An electric propulsion ducted fan and an aircraft

Abstract

This invention discloses an electric propulsion ducted fan and an aircraft. The electric propulsion ducted fan includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. The stator assembly is annular, and the rotor assembly is rotatably mounted within the stator assembly. The stator assembly drives the rotor assembly to rotate, enabling the rotor assembly to levitate and rotate in the radial direction. Support members are fixedly provided at both ends of the stator assembly, and the support members are rotatably connected to the rotor assembly via thrust bearings. The rotor assembly is annular and has blades inside. This invention enables the electric propulsion system to achieve high speed, low noise, and a simplified mechanical structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aero-engine technology, specifically to an electric propulsion ducted fan and an aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Most current fans use shaft drive, meaning torque is transmitted through a shaft. To achieve higher speeds, magnetic levitation is typically used for support. However, transmitting torque through a shaft leads to a series of problems, such as the speed being limited by the mechanical structure; the propulsion structure of traditional shaft-driven power units is connected to the shaft, generating significant noise during rotation and causing environmental pollution. The reason for these problems and drawbacks is that current technology for traditional shaft-driven power units has reached its limit, and breakthroughs can only be achieved by starting with entirely new structures.

[0003] The electric propulsion ducted fans used in aircraft have higher requirements for rotational speed, and noise pollution also increases with the increase of rotational speed, while efficiency decreases accordingly.

[0004] How to further improve the ducted fan of electric propulsion to achieve the functions of high speed, low noise and simplified mechanical structure of electric propulsion system is one of the important technical problems that urgently need to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an electric propulsion ducted fan and an aircraft to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. It can achieve the functions of high speed, low noise, and simplified mechanical structure of electric propulsion system.

[0006] This invention proposes an electric propulsion ducted fan, which includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly;

[0007] The stator assembly is annular, and the rotor assembly is rotatably mounted within the stator assembly;

[0008] The stator assembly is used to drive the rotor assembly to rotate and enable the rotor assembly to rotate in a suspended manner in the radial direction;

[0009] The stator assembly is fixedly provided with support members at both ends, and the support members are rotatably connected to the rotor assembly through thrust bearings;

[0010] The rotor assembly is annular and has blades inside.

[0011] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the rotor assembly further includes a rotor shaft, an outer support ring, a support rod, and a permanent magnet;

[0012] The outer support ring is cylindrical, and its outer periphery is provided with grooves for installing the permanent magnet;

[0013] The support rod is located at the end face of the outer support ring and is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft.

[0014] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the thrust bearing is a pneumatic thrust bearing or a mechanical thrust bearing.

[0015] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the stator assembly includes an annular component, an iron core, and winding coils;

[0016] The annular component has multiple mounting slots evenly distributed along its circumference. The iron core is installed in the mounting slots, and the winding coil is wound around the iron core.

[0017] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the outer periphery of the iron core is coated with an anti-corrosion layer.

[0018] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the rotor shaft, the outer support ring, and the support rod are integrally cast from aluminum alloy.

[0019] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the number of permanent magnets is 12 to 36.

[0020] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the permanent magnet is bonded to or embedded in the outer support ring.

[0021] In the electric propulsion ducted fan described above, optionally, the electric propulsion ducted fan has at least two operating states:

[0022] In the first working state, driven by electricity, the rotor assembly is in a radially suspended state and rotates at high speed;

[0023] In the second operating state, it rotates under the influence of inertia and / or airflow, generating electricity.

[0024] The present invention also proposes an aircraft comprising an electric propulsion ducted fan as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0026] This invention utilizes winding coils on the stator assembly to generate a magnetic field through which the applied current creates magnetic force, stabilizing the rotor assembly in a suspended state and initiating high-speed rotation. The rotor assembly is annular, with blades directly fixed inside; that is, the rotor assembly and blades are integrally formed and directly driven by the stator to rotate, without relying on other mechanical transmission structures. Compared to traditional fans that rely on mechanical transmission structures, this invention offers significantly higher efficiency.

[0027] By utilizing a magnetic levitation structure, the rotor assembly is made to float radially above the stator assembly, which reduces mechanical friction and facilitates achieving higher speeds. Simultaneously, it eliminates noise generated by mechanical transmission.

