Patents Assigned to Roll-Royce plc
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Publication number: 20220255162Abstract: A battery or fuel cell module comprising a plurality of battery cells or fuel cells and metal foam bus bars that electrically connect together at least some of the battery cells or fuel cells is described. The battery or fuel cell module may further include a cooling system arranged to provide a flow of cooling fluid through the metal foam bus bars to remove heat from the bus bars. In some examples, the cooling system comprises one or more forced air devices. In other examples, the metal foam bus bars are encased in a fluid-impermeable skin so that the bus bars form fluid-tight pipes with a metal foam interior, and the cooling system is arranged to provide the flow of cooling fluid through the metal foam interior of the fluid-tight pipes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2022Publication date: August 11, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Alexis LAMBOURNE, Neil E. GLOVER, Jameel B. KHAN
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Patent number: 11408354Abstract: Gas turbine engine for aircraft including: engine core including turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting turbine to compressor; fan located upstream of engine core, including plurality of fan blades; gearbox receives input from core shaft and outputs drive to fan shaft to drive fan at lower rotational speed than core shaft; and fan shaft mounting structure arranged to mount fan shaft within engine. Fan shaft mounting structure includes at least two supporting bearings connected to fan shaft. Gearbox's output is at gearbox output position and fan's input is at fan input position. First bearing separation distance is defined as axial distance between input to fan and closest bearing of at least two supporting bearings in rearward direction from fan.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Mark Spruce
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Patent number: 11409609Abstract: A multi-logic device system, an electronic engine controller, and a method of operating the multi-logic device system. The multi-logic device system includes a primary logic device which is more resilient to single event effects, and one or more secondary logic devices, each secondary logic device being powered by a respective power supply unit and being more susceptible to single event effects. The primary logic device is configured to run, for each secondary logic device, a respective watchdog timer. Each watchdog timer is restarted upon receipt of a restart signal from the respective secondary logic device. The primary logic device is also configured, in response to a watchdog timer timing out, to identify and reset the secondary logic device corresponding to the timed out watchdog timer.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventor: David F Brookes
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Patent number: 11408306Abstract: A nacelle for housing a fan within a gas turbine engine having a longitudinal centre line includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. A nacelle length (Lnac) is defined as an axial distance between the leading edge and the trailing edge. An azimuthal angle (?) is defined about the longitudinal centre line. The nacelle length (Lnac) varies azimuthally. The nacelle length (Lnac) decreases azimuthally from an inboard end of the nacelle to an outboard end of the nacelle.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventors: Fernando L Tejero Embuena, David G. Macmanus, Christopher T J Sheaf
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Patent number: 11407507Abstract: A lift rotor arrangement (100) for a VTOL aircraft (200). The lift rotor arrangement (100) comprises: a fairing (6) mounted on a wing segment (10); and first and second rotor blades (17, 18) mounted on a first shaft (4) extending vertically from the fairing (6). The first shaft (4) is movable between an extended position in which the first and second rotor blades (17, 18) are vertically spaced above the wing segment (10) and are rotatable to provide vertical lift, and a retracted position in which the first and second rotor blades (17, 18) are rotationally-fixed with the first rotor blade (17) stowed within the wing segment (10). The blades (17, 18) may be rotatable around an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the respective first shaft (4) so as to act as ailerons/elevons in the retracted position.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Vasileios Pachidis, Chana A Saias
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Patent number: 11408428Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting turbine to compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core and including a plurality of fan blades each having a leading and trailing edge. The turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades, each rotor blades extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. The engine has a fan tip axis that joins a radially outer tip of the leading edge of a fan blade and the radially outer tip of the trailing edge of a rotor blade of the lowest pressure stage. The fan tip axis lies in a longitudinal plane which contains a centreline of engine. A fan axis angle is defined as the angle between fan tip axis and centreline, and is in a range between 10 and 20 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
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Patent number: 11408348Abstract: A fuel supply system for fuel injectors of a multi-stage combustor of a gas turbine engine is provided. The system has a metering and splitting arrangement which receives a pressurised fuel flow and controllably meters and splits the received flow into metered pilot and mains flows for injecting respectively at pilot and mains fuel discharge orifices of the injectors to perform staging control of the combustor. The system further has pilot and mains fuel distribution pipeworks respectively distributing fuel from the metering and splitting arrangement to the pilot and mains discharge orifices. The system further has a controller which is configured to command the metering and splitting arrangement to provide the metered flows, to select the pilot distribution pipework and deselect the mains distribution pipework for pilot-only operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLCInventor: Steven P. Culwick
