1880results about "Power plant type" patented technology

A VTOL aircraft includes a lift propeller configured to provide lift during takeoff, landing and hover operations. The lift propeller is configured to be stowed close to a boom surface when not in use during, e.g., cruise flight, to minimize drag around propeller surfaces. The lift propeller may be displaced vertically with respect to the boom when switching to a lift configuration to provide greater separation from the boom to improve lift efficiency and reduce unwanted vibrations. The lift propeller may have a fail-safe configuration that allows the propeller to move passively between lift and stowed configurations, and to fully rotate even when fully retracted.

An aircraft includes a battery pack mounted inside the aircraft, a vent coupled between the battery pack and a surface of the aircraft to at least partly define a vent path between the battery pack and the surface of the aircraft, and a burst membrane located in the vent path. The vent may be coupled to a rear upper portion of a wing or to an outboard side of a nacelle. The aircraft may also include a flexible coupling between the vent and the surface of the aircraft. The aircraft may also include a fairing over a vent outlet to provide a smooth surface for the vent outlet. The battery pack may include battery modules and an enclosure, the battery modules and the enclosure defining paths along which discharge from a thermal event can flow towards the vent.

A motor assembly is described and includes a housing; a plurality of motors disposed within the housing; and a drive shaft comprising a plurality of interconnected drive shaft segments, wherein each one of the drive shaft segments is driven by a different one of the motors connected to the drive shaft segment via an integrated overrunning clutch.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 1 of the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)-type that can be launched from a launcher tube 2 is provided. A launcher 2 for launching the UAV 1 is also provided. The UAV 1 comprises a housing 10 and a transition mechanism 100 for transitioning the UAV 1 between a collapsed configuration for stowing the UAV 1 in a launcher tube 21 and a flight configuration. The housing 10 and the transition mechanism 100 are configured so that one or more rotors 12a-d that, in use, are connected to the transition mechanism 100 are located substantially within the housing 10 in the collapsed configuration and outside the housing 10 in the flight configuration. The launcher 2 comprises a hollow tube 21 for receiving a UAV 1 in a collapsed configuration and a trigger mechanism 26 for triggering a propulsion mechanism for propelling the UAV 1 out of an end of the hollow tube 21. A system comprising both the UAV 1 and the launcher 2, and a kit of part which, when assembled, provide the UAV 1 are also provided.

A hybrid-electric propulsion (HEP) system is provided that includes a gas turbine engine, an electrical power motive system, a system controller, and a propulsor. The gas turbine engine has a free turbine configuration and a compressor. The electrical power motive system has first and second electric motors and first and second inverters. The gas turbine engine provides motive force to the propulsor. The first electric motor is configurable in a drive mode or in generator mode. The second electric motor is in communication with the compressor. The system controller is in communication with the gas turbine engine, the first and second inverters, and a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions cause the system controller to control the second inverter to operate the second electric motor to provide a motive force to the compressor of the gas turbine engine during a low power setting of the gas turbine engine.

A rotating pylon assembly for aircraft thrust vectoring control. In embodiments, the rotating pylon assembly of embodiments includes a rotating sleeve disposed within a fixed boom of the aircraft, and configured to support a rotor assembly. The rotating pylon assembly includes a bearing assembly configured to functionally couple the rotating sleeve against an inner surface of the fixed boom. The bearing assembly enables the rotating sleeve to rotate against the inner surface of the fixed boom and about a longitudinal axis of the fixed boom. An actuator is configured to rotate the rotating sleeve about the longitudinal axis of the fixed boom. The rotating sleeve may cause the rotor assembly to be rotated or swung about the longitudinal axis of the fixed boom to position the rotor assembly in a position to vector the thrust provided by the rotor assembly based on a control command.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a vehicle battery situational awareness (VBSA) platform configured to monitor one or more vehicles. An onboard VBSA system associated with a vehicle is communicably coupled to a vehicle operations center associated with the VBSA platform and can monitor a current energy expenditure of the vehicle as the vehicle executes a trip plan. The onboard VBSA system can also determine that the current energy expenditure of the vehicle does not match a predicted energy expenditure. The onboard VBSA system can generate, based on output from a vehicle performance prediction model, a predicted energy overlay representing the predicted energy expenditure. The onboard VBSA system can also determine a safety boundary characterized by a maximum safe travel time. The onboard VBSA system can also cause display of the predicted energy overlay and the safety boundary on one or more computing devices.

An apparatus for aircraft propulsion includes a propeller and a hybrid-cooled electric engine mounted to a support structure and configured to rotate the propeller. The electric engine is located in an enclosure, with a first heat transfer element thermally coupled to the electric engine via a fluid flow path, partially located outside the enclosure. A second heat transfer element, integral to or thermally coupled to the electric engine, provides air cooling. Both heat transfer elements are housed within the aircraft's support structure. At least one air inlet on the upper side of the support structure receives propeller downwash. A first cooling path directs a portion of the downwash from the air inlet to the first heat transfer element, and a first air outlet exhausts the downwash.

