Cruise power module heat dissipation device and method and aircraft

Abstract

The invention provides a cruise power module heat dissipation device and method and an aircraft, and belongs to the technical field of aircrafts. Through the structural design of a propeller fairing, a heat exchanger and an inner hot air exhaust pipeline and in combination with the aerodynamic layout characteristics of an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the heat exchanger is arranged in a power arm body at the inner end of a cruise motor; according to the power arm, the air entraining fan blades are arranged on the inner wall of the propeller fairing, when the propeller rotates, the propeller fairing is synchronously driven to rotate, so that the air entraining fan blades are driven to rotate, and external cold air can be sucked into the power arm body under the condition of no air speed; in combination with incoming flow in a cruise flight state, cold air flows through a cruise motor and a heat exchanger, hot air subjected to heat exchange is exhausted out of a power arm body through an inner hot air exhaust pipeline, and the heat exchange efficiency is greatly improved; the curved propeller fairing can reduce cruise resistance; the invention has the advantages of high heat exchange efficiency, light structural weight, reduced cruise resistance and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft technology, and more specifically, to a cruise power module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft) is a new type of aircraft born from the demand for efficient, convenient, and environmentally friendly urban air transportation. Traditional helicopters suffer from problems such as high noise levels, high costs, and complex operation. EVTOL incorporates electric technology, using electric power to reduce noise and maintenance costs. Because of its vertical take-off and landing capabilities, it does not require a dedicated runway and can take off and land in confined spaces. It integrates technologies from multiple fields such as aviation, electrical engineering, and intelligent control, providing new solutions for urban air travel, logistics, emergency rescue, and other scenarios, and has a wide range of applications.

[0003] Since large EVTOLs are powered by high-power electric motors, natural heat dissipation is not suitable. Therefore, the main existing heat dissipation solutions are air cooling and liquid cooling. Air cooling usually involves designing heat dissipation fins on the electric motor and using a propeller or additional cooling fan to remove heat. Liquid cooling is more direct and efficient, as the coolant can directly contact the areas with the most severe heat generation, carrying the heat through cooling pipes to a heat exchanger for heat exchange and dissipation.

[0004] Currently, the common cooling method used for cruise propulsion modules involves exposing heat sink fins or cooling fans outside the power arm, relying on airflow passing through the fins or being introduced by the cooling fan to achieve heat exchange. This cooling method introduces some drag during aircraft cruise flight and has relatively low heat exchange efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a cruise power module heat dissipation device, method and aircraft to solve the problems in the prior art, which requires exposing heat dissipation fins or cooling fans to the outside of the power arm and using airflow through the fins or airflow introduced by the cooling fan to achieve heat exchange, which causes certain flight drag during the cruise flight of the aircraft and has low heat exchange efficiency.

[0006] This invention provides a cooling device for a cruise power module, comprising a propeller fairing, a heat exchanger, and an internal hot gas exhaust pipe; wherein,

[0007] The propeller fairing is a von Kármán curve fairing that is narrower at the front and wider at the rear. The propeller fairing is mounted on the propeller, and the propeller blades are located outside the propeller fairing. The cruise motor of the propeller is located inside the power arm body. The rear end of the propeller fairing is fixed to the hub end of the propeller. An exhaust fan blade is provided on the inner wall of the front end of the propeller fairing. The heat exchanger is located inside the power arm body and includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger located on both sides of the inner end of the cruise motor. The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in series through a first coolant conduit. The hot liquid inlet and cold liquid outlet of the heat exchanger are both connected to the coolant outlet pipe and coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor through a second coolant conduit, respectively. A hot air channel is formed between the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the inner wall of the power arm body.

[0008] The inlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe is connected to the hot air channel, and the outlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe is connected to the hot air exhaust port provided on the side wall of the power arm body.

[0009] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is that a propeller protrusion is provided on the propeller fairing; the propeller blades pass through the propeller protrusion and are located outside the propeller fairing.

[0010] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the internal hot air exhaust pipe is fixed inside the power arm body via an exhaust pipe mounting bracket.

[0011] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is that the exhaust pipe mounting bracket is detachably fixed inside the power arm body.

[0012] In addition, a preferred embodiment is that the cruise motor is fixed inside the power arm body by a cruise motor mounting bracket.

