Auxiliary Thrust Device for eVTOL Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vertical take-off and landing aircraft with multiple engine systems face performance degradation and stability issues due to flow separation during maneuvering, leading to a high accident rate, especially during takeoff and landing.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a main thrust device using rotors and an auxiliary thrust device featuring micro jet engines symmetrically arranged around the aircraft's center of gravity, which can compensate for thrust shortages using a controller to ensure stable operation, even in cases of rotor or motor failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ducted fan type engines are mounted for vertical take-off and landing, then the aircraft can take off and land vertically without a runway, but the aircraft experiences flow separation during forward maneuvering causing performance degradation and stability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The thrust generation system is divided into separate functional components: ducted fan type engines for vertical thrust and tilting mechanisms for forward flight. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal performance range, preventing flow separation issues when transitioning between vertical and forward flight modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs tilting mechanisms that dynamically adjust the orientation of fan assemblies between vertical and horizontal positions. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the thrust vector to adapt to different flight phases, eliminating flow separation problems that occur with fixed-configuration fans during forward maneuvering.
2Reliability
If four or more engine systems are mounted for stability and failure tolerance, then vertical take-off and landing is enabled, but the configuration becomes complicated and performance degrades during forward maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
Each ducted fan assembly is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a vertical thrust generator and, when tilted, as a forward propulsion source. This universal design reduces the need for separate engine systems dedicated to different flight phases, simplifying the overall configuration while maintaining reliability.
3Power
If micro jet engines are added as auxiliary thrust device, then thrust shortage is compensated during vertical take-off and landing, but the aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The micro jet engines are integrated with the existing ducted fan assemblies, merging auxiliary thrust generation with the primary propulsion structure. This combining approach allows shared structural support, control systems, and mounting mechanisms, minimizing the additional weight of the auxiliary thrust device while maintaining thrust compensation capability.
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
The apparatus enables safe vertical takeoff and landing by providing supplementary thrust, reducing the risk of accidents and maintaining aircraft stability through dualization of thrust devices and shared fuel systems, minimizing weight and design changes.
Implementation Method 1
a main thrust device including an engine and motors and configured to provide driving force to the rotors
Implementation Method 2
The auxiliary thrust device may include micro jet engines arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of gravity of the aircraft
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for generating thrust for air transport includes a main thrust device, and an auxiliary thrust device configured to generate auxiliary thrust so as to enable an aircraft to vertically take off and land. The apparatus further includes: wings fixed to left and right sides of a fuselage of the aircraft, rotors installed on the wings and configured to generate thrust. In particular, the main thrust device provides driving force to the rotors using motors and an engine, and the auxiliary thrust device is installed in the fuselage and has a center of gravity configured to coincide with a center of gravity of the aircraft.