An autonomous flying device achieving a large payload and a long continuous flight time and also accurately adjust position and orientation while flying. The device includes: a main rotor and the like that provide main thrust; a sub rotor and the like that controls the orientation; an engine that generates energy for rotating the main rotor and the like and the sub rotor and the like; and an arithmetic control device that controls rotation of the sub rotor and the like. Also, the main rotor and the like are rotated by being drivingly connected to the engine, whereas the sub rotor and the like are rotated by motors driven by electric power generated from generator and the like operated by the engine. Further, when orientation control to tilt the fuselage is performed, the arithmetic control device increases the output distribution ratio of the sub rotor to above the output distribution ratio of the sub rotor when hovering is performed.

The power plant can have a structure; an output shaft connectable to a load, the output shaft rotatable about an axis relative the structure; a thermal engine secured to the structure, the thermal engine having a thermal engine shaft; an electric motor having a stator and a rotor shaft, the stator secured to the structure; an epicyclic gearing having a sun gear coaxial to a ring gear, a plurality of planet gears meshed between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a carrier coaxial to the sun gear and to the ring gear, the sun gear, carrier, and ring gear being rotatable relative the casing structure, the output shaft and the rotor shaft both coupled to the carrier, and the thermal engine shaft coupled to sun gear and the carrier; and an overrunning clutch operable to prevent the rotation of the ring gear in one angular direction.

The invention discloses a purely electrically driven multi-propeller powered glider, comprising a frame, a propulsion device and a power supply device. The propulsion device comprises a driving motor and a propeller, wherein the propeller is located at the rear side of the frame, and a protective frame is provided on the frame. The driving motor comprises an outer rotor and an inner stator, wherein an output shaft 1 is provided on the outer rotor, and a reversing mechanism is provided inside the inner stator, wherein the output end of the reversing mechanism is connected with an output shaft 2, and the input end of the reversing mechanism is connected with the output shaft 1, wherein the output shaft 1 passes through the center of the output shaft 2 along the axial direction, and the output shaft 1 and the output shaft 2 can rotate relative to each other, and the reversing mechanism receives the power output by the output shaft 1 and transmits it to the output shaft 2, so that the output shaft 2 outputs a rotational power in the opposite direction to that of the output shaft 1, and the output shaft 1 and the output shaft 2 are both connected with propellers. When the driving motor is started, the output shaft 1 and the output shaft 2 respectively drive the two propellers to rotate, so that the rotation directions of the two propellers are opposite, and the yaw torques generated by the two propellers offset each other.

A vertical take-off or landing (VTOL) aircraft is disclosed that includes a propulsion system comprising at least four tilting propulsion assemblies and two or more lifting propulsion assemblies. Actuation of the tilting mechanisms can convert the aircraft from a hover configuration, in which all propellers produce thrust generally upward to counteract the aircraft's weight, to a forward flight configuration, in which the four or more tilting propellers produce thrust generally in a forward direction parallel to the fuselage to overcome drag in cruise flight and the lifting propellers produce no thrust or a level of thrust generally less than that required in the hover configuration.

A hybrid powerplant is provided for an aircraft. This hybrid powerplant includes a housing, an electric machine, a machine fluid circuit, a heat engine and a geartrain. The housing includes a machine containment zone and an engine compartment outside of the machine containment zone. The electric machine is arranged within the machine containment zone. The machine fluid circuit services the electric machine. The machine fluid circuit extends in the machine containment zone and is arranged outside of the engine compartment. The heat engine is arranged within the engine compartment. The geartrain is operatively connected to the electric machine and the heat engine.

A triple-flow turbine engine for an aircraft, this turbine engine having a longitudinal axis and including upstream suspension elements which are located in a first plane perpendicular to the axis and are connected or fixed to the gas generator of the turbine engine; downstream suspension elements which are located in a second plane perpendicular to the axis and are connected or fixed to the gas generator; and thrust-absorbing rods which include first ends which are connected or fixed to the gas generator and opposing second ends which are located in a third plane perpendicular to the axis, wherein the first, second and third planes are located at a cold compartment of the gas generator.

An aircraft is disclosed having a device and an aircraft wing. The aircraft wing includes a main wing element and a movable wing tip device attached to a tip end of the main wing element. The movable wing tip device includes an accumulator configured to store energy and the movable wing tip device can move relative to the main wing element to vary a span of the aircraft wing. The accumulator is configured to transmit power to the device. The accumulator enables energy to trickle between the main wing element and the movable wing tip device whilst still providing a suitable power source to the device. Additional embodiments include a method of maintenance, and a method of operating the aircraft wing to store energy in the movable wing tip device.

