Supplemental Thrust System for Aircraft with Turbocharger and Heat Exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current hub-and-spoke air transportation model is inefficient, costly, and vulnerable to security threats, with long distances, lengthy transfer times, and high operational costs, while also creating large concentrations of people that are easy targets for terrorism.
Innovation Solution
A supplemental thrust system for an airplane incorporating a submerged inlet duct, diffuser section, and turbocharger unit to increase engine power, combined with a heat exchanger for cooling, and a lightweight, efficient aircraft design capable of all-weather operation with a single pilot, allowing for non-stop transcontinental travel from any local airport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hub-and-spoke transportation model is used, then aircraft can operate from major airports with infrastructure support, but travel time and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the transportation system into numerous small aircraft operating on direct routes between local airports, replacing the concentrated hub-and-spoke model. Each small aircraft operates independently on point-to-point routes, eliminating the need for connections at hub airports and significantly reducing travel time while maintaining infrastructure compatibility through use of existing small airfields.
2Quantity of substance
If larger aircraft are used to increase passenger capacity, then fewer flights are needed, but the aircraft become larger targets for terrorist activity
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the passenger transport function across multiple small aircraft instead of concentrating passengers in large aircraft. Each small aircraft carries fewer passengers but operates in a distributed network, making individual aircraft militarily insignificant targets while collectively serving the same passenger demand through frequent direct flights.
3Power
If supplemental thrust devices are added to increase engine power, then aircraft performance and speed improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supplemental thrust device is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides additional thrust during takeoff and climb, acts as a heat exchanger for cabin cooling, and serves as an air intake for the turbocharger. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining what would otherwise be separate systems into a single integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the supplemental thrust device with the heat exchanger and turbocharger air intake systems. By combining these functions into a single integrated structure, the overall device complexity is reduced compared to having separate systems for thrust augmentation, cooling, and air intake.
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 system achieves significantly higher speeds than current commercial aircraft, reduces operational costs, enhances passenger safety by minimizing concentrations of people, and provides competitive ticket prices while maintaining passenger comfort and ease of maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a turbocharger unit comprising one or more turbocharges in communication with each other to provide, in use, compressed air to the engine and the cabin
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger unit comprising a plurality of heat exchangers in the diffuser section to provide, in use, cooling liquid to cool pressurized air in the cabin, engine intake air and the engine jacket
Implementation Method 3
a diffuser section in communication with the inlet duct
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A supplemental thrust system for an airplane comprising a submerged inlet duct, a diffuser section in communication with the inlet duct, and a duct outlet in communication with the diffuser section, an outlet nozzle in communication with the duct outlet, a turbocharger unit comprising one or more turbochargers in communication with each other to provide compressed air to the engine and the cabin, a heat exchanger unit comprising a plurality of heat exchangers in the diffuser section to provide cooling liquid to cool pressurized air in the cabin, engine intake air and the engine jacket, where each turbocharger is coupled to the intake manifold of an engine to increase the power of the engine by introducing compressed air into the manifold.