Aircraft power plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581025-B2
Application number	US-201314142166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2013
Priority date	Mar 9, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An aircraft power plant is disclosed having a plurality of bladed rotors in flow communication driven by separate work producing devices. The work producing devices can take a variety of forms including an internal combustion engine and electric motor, for example. The bladed rotors can be associated with an aircraft pylon and can be driven independently to separate operating conditions to provide optimum performance. For example, the bladed rotors can be driven to separate operating conditions that improve a noise signature or performance of the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an aircraft power plant having a first work producing device and a second work producing device; and
a first unducted air moving device and in serial flow communication with a second unducted air moving device, the first unducted air moving device powered by the first work producing device and the second unducted air moving device powered by the second work producing device, and
a controller configured to develop a command signal based upon a function of airspeed, and
wherein the first unducted air moving device is capable of rotating at a first rotational velocity, the second unducted air moving device is capable of rotating at a second rotational velocity, and the controller is configured to provide the command signal to one of the first work producing device and the first unducted air moving device to cause the first rotational velocity of the first unducted air moving device to be different than the second rotational velocity of the second unducted air moving device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first work producing device is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and the second work producing device is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first work producing device is the same type of device as the second work producing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first work producing device includes a turbine structured to extract energy from a passing flow stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the turbine is downstream of a combustor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command a relative speed between the first unducted air moving device and the second unducted air moving device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first undcuted air moving device comprises an open rotor, the first power source comprises an electric motor, the first power source is radially offset from an axis of rotation of the first unducted air moving device, and the first power source is coupled via a shaft to the first unducted air moving device.

8. An apparatus comprising:
an aircraft thrust producing device having a first power source, a first bladed device structured to convey a stream of working fluid, a second power source, and a second bladed device, the first power source capable of generating power independent of the second power source; and
a control system configured to drive the first bladed device to a first speed that is different than a second speed of the second bladed device based upon a function of airspeed,
wherein the first power source delivers power to the first bladed device to convey the stream of working fluid to the second bladed device, wherein the second bladed device is powered by the second power source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the bladed devices are open rotors.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first power source is one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first power source is radially offset from an axis of rotation of the first bladed device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first power source is coupled via a shaft to the first bladed device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to command a relative speed between the first bladed device and the second bladed device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first bladed device comprises an open rotor, the first power source comprises an electric motor, the first power source is radially offset from an axis of rotation of the first bladed device, the first power source is coupled via a shaft to the first bladed device, and the second power source comprises a gas turbine engine.

15. A method comprising:
operating an aircraft power plant to develop thrust, the operating including:
rotating a first bladed air moving device at a first rotational speed to produce a first flow stream by action of a first power source;
rotating a second bladed air moving device at a second rotational speed to produce a second flow stream by action of a second power source;
delivering the first flow stream to the second bladed air moving device;
independently driving each of the first bladed air moving device and second bladed air moving device from the first power source and second power source respectively to cause the first rotational speed to be different than the second rotational speed based at least in part on airspeed.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the rotating includes spinning the first bladed air moving device as an open rotor.

17. The method of claim 15 , which further includes providing power from the first power source to the first bladed air moving device, the first power source located radially offset from a rotation of the first bladed air moving device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the providing power includes rotating a shaft in mechanical communication with the first bladed air moving device.

19. The method of claim 18 , which further includes rotating a gearing coupled to the shaft and the first bladed air moving device.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first bladed air moving device comprises an open rotor, the first power source comprises an electric motor, the first power source is radially offset from an axis of rotation of the first bladed device, and the first power source is coupled via a shaft to the first bladed device.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Eames David John Howard

Classifications

• F02C9/42

  specially adapted for the control of two or more plants simultaneously · CPC title

• B64D2027/005

  Aircraft with an unducted turbofan comprising contra-rotating rotors, e.g. contra-rotating open rotors [CROR] · CPC title

• B64D2033/0293

  for turboprop engines · CPC title

• F01B23/00 Primary

  Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby · CPC title

• F05D2270/13

  to control two or more engines simultaneously · CPC title