[0013] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the cruise motor mounting bracket is detachably fixed inside the power arm body.

[0014] In addition, a preferred embodiment is that an upper maintenance port is provided on the upper part of the boom body; an upper maintenance port cover is provided at the upper maintenance port; and / or, a lower maintenance port is provided on the lower part of the boom body; a lower maintenance port cover is provided at the lower maintenance port.

[0015] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is that the hot air exhaust port is located behind the front expansion area of ​​the power arm body.

[0016] The present invention also provides a heat dissipation method for an aircraft cruise propulsion module, which uses the cruise propulsion module heat dissipation device described above to dissipate heat from the cruise propulsion module, and includes the following steps:

[0017] Step S1: When the aircraft is about to begin attitude transition or normal cruise flight, the carrier aircraft sends a rotation command to the cruise motor.

[0018] Step S2: The cruise motor rotates according to the rotation command and drives the propeller and the propeller fairing to rotate, thereby driving the exhaust fan blades to rotate synchronously; when the cruise motor rotates, it drives the gear pump inside the cruise motor to rotate, thereby pumping coolant to cool the cruise motor.

[0019] Step S3: Inside the cruise motor, the coolant whose temperature rises after cooling down enters the heat exchanger through the second coolant conduit. After heat exchange in the heat exchanger, it circulates back to the coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor through the second coolant conduit.

[0020] Step S4: When the exhaust fan blades rotate synchronously, airflow is introduced into the interior of the power arm body. The airflow passes through the cruise motor, passes through the hot air channel, carries away the heat generated by the fins of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and is discharged to the outside of the power arm body through the internal hot air exhaust pipe from the hot air exhaust port.

[0021] The present invention also provides an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, including an aircraft body, on which a cruise power module heat dissipation device as described above is provided.

[0022] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the cruise power module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft provided by the present invention, through the structural design of the propeller fairing, heat exchanger, and internal hot air exhaust pipe, combined with the aerodynamic layout characteristics of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, arranges the heat exchanger behind (inner end) the cruise motor in the power arm body. Through the bleed air fan blades set on the inner wall of the narrow end of the propeller fairing, when the propeller rotates, it synchronously drives the propeller fairing to rotate, thereby driving the bleed air fan blades to rotate, which can draw external cold air into the power arm body even without airspeed. Combined with the incoming airflow in the cruise flight state, the cold air flows through the cruise motor and heat exchanger, and the hot air after heat exchange is discharged from the power arm body through the internal hot air exhaust pipe, which greatly improves the heat exchange efficiency. The curved propeller fairing can reduce cruise drag. In summary, the present invention has the advantages of high heat exchange efficiency, light structural weight, and reduced cruise drag.

[0023] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, one or more aspects of the invention include the features that will be described in detail below. The following description and accompanying drawings illustrate certain exemplary aspects of the invention. However, these aspects indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention can be used. Furthermore, the invention is intended to encompass all such aspects and their equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other objects and results of the invention will become more apparent and readily understood with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and with a more complete understanding of the invention.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the cruise power module heat dissipation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cooling device for the cruise power module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of the cooling device for the cruise power module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a heat dissipation method for an aircraft cruise power module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the attached drawings, 1-propeller fairing, 11-exhaust fan blade, 12-propeller outlet, 2-heat exchanger, 21-first heat exchanger, 22-second heat exchanger, 3-internal hot air exhaust pipe, 31-exhaust pipe mounting bracket, 4-propeller, 5-cruise motor, 51-cruise motor mounting bracket, 6-power arm body, 61-hot air exhaust port, 62-upper maintenance port cover, 63-lower maintenance port cover, 71-first coolant conduit, 72-second coolant conduit.

[0030] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding features or functions. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for illustrative purposes and to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. However, it will be apparent that these embodiments may also be implemented without these specific details.

[0032] In response to the aforementioned problems in the prior art, which require exposing the heat dissipation fins or cooling fans outside the power arm to achieve heat exchange by using airflow through the fins or by introducing airflow through the cooling fans, resulting in certain flight drag during the aircraft's cruise flight and low heat exchange efficiency, a cruise power module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft are proposed.