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Patent number: 11412642Abstract: A two-start helical heat exchanger comprises a helical baffle extending along a length of the heat exchanger and having first and second surfaces, wherein: the first surface of the baffle is arranged to provide a first helical fluid flow path for a first fluid; and the second surface of the baffle is arranged to provide a second helical fluid flow path for a second fluid, wherein the second fluid flow path is arranged in counter-flow with the first fluid flow path and a casing within which the baffle is mounted. The baffle is arranged such that first and second fluid flow paths are in thermal contact with each other through the baffle, and in thermal contact with the casing. The heat exchanger may be incorporated into a power converter, for example to cool the power converter. The heat exchanger may be used on an aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Chandana J. Gajanayake, Vivek Muthu, Pradip Chatterjee, Amit K. Gupta
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Patent number: 11407517Abstract: A hybrid aircraft propulsion system. The system comprises a gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, a combustor, one or more turbines, a shaft coupled to one of the turbines, and a bypass fan mechanically driven by the shaft. The system further comprises an electrical generator mechanically coupled to the shaft, and an auxiliary propulsor mechanically coupled to an electric motor and electrically coupled to the electric generator. At maximum power, the gas turbine engine is configured to produce a turbine entry temperature at maximum power between 1800 Kelvin and 2000 Kelvin, the engine comprises a fan bypass ratio of between 4:1 and 13:1, and the generator is configured to absorb between 10% and 60% of the mechanical power generated by the turbine.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: David P Scothern
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Patent number: 11402099Abstract: A lean burn combustor includes a plurality of lean burn fuel injectors, each including a fuel feed arm and a lean burn fuel injector head with a lean burn fuel injector head tip, wherein the lean burn fuel injector head tip has a lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter, the lean burn fuel injector head including a pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector, the main fuel injector being arranged coaxially and radially outwards of the pilot fuel injector; and a combustor chamber extending along an axial direction for a length and including a radially inner annular wall, a radially outer annular wall, and a meter panel defining the size and shape of the combustor chamber, wherein the combustor chamber includes primary and secondary combustion zones. A ratio of the combustor chamber length to the lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter is less than 5.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2021Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KGInventors: Luca Tentorio, Imon-Kalyan Bagchi
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Patent number: 11401825Abstract: The invention regards a gas turbine engine control system and a method for limiting turbine overspeed in case of a shaft failure. The control system includes: an overspeed protection system that activates an activation member in case a shaft failure is detected; a fuel limiting mechanism coupled with the activation member, wherein the fuel limiting mechanism is configured to limit the fuel supply to the gas turbine engine combustor if the activation member is activated; a variable stator vane mechanism which is configured to adjust variable stator vanes of a compressor of the gas turbine engine in their rotational position, the variable stator vanes having a closed position which blocks air flow through the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG, ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventors: Jorge Calderon, David Brown
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Publication number: 20220237350Abstract: A neural network is trained for, and may be used in, the simulation of the fluid flow through a domain around an object geometry. A first training process for the neural network includes training (902) the network on a first set of encodings of pre-computed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for object geometries and associated boundary conditions. The first training process uses a first loss function that evaluates an error between the network output and the pre-computed CFD simulations. A second training process is then carried out which includes training (905) the network on a second set of encodings of object geometries and associated boundary conditions. The second training process uses a second loss function that evaluates an error between the network output and a set of fluid dynamics conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Bryce D. CONDUIT, Jian Cheng WONG, Anthony B. PHIPPS, Piotr ZACHARZEWSKI, Chin Chun OOI, Qi QI, Yi WANG, My Ha DAO, Pao-Hsiung CHIU
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Publication number: 20220238779Abstract: Integrated arrangements of electrical machines and power electronics converters are described. One such arrangement comprises: an electrical machine comprising one or more windings; a power electronics converter arranged to supply current to or receive current from the one or more windings of the electrical machine; a magnetocaloric effect (MCE) material in thermal contact with the power electronics converter; and a heat sink for removing heat from the MCE material. The MCE material is arranged in proximity to the one or more windings of the electrical machine whereby, in use, stray magnetic flux from the windings of the electrical machine passes through the MCE material and activates the MCE material. The repeated application and removal of the stray flux during normal operation of the electrical machine creates cycles of magnetic refrigeration, which removes heat from the power electronics converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Ellis F.H. CHONG
