Patents Assigned to SAFRAN POWER UNITS
  • Patent number: 11396833
    Abstract: An oil storage and filtration system for an engine unit includes an on/off valve that defines an operating phase when receiving supply air and in an on position and a standby phase when in an off position or not receiving the supply air. The system also includes a fill/drain valve that defines a drain state and a fill state which respectively correspond to emptying and filling oil from/into the engine unit. The system also includes a control valve, a pressure/vacuum valve, and a storage tank. The storage tank stores oil in a pressurized condition during the fill state, a vacuum condition during the drain state, and an atmospheric condition during the standby phase. The also includes a vacuum generator in fluid communication with the storage tank during the drain state and fluidly isolated from the storage tank during the fill state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventor: Mark Scudder
  • Publication number: 20220213842
    Abstract: A propulsion assembly for aircraft includes a single-shaft engine turbomachine including a combustion chamber and a rotatably mounted shaft that turns at a turbomachine rating; an electrical generator coupled to the shaft; and a control system. The control system includes a fuel pump that brings fuel into the combustion chamber at a fuel flow rate which is a direct function of an ambient pressure and of the turbomachine rating, and power electronics that are coupled to the electrical generator and that control an electrical power drawn off the electrical generator so as to attain a target turbomachine rating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicants: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES, SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Fabien MERCIER-CALVAIRAC, Patrick MARCONI, Denis Antoine Julien REAL
  • Patent number: 11359748
    Abstract: A connection system comprising: a dispensing member; a receiving member; first sealing means and second sealing means arranged at the interface between the dispensing member and the receiving member to enable redundant leak-tight engagement between the dispensing member and the receiving member; a control chamber defined between the first sealing means and the second sealing means; and means for measuring the current pressure in the control chamber so as to detect a gas leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Rémi Stephan, Matthieu Baron, Théophile Horde
  • Patent number: 11302943
    Abstract: A fuel cell, in particular for an aeronautical application, comprising a central module comprising a plurality of cells for generating electricity, a first end plate and a second end plate, at least one of the end plates comprising at least one outlet pipe. The fuel cell comprises a pressure-regulating device fluidly connected to the outlet pipe, the pressure-regulating device comprising at least one arm fluidly connected to the outlet pipe, at least one member for opening/closing the arm, at least one member for measuring the pressure in the outlet pipe and at least one member for controlling the opening/closing member according to the measured pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Matthieu Baron, Mathieu Baudy, Théophile Horde
  • Publication number: 20220077486
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising a stack which comprises a plurality of cells, each cell comprising a plurality of fluid flow openings aligned in parallel to form a plurality of fluid flow lines in the stack, two end plates placed at the ends of the stack and at least one traction member connecting the end plates to each other in order to compress the stack, the traction member being mounted in a fluid flow line of the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Romain Quinton, Jean-Baptiste Jollys, Théophile Horde
  • Publication number: 20220013802
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell comprising a plurality of modules mounted in series with one another so as to form a peripheral structure, each module comprising two end members and a stack of electrochemical cells mounted between two end members, each end member including a mounting face in contact with one of the ends of a stack and an interface face in contact with another interface face of another end member, the mounting face and the interface face being angularly spaced apart by an angle (?) which is between 0.5°and 60°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Romain Quinton, Jean-Baptiste Jollys, Théophile Horde
  • Patent number: 11053013
    Abstract: A unit (1?, 10?, 100?) for generating non-propulsive electrical power for use on board an aircraft, the unit (1?, 10?, 100?) comprising an electricity production device (3, 30) comprising a gas turbine (31) and an electricity generator (32) mechanically connected to an outlet shaft (33) of the gas turbine (31), said electricity generator (32) including output electrical connections (320) for being electrically connected to an electrical power supply network (2, 20, 200) on board an aircraft. The unit (1?, 10?, 100?) includes energy storage means (5) and regulator means (6) configured to control the speed of rotation of the gas turbine (31) as a function of the electrical power required by the on-board electrical power supply network (2, 20, 200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignees: SAFRAN POWER UNITS, INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Stephane Richard Dominique Vaillant, Mickael Faucher, Christophe Turpin