[0033] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] To illustrate the cruise power module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft provided by the present invention Figure 1The external structure of the cruise power module heat dissipation device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 The internal structure of the cooling device for the cruise power module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 3 The principle structure of a cruise power module heat dissipation device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A flow chart of a heat dissipation method for an aircraft cruise power module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown in the figure, the cruise power module heat dissipation device provided by the present invention includes a propeller fairing 1, a heat exchanger 2, and an internal hot gas exhaust pipe 3; wherein,

[0036] The propeller fairing 1 is a von Kármán curve fairing that is narrow at the front and wide at the rear. The propeller fairing 1 is mounted on the propeller 4, and the blades of the propeller 4 are located outside the propeller fairing 1. The cruise motor 5 of the propeller 4 is located inside the power arm body 6. The rear end of the propeller fairing 1 is fixed to the hub end of the propeller 4. An exhaust fan blade 11 is provided on the inner wall of the front end of the propeller fairing 1.

[0037] The heat exchanger 2 is installed inside the power arm body 6, including a first heat exchanger 21 and a second heat exchanger 22 located on both sides of the inner end of the cruise motor 5; the first heat exchanger 21 and the second heat exchanger 22 are connected in series through a first coolant conduit 71; the hot liquid inlet and cold liquid outlet of the heat exchanger 2 are both connected to the coolant outlet pipe and coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor 5 through the second coolant conduit 72; a hot air channel is formed between the first heat exchanger 21, the second heat exchanger 22 and the inner wall of the power arm body 6;

[0038] The inlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3 is connected to the hot air passage, and the outlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3 is connected to the hot air exhaust port 61 located on the side wall of the power arm body 6.

[0039] In this invention, the power arm refers to the component that connects the power unit (such as a motor and a propeller) to the main structure of the aircraft.

[0040] It should be noted that the liquid cooling method using coolant in the cruise motor 5 is existing technology. That is, the coolant cooling structure in the cruise motor 5 of this invention is existing technology. Coolant enters from the coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor 5, cools the heat-generating areas, and then flows out from the coolant outlet pipe. Coolant delivery is achieved by a mechanical gear pump driven by the motor rotation. Since this is existing technology, the specific structure of this part will not be described in detail in this invention.

[0041] In the cruise motor 5, the coolant is pumped to the heat exchanger 2 by the mechanical gear pump driven by the rotation of the motor. The coolant flow rate is cleverly correlated with the motor speed. The faster the motor speed, the higher the power and the faster the coolant is pumped. Conversely, when the motor speed is slow or even stops, the pumping speed of the coolant can be reduced.

[0042] The first heat exchanger 21 and the second heat exchanger 22 are used in series to improve the heat exchange effect.

[0043] Through the structural design of the propeller fairing 1, heat exchanger 2, and internal hot air exhaust pipe 3, combined with the aerodynamic layout characteristics of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the heat exchanger 2 is arranged inside the power arm body 6 behind (inner end) the cruise motor 5. The bleed air fan blades 11, located on the narrow inner wall of the propeller fairing 1, rotate synchronously with the propeller 4, thereby driving the propeller fairing 1 to rotate, which in turn drives the bleed air fan blades 11. This allows for the extraction of external cold air into the power arm body 6 even without airspeed. Combined with the incoming airflow during cruise flight, the cold air flows through the cruise motor 5 and heat exchanger 2, and the heated air after heat exchange is discharged from the power arm body 6 through the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3, significantly improving heat exchange efficiency. The curved propeller fairing reduces cruise drag. This invention has advantages such as high heat exchange efficiency, light structural weight, and reduced cruise drag.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a propeller protrusion 12 is provided on the propeller fairing 1; the blades of the propeller 4 pass through the propeller protrusion 12 and are located outside the propeller fairing 1.

[0045] Specifically, by providing a propeller protrusion 12 on the propeller fairing 1, the blades of the propeller 4 can extend outside the propeller fairing 1, so that the normal operation of the propeller 4 is not affected by the propeller fairing 1.

[0046] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3 is fixed inside the power arm body 6 by the exhaust pipe mounting bracket 31.

[0047] Specifically, the exhaust pipe mounting bracket 31 can be fixedly installed inside the power arm body 6 by means of welding, bolting, etc., and the present invention does not make any special limitation on this.

