high-pressure shaft to the high-pressure turbine,
wherein the low-pressure turbine is connected via a low-pressure shaft directly to an output shaft of the electric machine,
wherein the high-pressure shaft, the low-pressure shaft, and the output shaft of the electric machine are arranged coaxially relative to each other,
wherein, during operation of the gas turbine device, the high-pressure shaft and the low-pressure shaft are configured to rotate in different rotation directions, and the low-pressure shaft and the output shaft are configured to rotate together in a same rotation direction,
wherein the electric machine is operable as a generator, such that the electrical energy is generated,
wherein the electric machine is operable as a motor, such that the electric machine is configured to start the gas turbine device with the high-pressure shaft, and the low-pressure shaft and the output shaft rotating in the different rotation directions, and the output shaft is connected via a gear box unit and a free-wheel to the high-pressure shaft,
wherein the free-wheel separates a connection between the output shaft of the electric machine and the high-pressure shaft in a presence of a torque flow from the high-pressure shaft in a direction of the output shaft,
wherein the gear box unit comprises a first spur pinion stage, the first spur pinion stage comprising a first spur pinion that is connected to the output shaft in a rotationally secure manner and meshes with a second spur pinion of the first spur pinion stage,
wherein the second spur pinion is connected in a rotationally secure manner to a shaft that is connected to a first connection half of the free-wheel,
wherein the gear box unit further comprises a second spur pinion stage and a third spur pinion stage,
wherein a first spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage is arranged in a rotationally secure manner on a shaft that is connected in a rotationally secure manner to a second connection half of the free-wheel, and
wherein a second spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage is connected in a rotationally secure manner via a shaft to a first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage, such that the second spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage and the first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage rotate in a same rotational direction.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 ,
wherein the first spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage meshes with a second spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage, and
wherein the second spur pinion of the third spur pinion stage is actively connected in a rotationally secure manner to the high-pressure shaft.

8. The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein an additional gear of an auxiliary unit gear box device meshes with the first spur pinion of the second spur pinion stage, the additional gear being in the form of a spur pinion.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein another spur pinion of the auxiliary unit gear box device engages with the additional gear of the auxiliary unit gear box device,
wherein the other spur pinion is arranged in a rotationally secure manner on a shaft of an auxiliary power unit, via which the auxiliary power unit is drivable by the high-pressure shaft.

10. The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the gear box unit is arranged in an axial direction of the output shaft between the electric machine and the compressor unit.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co Kg
• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Mountain Stephen
• Seydel Christian
• Venter Gideon Daniel
• Kopp Sebastian

Classifications

• F05D2260/4031

  as in toothed gearing · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• F01D15/10

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

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title

• F02C7/275

  Mechanical drives · CPC title