The aircraft can have a cabin adapted to receive one or more persons; a rotary airfoil device; an electric engine; a battery powering the electric engine; a transmission coupling the electric engine to the rotary airfoil device; a lubricant subsystem having a lubricant circuit and a lubricant pump operable to circulate a lubricant in the lubricant circuit, the lubricant circuit connected in heat exchange relationship with the transmission; a coolant subsystem having a coolant circuit and a coolant pump operable to circulate a coolant in the coolant circuit, the coolant circuit connected in heat exchange relationship with at least one of the electric engine and the battery; and a pressurized air subsystem having a pressurized air line operable to deliver pressurized air from a pressurized air source to the cabin, the pressurized air line connected in heat exchange relationship with at least one of the coolant circuit and the lubricant circuit.

There is provided a system including a plurality of switching units connected in parallel to a bus to which a power generation unit and a load are connected, each of the plurality of switching units switching ON / OFF of a connection of a battery pack to the bus; a plurality of battery packs individually connected to each of the plurality of switching units, each of the plurality of battery packs being identical to the battery pack; and a management unit which manages the plurality of switching units such that the plurality of battery packs are alternately discharged so that a discharging rate of each of the plurality of battery packs is increased compared to when all of the plurality of battery packs are discharged.

An aircraft has a boom, a propulsion assembly coupled to a first end of the boom, and a first wing coupled to a second end of the boom. The propulsion assembly is coupled to the boom by a rotating joint. A second wing is optionally coupled to the rotating joint. The first wing is coupled to the boom by a rotating joint. The first wing is coupled to the rotating joint by a hinge. A vehicle with roll, pitch, and yaw maneuverability able to mirror the aircraft movements may be coupled to the second end of the boom. The vehicle body may be picked up with a vehicle chassis disconnected from the vehicle body. The boom houses an energy source to power the propulsion assembly. A rudder is coupled to the second end of the boom. A paddle is disposed between the propulsion assembly and the boom.

Provided are a motor (100), a propulsion system and an aircraft. The motor (100) comprises a stator (110), a rotor (120), and a cooling system (200); the stator (110) comprises a housing (111); one end of the rotor (120) is rotatably connected to the housing (111) by means of a first bearing (600); the cooling system (200) comprises an air cooling structure (210) and a liquid cooling structure (220); the air cooling structure (210) is arranged on the rotor (120) and the stator (110); and the liquid cooling structure (220) is arranged on the stator (110).

Embodiments relate generally to systems and VTOL aerial vehicles. An example central server system comprises: at least one central server system processor; and central server system memory storing central server system program instructions accessible by the at least one central server system processor, and configured to cause the at least one central server system processor to: receive vehicle registration data associated with a manned VTOL aerial vehicle; and determine that the vehicle registration data is associated with a manned VTOL aerial vehicle that is authorized to communicate with the central server system. Some embodiments include VTOL aerial vehicles in communication or communicable with a central server system.

The system can include an on-board thermal management subsystem. The system 100 can optionally include an off-board (extravehicular) infrastructure subsystem. The on-board thermal management subsystem can include: a battery pack, one or more fluid loops, and an air manifold. The system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components.

A hybrid propulsion system for an electric aircraft, the system including an electric aircraft including a fuselage. The fuselage including an energy source containing electric power. The electric aircraft further including at least a laterally extending element attached to the fuselage and extending laterally from the fuselage. The electric aircraft further including at least a propulsor electrically connected to the energy source. The system also including at least a power unit pod attached to the at least a laterally extending element and including an auxiliary power unit configured to generate electric power. The power unit pod also including a fuel tank in fluid communication with the auxiliary power unit and a power output line electrically connected to the energy source of the electric aircraft.

A method for protection of inflight aircraft during approaching-to-landing and takeoff / climbout phases of flight against handheld laser attacks includes two different drone types: a skeining drone and a swarming drone. One or more skeining drones are deployed close to the aircraft and / or one or more swarming drones are deployed further from the aircraft and closer to the beam source. Prior to the aircraft's traversal of a determinable approach point, a plurality of swarming drones are pre-deployed in loitering mode or else launched, and are subsequently directed toward the reckoned source of a trained beam while skeining drones are pre-deployed in a patrol mode or else launched, and fly closer to the aircraft. The skein classically shields the cockpit by flying a controlled interference pattern roughly parallel to the aircraft flightpath while the swarm saturates one or more determined and dynamically redetermined regions athwart the beam source location.

