Aircraft propulsion system with engine assembly, intercooler, and turbocompressor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12576979-B2
Application number	US-202418591141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2024
Priority date	Feb 29, 2024
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an air intake, an engine assembly, a turbocompressor, an electrical assembly, and at least one propulsor. The engine assembly includes an engine. The engine includes an air inlet, an exhaust outlet, and an engine output shaft. The turbocompressor assembly includes a turbocompressor. The turbocompressor includes a turbine and a compressor. The turbine and the compressor form a rotational assembly. The rotational assembly includes a shaft, a bladed turbine rotor of the turbine, and a bladed compressor rotor of the compressor. The shaft interconnects the bladed turbine rotor and the bladed compressor rotor. The turbine includes a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet. The turbine inlet is connected in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet. The compressor includes a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet. The compressor inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake. The rotational assembly is mechanically independent of the engine output shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A propulsion system for an aircraft, the propulsion system comprising:
an air intake; an engine assembly including an engine and an intercooler,
the engine including an air inlet, an exhaust outlet, and an engine output shaft, and
the intercooler including a first heat exchanger side having a first inlet and a first outlet and a second heat exchanger side having a second inlet and a second outlet, the first outlet is connected in fluid communication with the air inlet, and the second inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake;
a turbocompressor assembly including a turbocompressor, the turbocompressor including a turbine and a compressor, the turbine and the compressor forming a rotational assembly, the rotational assembly including a shaft, a bladed turbine rotor of the turbine, and a bladed compressor rotor of the compressor, the shaft of the rotational assembly interconnecting the bladed turbine rotor and the bladed compressor rotor, the turbine including a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet, the turbine inlet is connected in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, the compressor including a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake, the compressor outlet is connected in fluid communication with the first inlet, and the rotational assembly is mechanically independent of the engine output shaft; an electrical assembly including a first electric motor-generator and an electrical distribution system, the first electric motor-generator operably connected to the engine output shaft, the first electric motor-generator electrically connected to the electrical distribution system; and at least one propulsor including an electric motor and a propulsor rotor, the electric motor is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system, and the propulsor rotor is operably connected to the electric motor.

2 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fan including a fan rotor and an input shaft, the input shaft is connected to the fan rotor, the input shaft is operably connected to the rotational assembly, the cooling fan including a cooling fan inlet and at least one cooling fan outlet, and the cooling fan is connected in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger side to direct ambient air from the air intake through the second heat exchanger side.

3 . The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the cooling fan is connected in fluid communication with and between the air intake and the second heat exchanger side with the cooling fan inlet connected in fluid communication with the air intake and the at least one cooling fan outlet connected in fluid communication with the second inlet.

4 . The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the cooling fan is configured to exhaust ambient air from the air intake through the at least one cooling fan outlet to generate lift for the aircraft.

5 . The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the electrical assembly includes a second electric motor-generator operably connected to the shaft of the rotational assembly, and the second electric motor-generator is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system.

6 . The propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the turbocompressor assembly further includes a gearbox, and the gearbox operably connects the shaft of the rotational assembly, the input shaft, and the second electric motor-generator.

7 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fan including an electric motor, a fan rotor, a cooling fan inlet, and at least one cooling fan outlet, the electric motor is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system, the electric motor is operably connected to the fan rotor, and the cooling fan is connected in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger side to direct ambient air from the air intake through the second heat exchanger side.

8 . The propulsion system of claim 7 , wherein the cooling fan is connected in fluid communication with and downstream of the second heat exchanger side, and the cooling fan inlet is connected in fluid communication with the second outlet.

9 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the engine assembly includes an interburner, the interburner includes an interburner inlet and an interburner outlet, the interburner is connected in fluid communication with and between the engine and the turbine with the interburner inlet connected in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet and the interburner outlet connected in fluid communication with the turbine inlet.

10 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical assembly further includes an energy storage device electrically connected to the electrical distribution system.

11 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one propulsor is connected in fluid communication with the intercooler outlet.

12 . The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the engine is an intermittent combustion engine.

13 . A propulsion system for an aircraft, the propulsion system comprising:
an air intake; an engine assembly including an engine, an interburner, and an intercooler,
the engine including an air inlet, an exhaust outlet, and an engine output shaft,
the interburner including an interburner inlet and an interburner outlet, the interburner inlet is connected in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, and
the intercooler including a first heat exchanger side having a first inlet and a first outlet and a second heat exchanger side having a second inlet and a second outlet, the first outlet is connected in fluid communication with the air inlet, and the second inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake;
a turbocompressor assembly including a turbocompressor, the turbocompressor including a turbine and a compressor, the turbine and the compressor forming a rotational assembly, the rotational assembly including a shaft, a bladed turbine rotor of the turbine, and a bladed compressor rotor of the compressor, the shaft of the rotational assembly interconnecting the bladed turbine rotor and the bladed compressor rotor, the turbine including a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet, the turbine inlet is connected in fluid communication with the interburner outlet, the compressor including a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake, the compressor outlet is connected in fluid communication with the first inlet, and the rotational assembly is mechanically independent of the engine output shaft; and an electrical assembly including a first electric motor-generator, a second electric motor-generator, and an electrical distribution system, the first electric motor-generator is operably connected to the engine output shaft, the first electric motor-generator is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system, the second electric motor-generator is operably connected to the rotational assembly, and the second electric motor-generator is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system.

14 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , further comprising a cooling fan including a fan rotor and an input shaft, the input shaft is connected to the fan rotor, the input shaft is operably connected to the rotational assembly, the cooling fan including a cooling fan inlet and at least one cooling fan outlet, the cooling fan inlet is connected in fluid communication with the air intake, and the at least one cooling fan outlet is connected in f

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Tomes Nathan
• Bousquet Michel

Classifications

• B64D33/08

  of power plant cooling systems · CPC title

• B64U50/12

  using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U20/94

  of rotors or rotor motors · CPC title