[0048] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe mounting bracket 31 is detachably fixed inside the power arm body 6.

[0049] Specifically, the exhaust pipe mounting bracket 31 is preferably, but not limited to, fixed inside the power arm body 6 by bolts, which facilitates disassembly and parts replacement.

[0050] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cruise motor 5 is fixed inside the power arm body 6 by the cruise motor mounting bracket 51.

[0051] Specifically, the cruise motor mounting bracket 51 can be fixedly installed inside the power arm body 6 by means of welding, bolting, etc., and the present invention does not make any special limitation on this.

[0052] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cruise motor mounting bracket 51 is detachably fixed inside the power arm body.

[0053] Specifically, the cruise motor mounting bracket 51 is preferably, but not limited to, fixed inside the power arm body 6 by bolts, which facilitates disassembly and parts replacement.

[0054] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an upper maintenance opening is provided on the upper part of the boom body 6; an upper maintenance opening cover 62 is provided at the upper maintenance opening; and / or, a lower maintenance opening is provided on the lower part of the boom body 6; a lower maintenance opening cover 63 is provided at the lower maintenance opening.

[0055] Specifically, the upper and lower maintenance ports are preferably located at the points where the internal components of the boom body 6 are concentrated, thereby making maintenance and component replacement more convenient.

[0056] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hot air exhaust port 61 is located behind the front expansion area of ​​the power arm body 6.

[0057] Specifically, the hot air exhaust port 61 is located behind the front expansion area of ​​the power arm, which is a negative pressure area during cruising, making it more conducive to airflow entering the internal air duct of the power arm body 6 from the front air intake fan blade 11.

[0058] like Figure 4 As shown, the heat dissipation method for the aircraft cruise propulsion module provided by the present invention uses the cruise propulsion module heat dissipation device described in the present invention to dissipate heat from the cruise propulsion module, and includes the following steps:

[0059] Step S1: When the aircraft is about to begin attitude transition or normal cruise flight, the carrier aircraft sends a rotation command to the cruise motor 5.

[0060] Step S2: Cruise motor 5 rotates according to the rotation command and drives propeller 4 and propeller fairing 1 to rotate, thereby driving bleed air fan blade 11 to rotate synchronously; when cruise motor 5 rotates, it drives the gear pump inside cruise motor 5 to rotate, thereby pumping coolant to cool cruise motor 5.

[0061] Step S3: Inside the cruise motor, the coolant whose temperature rises after cooling down enters the heat exchanger 2 through the second coolant conduit 72. After heat exchange in the heat exchanger 2, it circulates back to the coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor 5 through the second coolant conduit 72.

[0062] Step S4: When the exhaust fan blades 11 rotate synchronously, airflow is introduced into the power arm body 6. The airflow passes through the cruise motor 5, passes through the hot air channel, and carries away the heat generated by the fins of the first heat exchanger 21 and the second heat exchanger 22. The airflow is discharged to the outside of the power arm body 6 through the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3 from the hot air exhaust port 61.

[0063] The electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft provided by the present invention includes an aircraft body, on which a cruise power module heat dissipation device as described above is provided.

[0064] The installation process of the cruise power module heat dissipation device provided by this invention on the aircraft body is as follows:

[0065] First, install the cruise motor mounting bracket 51 and the exhaust pipe mounting bracket 31 on the power arm body 6. Then, install the cruise motor 5, the first heat exchanger 21 and the second heat exchanger 22. Next, connect the second coolant conduit 72. Finally, install the propeller 4 and the propeller fairing 1.

[0066] When there is no airspeed, cold air enters the power arm body 6 through the propeller fairing 1 that rotates with the propeller 4, flows through the cruise motor 5 to the first heat exchanger 21 and the second heat exchanger 22, and flows out of the hot air exhaust port 61 from the internal hot air exhaust pipe 3 after passing through the heat exchange fins. This ensures that even without airspeed, as long as the propeller 4 rotates, cold air will flow through the heat exchange fins to ensure the cooling of the cruise motor 7. In normal cruise mode, the incoming air in front of the propeller fairing 1 will directly rush into the propeller fairing 1 and enter the power arm body 6 to complete the cooling. At this time, the rotating bleed fan blades 11 can reduce the wind pressure in front of the fairing, further reducing cruise drag.

