Aircraft engine and method of operation thereof
US-2020386408-A1 · Dec 10, 2020 · US
Aircraft power plant
US12351322B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-12351322-B2 |
| Application number | US-202418931509-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Oct 30, 2024 |
| Priority date | Sep 15, 2021 |
| Publication date | Jul 8, 2025 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2025 |
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- Title
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- Abstract
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Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
Aircraft power plants and associated methods are provided. A method for driving a load on an aircraft includes: transferring motive power from an internal combustion (IC) engine to the load; discharging a flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine when transferring motive power from the IC engine to the load; receiving the flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine into a combustor; mixing fuel with the first exhaust gas in the combustor and igniting the fuel to generate a flow of second exhaust gas; receiving the flow of second exhaust gas at a turbine and driving the turbine with the flow of second exhaust gas from the combustor; and transferring motive power from the turbine to the load.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. A method of driving a load onboard an aircraft, the method comprising: transferring motive power from an internal combustion (IC) engine to the load, the IC engine using intermittent combustion during operation; discharging a flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine when transferring motive power from the IC engine to the load; receiving the flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine into a combustor; mixing fuel with the first exhaust gas in the combustor and igniting the fuel to generate a flow of second exhaust gas; receiving the flow of second exhaust gas at a turbine and driving the turbine with the flow of second exhaust gas from the combustor; and transferring motive power from the turbine to the load, wherein: mixing fuel with the first exhaust gas in the combustor and igniting the fuel to generate the flow of second exhaust gas is performed during momentary peak power operation of the aircraft; and after the momentary peak power operation, the method includes: ceasing to mix fuel with the first exhaust gas and igniting the fuel in the combustor to generate a flow of second exhaust gas; and receiving the flow of first exhaust gas at the turbine and driving the turbine with the flow of first exhaust gas. 2. The method as defined in claim 1 , comprising: transferring motive power from the turbine to a compressor to drive the compressor; compressing air using the compressor; and receiving the air compressed by the compressor at the IC engine and using the air for combustion in the IC engine. 3. The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein: the IC engine is a Wankel engine; and the method includes cooling the Wankel engine using a liquid coolant. 4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the load includes a main rotor of a helicopter.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Wankel engines · CPC title
Adaptations of engines for driving, or engine combinations with, other devices · CPC title
Fuel supply; Introducing fuel to combustion space · CPC title
using exhaust drives arranged in parallel · CPC title
with intermittent fuel introduction · CPC title
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- What does patent US12351322B2 cover?
- Aircraft power plants and associated methods are provided. A method for driving a load on an aircraft includes: transferring motive power from an internal combustion (IC) engine to the load; discharging a flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine when transferring motive power from the IC engine to the load; receiving the flow of first exhaust gas from the IC engine into a combustor; mixing …
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Pratt & Whitney Canada
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification B64D27/04. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Jul 08 2025 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 7 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).