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Publication number: 20220235698Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises, in fluid flow series, a gas-generator compressor, a combustor, a gas-generator turbine, and a free power turbine. The gas-generator compressor is an axi-centrifugal compressor comprising a plurality of axial compression stages followed by a single centrifugal compression stage, wherein the International Standard Atmosphere, sea-level static (hereinafter ISA SLS) design point pressure ratio of the axi-centrifugal compressor is from 12 to 16, and a ratio of the ISA SLS pressure rise across the axial compression stages to the ISA SLS pressure rise across the centrifugal compression stage is from 0.75 to 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc, ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATIONInventors: Rory D. STIEGER, Daniel SWAIN
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Publication number: 20220235702Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, and a fan including a plurality of fan blades located upstream of the engine core. The fan has a fan diameter in the range from 240 cm to 280 cm. The turbine is the lowest pressure turbine of the engine and the compressor is the lowest pressure compressor of the engine. The turbine includes a total of three sets of turbine blades. The engine core further includes three bearings arranged to support the core shaft. The three bearings include a forward bearing and two rearward bearings located downstream of a leading edge of a lowest pressure turbine blade of the turbine at a root of the blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Jillian C. GASKELL, Chathura K. KANNANGARA, Punitha KAMESH
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Publication number: 20220235716Abstract: An aircraft including lean-burn gas turbine engines operating in pilot-plus-mains mode with a given initial fuel flow W0, a method of controlling the optical depth of contrails produced by a first group of engines includes the steps of (i) reducing fuel flow to each engine in the first group to change the operation of each engine from pilot-plus-mains mode to pilot-only mode, and (ii) adjusting fuel flow to one or more engines in a second group of engines such that the total fuel flow to engines of the second group is increased, all engines of the second group remaining in pilot-plus-mains mode, and wherein the set of lean-burn engines consists of the first and second groups. Depending on atmospheric conditions, the average optical depth of contrails produced by the engines may be enhanced or reduced compared to when all engines operate in pilot-plus-mains mode with a fuel flow W0.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Peter SWANN, Christopher P. MADDEN
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Publication number: 20220227497Abstract: A hydrogen-fuelled aircraft 200 comprises a fuselage, wings and a plurality of cylindrical elongate hydrogen storage tanks mounted on the exterior of the fuselage and disposed vertically above a plane containing the wing-tips of the aircraft. An aerodynamic fairing forms a continuous air-washed surface of the aircraft together with a lower portion of the fuselage. The hydrogen storage tanks extend generally parallel to the fuselage and are contained between the fairing and the fuselage. The aircraft provides for storage of a large volume of compressed hydrogen without compromising the volume of usable space within the fuselage. The aircraft is able to carry out flight missions comparable in range and payload to those of an equivalent conventionally-fuelled aircraft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Eric W. DEAN
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Publication number: 20220228713Abstract: A hydrogen storage tank has a composite laminate wall, a hydrogen-porous layer in contact with the outer surface of the composite laminate wall and a hydrogen-non-porous layer in contact with the outer surface of the hydrogen-porous layer, the hydrogen-non-porous layer having an output port for venting hydrogen which passes through the composite laminate wall and the hydrogen-porous layer from the interior of the tank. The tank allows hydrogen which leaks through the composite laminate wall to be collected and re-used. The invention also allows for the rate of hydrogen leakage from the tank to be measured, providing a measure of the structural integrity of the tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Philip D. BUTLER, Eric W. DEAN, Chloe J. PALMER
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Patent number: 11391206Abstract: An intake centre fairing for a gas turbine engine includes a body. The body includes an outer surface, an apex point and a base. The apex point is at a first end of the body and the base is at a second end of the body. The base includes a base centre. The body defines a longitudinal axis along its length, a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis and a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis. The outer surface of the body is tapered from the base to the apex point along the longitudinal axis. The apex point is radially offset relative to the base centre along the radial direction. The apex point is further circumferentially offset relative to the base centre along the circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2021Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventors: Robert E Christie, David G MacManus
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Patent number: 11391180Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft is provided. The gas turbine engine comprises an engine core comprising a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor. The gas turbine engine further comprises a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades, the fan generating a core airflow which enters the engine core and a bypass airflow which flows through a bypass duct surrounding the engine core. The gas turbine engine further comprises a circumferential row of outer guide vanes located in the bypass duct rearwards of the fan, the outer guide vanes extending radially outwardly from an inner ring which defines a radially inner surface of the bypass duct.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventors: Lucian Ingley, Clare L. Bewick
