Methods and systems for providing secondary power to aircraft systems. In one embodiment, an aircraft system architecture for providing power to an environmental control system includes an electric generator operably coupled to a jet engine. The jet engine can be configured to provide propulsive thrust to the aircraft, and the electric generator can be configured to receive shaft power from the jet engine. The environmental control system can be configured to provide outside air to a passenger cabin of the aircraft in the absence of bleed air from the jet engine.

Electric-based secondary power system architectures for aircraft

Vehicles, systems, and methods are disclosed for providing and directing first power, such as vehicle generator power, and alternate sources of power. In a particular embodiment, a vehicle includes a power distribution grid that includes a plurality of power sources and a plurality of distributions buses configured to distribute power from the plurality of power sources. The plurality of power sources include an engine-driven power source is configured to provide first power where the first power has first power characteristics. The plurality of power sources also includes a plurality of engine-independent power sources including a first alternate power source configured to provide first alternate power. The first alternate power has first alternate power characteristics that are different than the first power characteristics. The plurality of engine-independent power sources also includes a second alternate power source configured to provide second alternate power. The second alternate power has second alternate power characteristics that are different from the first power characteristics and different from the first alternate power characteristics. The vehicle also includes a global controller that sends control signals to control generation of power by the engine-driven power source, the first alternate power source and the second alternate power source via the plurality of distribution buses responsive to power demand of the power distribution grid.

Vehicle electrical power management and distribution

A gas turbine engine comprises a fan drive gear system, a low spool connected to the fan drive gear system, and a high spool disposed aft of the low spool. The low spool comprises a rearward-flow low pressure compressor disposed aft of the fan drive gear system, and a forward-flow low pressure turbine disposed aft of the low pressure compressor. The high spool comprises a forward-flow high pressure turbine disposed aft of the low pressure turbine, a combustor disposed aft of the high pressure turbine, and a forward-flow high pressure compressor disposed aft of the combustor.

Reversed-flow core for a turbofan with a fan drive gear system

A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a gear arrangement configured to drive the fan section, a compressor section and a turbine section. The compressor section includes a low pressure compressor section and a high pressure compressor section. The turbine section is configured to drive compressor section and the gear arrangement. An overall pressure ratio, which is provided by a combination of a pressure ratio across said low pressure compressor section and a pressure ratio across said high pressure compressor section, is greater than about 35. The pressure ratio across the low pressure compressor section is between about 3 and about 8 whereas the pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor section is between about 7 and about 15.

Gas turbine engine compressor arrangement

A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft and a support which supports the fan shaft. The support defines at least one of a support transverse and a support lateral stiffness. A gear system drives the fan shaft. A flexible support at least partially supports the gear system, and defines at least one of a flexible support transverse and a flexible support lateral stiffness with respect to at least one of the support transverse and the support lateral stiffness. An input to the gear system defines at least one of an input transverse and an input lateral stiffness with respect to at least one of the support transverse and the support lateral stiffness. A method of designing a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Flexible support structure for a geared architecture gas turbine engine

The present invention relates to an improved architecture for an aircraft. The aircraft has a first engine, a first gearbox associated with the first engine, a first starter/generator associated with the gearbox, and a first motor drive connected to the first starter/generator for providing the starter/generator with electric power to start the first engine and to receive electric power from the starter/generator after the engine has been started to operate electrically driven systems onboard the aircraft. The aircraft preferably further has at least one other engine which has a gearbox and a starter/generator associated with it and at least a second motor drive connected to the starter/generator. The electrically driven systems operated by the motor drive(s) include an environmental control system, a wing anti-icing system, an aircraft control system, and the aircraft fuel system. The aircraft also includes an auxiliary power unit for supplying electrical power to at least the first motor drive for initiating operation of the first engine.

Aircraft architecture with a reduced bleed aircraft secondary power system

An emergency electrical power generating apparatus (50) for use with a turbofan engine comprises an electrical generator (52) and a clutch assembly (54). The clutch assembly (54) connects the electrical generator (52) with a fan assembly (1) of the engine only during a windmill action of the fan assembly (1). The electric generator (52) having a stator (82) mounted to a housing (86) of a bearing (88) and a rotor (84) mounted to one of a fan shaft (90) and a low pressure spool shaft (17), supported directly on the bearing (88).

Fan driven emergency generator

A turbine engine emergency power system includes low and high pressure spools, the lower pressure spool including a low pressure compressor. A turbofan is coupled to the low pressure spool. The turbofan drives the low pressure spool in a windmill condition in which the low pressure turbine fails to provide rotational drive to the turbofan. A generator is rotationally driven by the low pressure spool in the windmill condition. A gear train is used to increase the speed of the generator in one example. In one example embodiment, a centrifugal clutch is used to selectively decouple the generator from the low pressure spool at a predetermined engine speed, which corresponds to normal operating speeds when the turbine engine is under power.

Turbofan emergency generator

The present invention relates to an improved architecture for an aircraft. The aircraft has a first engine (10), a first gearbox (12) associated with the first engine, a first starter/generator (18) associated with the gearbox, and a first motor drive (56) connected to the first starter/generator for providing the starter/generator with electric power to start the first engine and to receive electric power from the starter/generator after the engine has been started to operate electrically driven systems onboard the aircraft. The aircraft preferably further has at least one other engine (10') which has a gearbox (12) and a starter/generator (18) associated with it and at least a second motor drive (56) connected to the starter/generator. The electrically driven systems operated by the motor drive(s) include an environmental control system (38), a wing anti-icing system (58), an aircraft control system, and the aircraft fuel system. The aircraft also includes an auxiliary power unit (20) for supplying electrical power to at least the first motor drive for initiating operation of the first engine.

Jose Albero

Papers

Aircraft architecture with a reduced bleed aircraft secondary power system

Fan driven emergency generator

Turbofan emergency generator

Improved aircraft architecture with a reduced bleed aircraft secondary power system

Generateur de secours a turboreacteur a double flux