Vertical Aerospace Group Limited

Andrea De Matteis

James Sheppard

A flying vehicle propulsion system comprises a propulsor, a drive system, a heat exchanger, and a housing in which the heat exchanger is provided. The propulsor produces a propulsor fluid flow. In a first operation configuration of the propulsion system, at least part of the propulsor fluid flow is incident on the exchanger. A propulsor fluid flow inlet port of the housing fluidly communicates with a chamber of the housing on an inlet side of the exchanger. The inlet port receives the propulsor fluid flow for ingestion into the chamber and exchanger and comprises a valve to close the port when the valve is closed and open the port when the valve is open. The valve is biased such that at least one of: the valve opens passively under a propulsor fluid flow rate influence above a pre-defined threshold impinging on the valve; and the valve closes passively under a biasing influence.

Propulsion system thermal management

A flying vehicle propulsion system including a propulsor, a drive system and a heat exchanger. The drive system is arranged to drive the propulsor and the heat exchanger is arranged to thermally regulate at least part of the drive system. The propulsor is arranged to move fluid, thereby producing a propulsor fluid flow having a main direction. The system is arranged such that in a first operation configuration, at least part of the propulsor fluid flow is incident on the heat exchanger, thereby thermally regulating the at least part of the drive system.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Andrea De Matteis