[0028] This invention utilizes magnetic levitation technology to reduce mechanical transmission components, overcoming the structural limitations of traditional shaft-driven propulsion systems and improving the high-speed, low-noise, and shaftless capabilities of electric propulsion systems. By decoupling the traditional shaft-driven power system and eliminating its structural limitations, this invention provides a new approach for the integrated design of future flight propulsion systems. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric propulsion ducted fan proposed in this invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the electric propulsion ducted fan proposed in this invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the stator assembly proposed in this invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the stator assembly proposed in this invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a front view of the rotor assembly proposed in this invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotor assembly proposed in this invention.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0036] 1-Stator assembly, 2-Rotor assembly, 3-Thrust bearing;

[0037] 11-Support component, 12-Ring component, 13-Iron core, 14-Mounting groove;

[0038] 21-Blade, 22-Rotor shaft, 23-Outer support ring, 24-Support rod. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 This embodiment proposes an electric propulsion ducted fan, which includes a stator assembly 1 and a rotor assembly 2. The stator assembly 1 is fixedly disposed and is used to drive the rotor assembly 2 to rotate. In a specific implementation, the stator assembly 1 is fixedly installed inside the engine's air intake duct.

[0042] Specifically, please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The stator assembly 1 is annular, and the rotor assembly 2 is rotatably mounted within the stator assembly 1. That is, the rotor assembly 2 can rotate within the stator assembly 1. To achieve magnetic levitation, there can be a certain gap between the rotor assembly 2 and the stator assembly 1. The stator assembly 1 drives the rotor assembly 2 to rotate, enabling the rotor assembly 2 to levitate and rotate in the radial direction. In other words, the radial levitation of the rotor assembly 2 is achieved by the stator assembly 1.

[0043] In practical applications, electric propulsion ducted fans are subjected to significant axial forces during operation. Under these axial forces, the end faces of the rotor assembly 2 easily come into contact with the stator assembly, generating frictional resistance. To limit the axial force of the rotor assembly, support members 11 are fixedly provided at both ends of the stator assembly 1. These support members 11 are rotatably connected to the rotor assembly 2 via thrust bearings 3. That is, the thrust bearings 3 counteract the axial thrust, thereby further reducing the resistance and increasing the rotational speed of the ducted fan.

[0044] In specific implementation, the support member 11 can be cross-shaped or multiple rods distributed radially along the stator assembly.

[0045] The rotor assembly 2 is annular, and blades 21 are provided inside it. During installation, the blades 21 are directly fixed inside the rotor assembly 2, and the blades 21 rotate simultaneously with the rotor assembly 2. No other mechanical structure is used for transmission. This effectively reduces losses during mechanical transmission, resulting in higher efficiency compared to traditional ducted fans.

[0046] By utilizing a magnetic levitation structure, the rotor assembly is made to float radially above the stator assembly, which reduces mechanical friction and facilitates achieving higher speeds. Simultaneously, it eliminates noise generated by mechanical transmission.

[0047] This invention utilizes magnetic levitation technology to reduce mechanical transmission components, overcoming the structural limitations of traditional shaft-driven propulsion systems and improving the high-speed, low-noise, and shaftless capabilities of electric propulsion systems. By decoupling the traditional shaft-driven power system and eliminating its structural limitations, this invention provides a new approach for the integrated design of future flight propulsion systems.

[0048] In practical implementation, to achieve the above functions, the rotor assembly 2 is designed with the following structure: the rotor assembly 2 further includes a rotor shaft 22, an outer support ring 23, and a permanent magnet (not shown in the figure). The rotor shaft 22 is used to mount the thrust bearing 3 to achieve axial direction control. The outer support ring 23 is used to arrange the permanent magnet to cooperate with the stator assembly 1 to generate a levitation effect and drive the rotor assembly 2 to rotate. Specifically, the outer support ring 23 is cylindrical, and its outer circumference is provided with a groove for mounting the permanent magnet. This groove can be an annular groove or a square groove. The permanent magnet is cuboid in shape, and it can be glued into the groove or embedded in the groove, as long as it can ensure that the permanent magnet is fixedly connected to the outer support ring 23.

[0049] In practical implementation, the rotor assembly 2, except for the permanent magnet, is designed as a single unit. For details, please refer to... Figure 5 The outer end of the blade 21 can be directly connected to the outer support ring 23. During operation, power is directly transmitted from the outer support ring 23 to the blade 21, thereby generating airflow.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 6 Alternatively, the stator assembly 2 may also include a support rod 24. Specifically, the support rod 24 is disposed at the end face of the outer support ring 23 and is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft 22. The blades 21 are fixedly connected to the rotor shaft 22. Thus, during operation, power is transmitted from the outer support ring 23 to the support rod 24, and then from the support rod 24 to the rotor shaft 22. Compared to this method, directly connecting the blades 21 to the outer support ring 23 can reduce the internal stress of the rotor shaft 22, which is beneficial to increasing the upper limit of torque transmission. At the same time, it can reduce the intake resistance caused by the support rod 24.

[0051] In practical implementation, to achieve axial position control, the thrust bearing 3 is either a pneumatic thrust bearing or a mechanical thrust bearing. Although a mechanical thrust bearing can counteract axial force, it still exhibits mechanical friction. By using a pneumatic thrust bearing 3, friction can be further reduced, which is beneficial for further increasing the rotational speed and efficiency.

