Aircraft Propulsion Engine Thermal Management and Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft propulsion systems face inefficiencies due to drag and turbulence, particularly with turbofan jet engines, where boundary layer ingestion systems can lead to nonuniform airflow and efficiency losses.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a gas turbine engine with an electric propulsion engine featuring a thermal management system, including a heat exchanger and thermal fluid circulation assembly, and a boundary layer ingestion aft fan with an electric motor and thermal management system, which supports the fan and electric motor, optimizing airflow and reducing drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If boundary layer ingestion systems are used to route slow moving air into turbofan jet engines, then propulsion efficiency is improved, but engine efficiency is substantially decreased due to nonuniform airflow
Solution Approach 1:
A flow conditioning system acts as an intermediary between the boundary layer ingestion and the turbofan jet engine. This intermediary component conditions the nonuniform boundary layer airflow to produce a more uniform flow profile before it enters the engine, thereby maintaining both propulsion efficiency improvements and engine efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the velocity distribution parameter of the incoming airflow by using flow conditioning elements (such as variable geometry inlet guide vanes or adaptive inlet shaping) to transform the nonuniform boundary layer flow into a uniform flow profile, resolving the contradiction between propulsion efficiency gain and engine efficiency preservation.
2Productivity
If turbofan jet engines are mounted separately from wings and fuselage to interact with freestream airflows, then turbulence is reduced and propulsive thrust is improved, but drag on the aircraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the turbofan jet engine with the boundary layer ingestion system, combining two previously separate functions into a unified propulsion system. The engine is positioned to simultaneously ingest freestream air through the main inlet and boundary layer air through the fuselage, thereby reducing drag while maintaining propulsive thrust.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful boundary layer (which normally increases drag) into a beneficial resource by ingesting it through the fuselage and using it as part of the propulsion process. This transforms the drag-inducing boundary layer into a source of additional thrust, simultaneously reducing overall drag and maintaining propulsive efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances propulsion efficiency by managing thermal and mechanical components, reducing drag and turbulence, and improving net thrust without substantial engine efficiency losses.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal fluid circulation assembly is in thermal communication with at least one of the electric motor or the bearing and is further in thermal communication with the heat exchanger of the thermal management system of the gas turbine engine
Data Source
AI summary
A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine and an electric propulsion engine defining a central axis. The electric propulsion engine includes an electric motor and a fan rotatable about the central axis of the electric propulsion engine by the electric motor. The electric propulsion engine additionally includes a bearing supporting rotation of the fan and a thermal management system including a thermal fluid circulation assembly. The thermal fluid circulation assembly is in thermal communication with at least one of the electric motor or the bearing and is further in thermal communication with a heat exchanger of a thermal management system of the gas turbine engine.