Asymmetrical Single-Engine VTOL Aircraft Power Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VTOL aircraft configurations face challenges in achieving a balance between vertical take-off and landing capabilities, long range, and endurance while minimizing complexity and weight, particularly in single-engine designs where the engine placement within the center fuselage leads to increased weight due to added drive system components.
Innovation Solution
An asymmetrical power generation unit is employed, where a single engine is mounted in only one nacelle, with power and torque split using a local gearbox, allowing the opposite nacelle to carry additional loads like payload or fuel, and utilizing a drive shaft assembly with gearboxes to transmit power to both propellers, reducing overall weight and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single engine is located within the center fuselage section to transmit power to both engine nacelles, then the aircraft achieves VTOL capability with long range and endurance, but the weight impact increases due to added drive system components
Solution Approach 1:
The engine is extracted from the center fuselage location and relocated to a single nacelle position. This eliminates the need for complex center-mounted drive systems that would transmit power through the fuselage to both nacelles, thereby reducing weight while maintaining the ability to drive both propellers for VTOL operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an asymmetrical configuration where the engine is mounted in only one nacelle rather than symmetrically in both or in the center. This asymmetrical placement simplifies the drive system architecture and reduces overall weight while still enabling dual-nacelle propeller operation for VTOL capability
2Adaptability or versatility
If tilt-wing or tilt-rotor features are included to achieve VTOL capabilities, then the aircraft gains vertical flight capability, but the complexity and empty weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft is segmented into functionally independent components: a fixed wing structure and separately mounted nacelles with propellers. This segmentation allows the propellers to be driven for VTOL operation without requiring the entire wing or fuselage structure to tilt, thereby achieving vertical flight capability while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of tilting the wing or rotor assembly to achieve VTOL (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using fixed wings with independently driven propellers on the nacelles. The propellers provide vertical lift while the wing remains fixed, eliminating the need for complex tilt mechanisms
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 enables a lighter and more efficient VTOL aircraft with reduced weight impact, allowing for increased payload capacity and improved mission performance by optimizing power distribution and load placement.
Implementation Method 1
a first gearbox assembly to which the output shaft is coupled and which is configured to drive the propeller of the first nacelle, a second gearbox assembly configured to drive the propeller of the second nacelle and a drive shaft assembly by which rotation of the first gearbox assembly is transmitted to the second gearbox assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is provided and includes wings, first and second nacelles supported on each of the wings, each of the first and second nacelles including a propeller drivable to generate aircraft thrust, and an asymmetrical power generation unit. The asymmetrical power generation unit includes a single engine unit disposed in only one of the first and second nacelles to generate power to drive the propellers of both the first and second nacelles.