  • Publication number: 20210167405
    Abstract: An assembly for producing energy may include a fuel cell, a fluidic cell circuit configured to receive a first heat-transfer fluid and arranged at least partially around the fuel cell, a reversible thermodynamic system configured to alternatively: (i) evacuate the thermal energy produced by the fuel cell and transform it into mechanical energy through the first heat-transfer fluid, and (ii) input thermal energy to the fuel cell through the first heat-transfer fluid, wherein the thermodynamic system includes: (a) a fluidic thermodynamic circuit to receive a second heat-transfer fluid; (b) a first exchanger to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and the fluidic cell circuit; and (c) a second exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between the fluidic thermodynamic circuit and an external source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Nicolas TAUVERON, Benjamin BOILLOT, Jean-Baptiste JOLLYS
  • Patent number: 10998559
    Abstract: An electrical power supply device in an aircraft, the device including an enclosure, the enclosure containing at least: a fuel cell; a dihydrogen generator; a gas feed circuit connecting the dihydrogen generator to the anode of the fuel cell; an oxygen feed device feeding the cathode of the fuel cell; and a cooling circuit of the fuel cell associated with at least one heat exchanger; wherein the enclosure is mounted on an actuator system, the actuator system being configured to move the enclosure from a first position in which the enclosure is housed inside an outer wall of the aircraft, to a second position in which the enclosure projects from the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Fabien Boudjemaa, Adrien Gasse, Matthieu Baron, Denis Real
  • Patent number: 10953997
    Abstract: An air intake assembly for an aircraft includes an auxiliary power unit intake that is defined by a skin of the aircraft. The auxiliary power unit intake is in fluid communication with an auxiliary power unit. The air intake assembly also includes a translatable scoop that defines a stowed condition and a fully deployed condition. The translatable scoop directs air exterior to the aircraft into the auxiliary power unit intake when in the fully deployed condition and does not direct the air exterior to the aircraft into the auxiliary power unit intake when in the stowed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventor: Walter Ainslie
  • Patent number: 10858112
    Abstract: An aircraft turboprop engine has at least a low-pressure body and a high-pressure body. The low-pressure body drives a propeller by a gearbox. The turboprop engine also includes means for supplying air to an air-conditioning circuit of an aircraft cabin, wherein the means for supplying air has at least one compressor of which the rotor is coupled to the low-pressure body. The compressor has an air inlet connected to means for bleeding air from an air inlet duct of the turboprop engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, SAFRAN, SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Nicolas Claude Parmentier, Pierre Froment, Jean-François Rideau, Bruno Thoraval
  • Patent number: 10854895
    Abstract: A thermal regulator system (10) for a fuel cell (12), the system comprising a passive pump member (14) having a first inlet (14a) connected to a first pipe (16), a second inlet (14b) connected to a second pipe (18), and an outlet (14c) configured to be connected to a cooling circuit (20) of the fuel cell (12), the passive pump member (14) being configured to use the Venturi effect to drive a fluid flow along the second pipe (18) by means of a fluid flowing along the first pipe (16). The first pipe (16) and the second pipe (18) are configured to be connected to an outlet of the cooling circuit (20) of the fuel cell (12), the first pipe (16) and the second pipe (18) being configured to feed the passive pump member (14) with fluids at different temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Antoine Romet, Serge Le Gonidec
  • Patent number: 10811702
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell (10) comprising a membrane electrode assembly (16) and two gas diffusion layers (14) co-operating with the assembly to form a unit cell (12). The fuel cell (10) also has a two-phase thermal diffuser (24) having a condensation zone and an evaporation zone, the evaporation zone being arranged between the bipolar plates (14) of two adjacent unit cells (12). The two-phase thermal diffuser (24) also has a heating element arranged in the condensation zone. The invention also provides a system comprising the fuel cell and a controller, and it also provides a method of regulating the temperature of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Power Units
    Inventors: Antoine Verdier, Théophile Horde, Fabien Boudjemaa
  • Patent number: 10784523