[0052] In practical implementation, to achieve the driving and control of the radial levitation of the rotor assembly 2, the stator assembly 1 includes an annular component 12, an iron core 13, and winding coils (not shown in the figure). The annular component 12 is used to house the iron core 13 and the winding coils, and to facilitate connection with the engine. Specifically, the annular component 12 has multiple mounting slots 14 evenly distributed along its circumference. The iron core 13 is installed in the mounting slots 14, and the winding coils are wound around the iron core 13. The number of permanent magnets is 12 to 36. Preferably, there are 24 cuboid permanent magnets.

[0053] To prevent oxidation of the iron core 13, an anti-corrosion layer is coated on the outer periphery of the iron core 13. In practice, the entire annular component 12 and the outer periphery of the iron core 13 need to be coated with an anti-oxidation and anti-corrosion paint. This serves to enclose the iron core 13 and isolate it from air, minimizing contact between the stator iron core and air, thus preventing stator corrosion and reduced magnetic permeability. Alternatively, if the annular component 12 is not made of iron, the anti-oxidation and anti-corrosion paint can be applied only to the iron core 13.

[0054] The rotor shaft 22, the outer support ring 23, and the support rod 24 are integrally cast from aluminum alloy. The material selection requires low density, high strength, and resistance to deformation; aluminum alloy is a suitable choice. The main structure consists of blades 21, the rotor shaft 22, and the outer support ring 23. The blades generate airflow; the length of the rotor shaft 22 is determined by the length of the stator assembly 1, and it is used to position the fan blades and cooperates with the thrust bearing 3, restricting the axial movement of the rotor assembly 2. Simultaneously, it is hinged to both ends of the stator assembly 1, restricting axial freedom while retaining rotational freedom. By placing the drive and radial suspension structures on the outer periphery of the rotor assembly 2 and the axial position control structures at the center, the axial dimension of the electric propulsion ducted fan can be effectively reduced, facilitating a more compact engine layout.

[0055] Specifically, the electric propulsion ducted fan has at least two operating states:

[0056] In the first working state, the rotor assembly 2 is in a radially suspended state and rotates at high speed driven by electricity.

[0057] In the second operating state, it rotates under the influence of inertia and / or airflow, generating electricity.

[0058] That is, the electric propulsion ducted fan has two working states: one is to convert electrical energy into kinetic energy to drive airflow; the other is to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy to achieve energy recovery.

[0059] Specifically, when applied to an engine, when the aircraft equipped with this engine requires high-power propulsion, the electrical energy generated by the engine's turbine power generation system is transmitted to the electric propulsion ducted fan via the power grid. This electrical energy counteracts external interference and maintains stability by causing the rotor assembly 2 to rotate at high speed; it also generates tangential thrust through the winding coils, causing it to enter a high-speed rotation state. When the aircraft is in a steady-state flight condition, the power to part of the electric propulsion ducted fan can be stopped by the control system. This part of the electric propulsion ducted fan then enters a power generation state through inertial motion to charge the system.

[0060] Example 2

[0061] This embodiment is an improvement on embodiment 1, mainly focusing on the application of embodiment 1 in the field of aerospace technology. The similarities with embodiment 1 will not be repeated. Only the differences will be explained below.

[0062] This embodiment discloses an aircraft, which includes an electric propulsion ducted fan as described in Embodiment 1.

[0063] The aircraft has at least one ducted fan and also includes a turbine power generation system. The aircraft has at least two operating states:

[0064] In the first operating state, when the aircraft requires high-power propulsion, the electrical energy generated by the engine's turbine power generation system is transmitted to the electric propulsion ducted fan through the power grid. The electrical energy counteracts external interference and maintains stability by causing the rotor assembly 2 to rotate at high speed; and generates tangential thrust through the winding coils to put it into a high-speed rotation state.

[0065] In the second operating state, when the aircraft is in a steady-state flight condition, the power supply to part of the electric propulsion ducted fan can be stopped by the control system. This part of the electric propulsion ducted fan will then enter the power generation state through inertial motion to charge the system.

[0066] Because the electric propulsion ducted fan has its drive and radial suspension structures located on the outer periphery of rotor assembly 2, while its axial position control structures are located at the center, the axial dimension of the electric propulsion ducted fan can be effectively reduced, allowing for a more compact engine layout. Simultaneously, it also reduces the engine's dimensions and weight along the intake direction.