An aircraft electrical power supply system includes a fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) that supplies auxiliary electrical power to an aircraft, a fuel cell power plant that supplies primary electrical power to the aircraft, and a hydrogen storage unit that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell APU and the fuel cell power plant.

One variation of a system for generating thrust at an aerial vehicle includes: a primary electric motor; a rotor coupled to the motor; an internal-combustion engine; a clutch interposed between the motor and an output shaft of the internal-combustion engine; an engine shroud defining a shroud inlet between the rotor and the internal-combustion engine, extending over the internal-combustion engine, and defining a shroud outlet opposite the rotor; a cooling fan coupled and configured to displace air through the engine shroud; and a local controller configured to receive a rotor speed command specifying a target rotor speed, adjust a throttle setpoint of the internal-combustion engine according to the target rotor speed and a state of charge of a battery in the aerial vehicle, and drive the primary electric motor to selectively output torque to the rotor and to regeneratively brake the rotor according to the target rotor speed.

The present invention discloses an aerial mixed-field source electromagnetic detection system and method. The system uses a helicopter as a carrier platform, and adopts a mode of ground electrical source and aerial magnetic source excitation, aerial high-sensitivity small-bandwidth coil and aerial low-sensitivity large-bandwidth coil reception. The high-sensitivity small-bandwidth coil can sense the weak signal generated by the high-power electrical source and the natural field source exciting the earth, and has the advantages of high-power transmission, large detection depth, light mounting, high sensitivity, etc., and is mainly used for deep earth detection; the low-sensitivity large-bandwidth coil is coplanar with the transmitting coil of the magnetic source transmitter, and has the advantages of accuracy, high signal-to-noise ratio, high resolution, etc., and is mainly used for medium and shallow earth detection. The present invention gives full play to the advantages of the helicopter's flexible maneuverability, high-power ground power supply, and rich natural field source spectrum components, and combines the advantages of magnetic source, electrical source and natural field source electromagnetic detection systems to achieve fast, large-area, and large-depth detection range of all-round refined electromagnetic exploration.

A triple-flow turbine engine for an aircraft, this turbine engine having a longitudinal axis and including upstream suspension elements which are located in a first plane perpendicular to the axis and are connected or fixed to the gas generator of the turbine engine; downstream suspension elements which are located in a second plane perpendicular to the axis and are connected or fixed to the gas generator; and thrust-absorbing rods which include first ends which are connected or fixed to the gas generator and opposing second ends which are located in a third plane perpendicular to the axis, wherein the first, second and third planes are located at a cold compartment of the gas generator.

Integrated cooling structures and methods may comprise a motor, a propeller, and a component having at least one structural feature configured to receive or channel airflow to generate a positive pressure region at a first end of the motor. During operation of the motor and propeller, a negative pressure region may be generated at a second end of the motor proximate the propeller. The positive and negative pressure regions may generate a pressure differential or gradient between ends of the motor, such that a cooling airflow may be generated that flows through an interior of the motor from the positive pressure region to the negative pressure region. The cooling airflow may increase cooling of internal components of the motor, and consequently improve various operational capabilities, performance, and reliability of the motor and associated vehicle, machine, or system.

The invention discloses a liquid hydrogen fuel energy power system and an airplane, and belongs to the technical field of liquid hydrogen airplane power device system integration. The system comprises a liquid hydrogen tank, a liquid hydrogen pipeline, a gas hydrogen pipeline, a heat conduction liquid circulation pipeline, an air pipeline, a hydrogen turbine engine power device, a fuel cell, a heating device, a primary heat exchanger, a secondary heat exchanger, a starter and an airborne power supply and distribution network. The system absorbs waste heat of a fuel cell and exhaust waste heat of an engine exhaust nozzle, liquid-gas-hydrogen conversion is achieved, and the problem of vaporization of liquid hydrogen fuel on a machine is effectively solved. Pressurized air is provided for the fuel cell through air entraining of an engine air compressor, waste heat of the fuel cell is absorbed through a first-stage heat exchanger, and the air side supply and heat dissipation functions of the fuel cell are achieved. According to the two-stage heat exchange device, fuel vaporization heating with different hydrogen fuel flow supply requirements is achieved according to the starting and stable operation processes, the system starting method solves the system starting heat source problem, and combined starting of the main power device and the auxiliary power device is achieved.

A hybrid powerplant is provided for an aircraft. This hybrid powerplant includes a housing, an electric machine, a machine fluid circuit, a heat engine and a geartrain. The housing includes a machine containment zone and an engine compartment outside of the machine containment zone. The electric machine is arranged within the machine containment zone. The machine fluid circuit services the electric machine. The machine fluid circuit extends in the machine containment zone and is arranged outside of the engine compartment. The heat engine is arranged within the engine compartment. The geartrain is operatively connected to the electric machine and the heat engine.