    Abstract: A bipolar plate (20) for making a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell stack, said bipolar plate (20) being made up of metal sheets that are shaped and assembled together in such a manner as to define primary fluid-flow channels (24) and secondary fluid-flow channels (25) that are arranged in alternation, said primary channels (24) being formed between said assembled-together sheets; the bipolar plate (20) being characterized in that it includes mechanical reinforcement (35) made out of metal material arranged in a reinforcing duct (30) of the bipolar plate (20), said metal reinforcement (35) being configured in such a manner as to oppose a compression force applied to the bipolar plate (20), said bipolar plate (20) further including a source of electricity adapted to feed electric current to the mechanical reinforcement (35) and thereby give off heat by the Joule effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Théophile Horde, Fabien Boudjemaa
  • Patent number: 10766629
    Abstract: An architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter is disclosed, comprising turboshaft engines that are connected to a power transmission gearbox. It comprises: a hybrid turboshaft engine that is capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter; a pack for quickly restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine in order to bring said engine out of said standby mode and to reach a nominal operating mode; an auxiliary power unit that is connected to said electrotechnical restart pack by means of a first AC/DC converter and is capable of providing said restart pack, on demand, with power required for bringing said hybrid turboshaft engine out of said standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES, SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Fabien Mercier-Calvairac, Stéphane Beddok, Stéphane Chevalier, Sophie Humbert
  • Patent number: 10746103
    Abstract: An asymmetrical electronic control system for a gas turbine, which is designed to control a set of functions associated with logic input data or data from sensors and associated with output data, in particular for an actuator, the system including a primary electronic control unit configured to process the entire set of functions; a secondary electronic control unit, partially redundant with the primary unit, configured to process only a strict subset of sufficient functions to operate or start the gas turbine in an acceptable degraded mode when the primary unit is faulty; a redundant or main chain selection and switching module for selecting one or other of the primary and secondary units in order to control the gas turbine according to the operating state of the primary unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Power Units
    Inventors: Jerome Priat, Vincent Guillaumin
  • Publication number: 20200217436
    Abstract: A connection system comprising: a dispensing member; a receiving member; first sealing means and second sealing means arranged at the interface between the dispensing member and the receiving member to enable redundant leak-tight engagement between the dispensing member and the receiving member; a control chamber defined between the first sealing means and the second sealing means; and means for measuring the current pressure in the control chamber so as to detect a gas leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Rémi Stephan, Matthieu Baron, Théophile Horde
  • Patent number: 10703487
    Abstract: An aircraft turboprop engine includes at least a low-pressure body and a high-pressure body. The low-pressure body drives a propeller by means of a gearbox. The turboprop engine also includes means for supplying air to an air-conditioning circuit of an aircraft cabin, wherein the supply means has at least one compressor borne by the gearbox and of which the rotor is coupled to the low-pressure body by means of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, SAFRAN, SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Nicolas Claude Parmentier, Pierre Froment, Jean-François Rideau, Bruno Thoraval
  • Patent number: 10677165
    Abstract: A heat exchange system in a turbomachine that comprises a plurality of members and equipment to be cooled and/or lubricated, the heat exchange system includes a fluid circuit for cooling and/or lubricating the equipment, the heat exchange system being configured to bring the fluid circuit in thermal contact with a fluid, wherein the heat exchange system further includes an open work structure which is in thermal contact with at least one hot section of the fluid circuit and through which the fluid passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventor: Amandine Roche
  • Patent number: 10625874
    Abstract: The invention concerns a structure (3) for feeding air to an auxiliary power unit (2) of an aircraft (1) comprising a pressurized cabin (10) and an auxiliary power unit (2), the structure comprising: a pipe (30) for feeding air to the auxiliary power unit; a unit (4) for controlling the airflow fed to the auxiliary power unit; and a valve (31) for the intake of air outside the aircraft, disposed at the inlet of the feed pipe (30), the opening of the valve being driven by the control unit (4). The structure is characterized in that it further comprises a circuit (32) for injecting air from the pressurized cabin into the auxiliary power unit feed pipe. The invention also concerns a method for feeding air to an auxiliary power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Rideau, Fabien Silet