[0067] The above description, based on the embodiments shown in the figures, details the structure, features, and effects of the present invention. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of implementation shown in the figures. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of the present invention, or equivalent embodiments modified to have equivalent changes, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and figures, should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrically propelled ducted fan characterized by: The electric propulsion ducted fan comprises a stator assembly (1) and a rotor assembly (2); The stator assembly (1) is annular, and the rotor assembly (2) is rotatably installed in the stator assembly (1); The stator assembly (1) is used to drive the rotor assembly (2) to rotate and to realize the floating rotation of the rotor assembly (2) in the radial direction; Both ends of the stator assembly (1) are fixedly provided with support members (11), and the support members (11) are rotatably connected with the rotor assembly (2) through a thrust bearing (3); The rotor assembly (2) is annular, and the inside of the rotor assembly (2) is provided with blades (21); The rotor assembly (2) further comprises a rotor shaft (22), an outer support ring (23) and permanent magnets; The outer support ring (23) is cylindrical, and the outer periphery of the outer support ring (23) is provided with grooves for mounting the permanent magnets; The rotor shaft (22), the outer support ring (23) and the blades (21) are of an integral structure; the stator assembly (1) further comprises a support rod (24), the support rod (24) is arranged at the end face of the outer support ring (23), the support rod (24) is fixedly connected with the rotor shaft (22), the blades (21) are fixedly connected with the rotor shaft (22), and in operation, power is transmitted from the outer support ring (23) to the support rod (24) and then transmitted from the support rod (24) to the rotor shaft (22).

2. The electric propulsive ducted fan of claim 1, wherein: The thrust bearing (3) is a pneumatic thrust bearing (3) or a mechanical thrust bearing (3).

3. The electric propulsive ducted fan of claim 2, wherein: The stator assembly (1) comprises a ring-shaped member (12), an iron core (13) and a winding coil; The ring-shaped member (12) is uniformly provided with a plurality of mounting grooves (14) in the circumferential direction, the iron core (13) is mounted in the mounting grooves (14), and the winding coil is wound on the iron core (13).

4. The electric propulsive ducted fan of claim 3, wherein: The outer periphery of the iron core (13) is coated with an anticorrosion layer.

5. The electric propulsions ducted fan of claim 1, wherein: The rotor shaft (22), the outer support ring (23) and the blades (21) are integrally cast from an aluminum alloy material.

6. The electric propulsive ducted fan according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The number of the permanent magnets is 12 to 36.

7. The electric propulsive ducted fan according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The permanent magnets are bonded or embedded on the outer support ring (23).

8. The electrically propelled ducted fan of any one of claims 1-5, wherein: The electric propulsion ducted fan has at least two working states: In the first working state, the rotor assembly (2) is in the radial floating state and rotates at high speed through electric drive; In the second working state, the rotor assembly (2) rotates under the action of inertia and / or under the action of airflow to generate electricity.

9. An aircraft, characterized in that The electric propulsion ducted fan comprises a stator assembly (1) and a rotor assembly (2); The stator assembly (1) is annular, and the rotor assembly (2) is rotatably installed in the stator assembly (1); The stator assembly (1) is used to drive the rotor assembly (2) to rotate and to realize the floating rotation of the rotor assembly (2) in the radial direction; Both ends of the stator assembly (1) are fixedly provided with support members (11), and the support members (11) are rotatably connected with the rotor assembly (2) through a thrust bearing (3); The rotor assembly (2) is annular, and the inside of the rotor assembly (2) is provided with blades (21); The rotor assembly (2) further comprises a rotor shaft (22), an outer support ring (23) and permanent magnets; The outer support ring (23) is cylindrical, and the outer periphery of the outer support ring (23) is provided with grooves for mounting the permanent magnets; The rotor shaft (22), the outer support ring (23) and the blades (21) are of an integral structure; the stator assembly (1) further comprises a support rod (24), the support rod (24) is arranged at the end face of the outer support ring (23), the support rod (24) is fixedly connected with the rotor shaft (22), the blades (21) are fixedly connected with the rotor shaft (22), and in operation, power is transmitted from the outer support ring (23) to the support rod (24) and then transmitted from the support rod (24) to the rotor shaft (22). The thrust bearing (3) is a pneumatic thrust bearing (3) or a mechanical thrust bearing (3). The stator assembly (1) comprises a ring-shaped member (12), an iron core (13) and a winding coil; The ring-shaped member (12) is uniformly provided with a plurality of mounting grooves (14) in the circumferential direction, the iron core (13) is mounted in the mounting grooves (14), and the winding coil is wound on the iron core (13). The outer periphery of the iron core (13) is coated with an anticorrosion layer. The rotor shaft (22), the outer support ring (23) and the blades (21) are integrally cast from an aluminum alloy material. The number of the permanent magnets is 12 to 36. The permanent magnets are bonded or embedded on the outer support ring (23). The electric propulsion ducted fan has at least two working states: In the first working state, the rotor assembly (2) is in the radial floating state and rotates at high speed through electric drive; In the second working state, the rotor assembly (2) rotates under the action of inertia and / or under the action of airflow to generate electricity. The electric propulsion ducted fan comprises a stator assembly (1) and a rotor assembly (2);

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