Contra-Rotating Ducted Fan Propulsor With Integrated Thermal Powertrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric propulsion systems for aircraft suffer from low power and energy density due to heavy thermal management systems, cabling inefficiencies, and wasted heat, leading to reduced range and endurance.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage contra-rotating fan system with an integrated powertrain within an aerodynamic duct, featuring rim-driven motors and a shared thermal management system, where excess heat is used to enhance thrust and efficiency, and battery packs are distributed within the propulsors to reduce weight and increase power density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If distributed powertrain components (battery packs, inverters, motors) are located separately across the aircraft, then ease of maintenance and modular assembly are improved, but cabling weight and power losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the battery pack, inverter, and motor into a single combined powertrain unit. The battery pack and inverter are housed together in a common enclosure, with the motor positioned adjacent to the inverter, minimizing the distance for electrical connections and reducing cabling requirements while maintaining modular replaceability of the entire assembly.
2Reliability
If heavy thermal management systems are implemented to manage heat from powertrain components, then reliability is improved, but weight increases and power density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is integrated into the combined powertrain unit, with cooling channels positioned to efficiently remove heat from the battery pack, inverter, and motor. The thermal management components are consolidated within the same enclosure as the powertrain components they serve, reducing overall system weight compared to distributed thermal management systems.
3Power
If rim-driven motors with distributed permanent magnets are used, then power density is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor uses permanent magnets distributed around the rim of the fan stage rather than concentrated in a central hub. This distributed magnet arrangement localizes the magnetic field generation to the periphery, enabling direct drive of the fan blades while maximizing power density. The rim-driven configuration allows the motor structure to coincide with the fan blade attachment points, simplifying the overall assembly.
4Device complexity
If excess heat from the powertrain is dissipated to ambient air, then thermal management is simplified, but energy efficiency decreases and thrust is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of dissipating excess heat from the powertrain to the ambient air, the system redirects this waste heat to pre-heat the incoming air before it enters the fan. This converts the harmful waste heat into a beneficial pre-heating function, improving overall energy efficiency by reducing the energy required to heat the air for thrust generation while maintaining simplified thermal management through the integrated enclosure design.
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 minimizes cabling, reduces weight, and increases power and energy density, enhancing aircraft range and safety by distributing energy sources and reducing noise and thermal losses.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor comprising a stator and a rotor, the rotor comprising permanent magnets disposed in a ring around the tips of the fan stage
Implementation Method 2
a two stage contra-rotating fan system to generate thrust, the contra-rotating fan system having two fan stages
Implementation Method 3
where excess heat is used to enhance thrust and efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A propulsion system for an aircraft having a two stage contra-rotating fan system to generate thrust. The contra-rotating fan system is surrounded by an aerodynamic duct, having the power train within the duct.