[0067] As can be seen from the above specific embodiments, the cruise power module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft provided by the present invention, through the structural design of the propeller fairing, heat exchanger, and internal hot air exhaust pipe, combined with the aerodynamic layout characteristics of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, arranges the heat exchanger behind (inner end) the cruise motor in the power arm body. Through the bleed air fan blades set on the inner wall of the narrow end of the propeller fairing, when the propeller rotates, it synchronously drives the propeller fairing to rotate, thereby driving the bleed air fan blades to rotate. This allows for the extraction of external cold air into the power arm body even without airspeed. Combined with the incoming airflow during cruise flight, the cold air flows through the cruise motor and heat exchanger, and the hot air after heat exchange is discharged from the power arm body through the internal hot air exhaust pipe, greatly improving heat exchange efficiency. The curved propeller fairing can reduce cruise drag. In summary, the present invention has advantages such as high heat exchange efficiency, light structural weight, and reduced cruise drag.

[0068] The cruise propulsion module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft according to the present invention have been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications can be made to the cruise propulsion module heat dissipation device, method, and aircraft proposed in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the contents of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooling device for a cruise power module, characterized in that, This includes the propeller fairing, heat exchanger, and internal hot gas exhaust duct; among which, The propeller fairing is a von Kármán curve fairing that is narrower at the front and wider at the rear. The propeller fairing is mounted on the propeller, and the propeller blades are located outside the propeller fairing. The cruise motor of the propeller is located inside the power arm body. The rear end of the propeller fairing is fixed to the hub end of the propeller. An exhaust fan blade is provided on the inner wall of the front end of the propeller fairing. The heat exchanger is disposed inside the power arm body and includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger located on both sides of the inner end of the cruise motor; the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in series through a first coolant conduit; the hot liquid inlet and cold liquid outlet of the heat exchanger are both connected to the coolant outlet pipe and coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor through a second coolant conduit; a hot air channel is formed between the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the inner wall of the power arm body; The inlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe is connected to the hot air channel, and the outlet end of the internal hot air exhaust pipe is connected to the hot air exhaust port provided on the side wall of the power arm body.

2. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, A propeller protrusion is provided on the propeller fairing; the propeller blades pass through the propeller protrusion and are located outside the propeller fairing.

3. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal hot air exhaust pipe is fixed inside the power arm body by an exhaust pipe mounting bracket.

4. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe mounting bracket can be detachably fixed inside the power arm body.

5. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cruise motor is fixed inside the power arm body by a cruise motor mounting bracket.

6. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cruise motor mounting bracket can be detachably fixed inside the power arm body.

7. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, An upper maintenance opening is provided on the upper part of the power boom body; an upper maintenance opening cover is provided at the upper maintenance opening; and / or, A lower maintenance opening is provided at the lower part of the power boom body; a lower maintenance opening cover is provided at the lower maintenance opening.

8. The cooling device for the cruise power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot air exhaust port is located behind the front expansion area of ​​the power arm body.

9. A heat dissipation method for an aircraft cruise power module, characterized in that, The cooling device for the cruise power module as described in any one of claims 1-8 is used to cool the cruise power module, comprising the following steps: Step S1: When the aircraft is about to begin attitude transition or normal cruise flight, the carrier aircraft sends a rotation command to the cruise motor. Step S2: The cruise motor rotates according to the rotation command and drives the propeller and the propeller fairing to rotate, thereby driving the exhaust fan blades to rotate synchronously; when the cruise motor rotates, it drives the gear pump inside the cruise motor to rotate, thereby pumping coolant to cool the cruise motor. Step S3: Inside the cruise motor, the coolant whose temperature rises after cooling down enters the heat exchanger through the second coolant conduit. After heat exchange in the heat exchanger, it circulates back to the coolant inlet pipe of the cruise motor through the second coolant conduit. Step S4: When the exhaust fan blades rotate synchronously, airflow is introduced into the interior of the power arm body. The airflow passes through the cruise motor, passes through the hot air channel, carries away the heat generated by the fins of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and is discharged to the outside of the power arm body through the internal hot air exhaust pipe from the hot air exhaust port.

10. An electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, comprising an aircraft body, characterized in that, The aircraft body is provided with a cooling device for the cruise power module as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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