Rolls-royce Corporation

Gareth Edward Moore

David Reginald Trainer

Stephen Mark Husband

David Peter Scothern

Paul R Davies

Luke George

Seamus Dominic Garvey

Jason E Hill

Stephen Andrew Long

David S Knott

David James Powell

Paul Simms

Douglas M M Herbert

Thomas C J Feehally

Harsh Agarwal

Seamus D Garvey

Douglas Herbert

Thomas Conan Joseph Feehally

A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprises, in axial flow sequence, a compressor module, a combustor module, and a turbine module, with a first electric machine being rotationally connected to the turbine module. The first electrical machine is configured to generate a maximum electrical power P(W), and the gas turbine engine is configured to generate a maximum dry thrust T (N); and a ratio S of: is in a range of between 2.0 and 10.0.

Gas turbine engine

Multi-engine aircraft power and propulsion systems and methods of restarting an engine of a multi-engine aircraft during fight are provided. One such method comprises: determining a condition to the effect that a flame in the combustion equipment of the second gas turbine engine has been extinguished; responsive to the determination, supplying electrical power from the electrical energy storage system to one or more of the electric machines of the second gas turbine engine and operating said one or more electric machines as motors to limit a reduction in a speed of the one or more spools of the second gas turbine engine following extinguishment of the flame in its combustion equipment; and restarting the second gas turbine engine by relighting the combustion equipment of the second gas turbine engine.

Restarting a gas turbine engine

An aircraft gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger module, and a core engine. The core engine includes an intermediate-pressure compressor, high-pressure compressor, and high and low-pressure turbines. The high-pressure compressor rotationally connects to the high-pressure turbine by a first shaft, and the intermediate-pressure compressor rotationally connects to the low-pressure turbine by a second shaft. The heat exchanger module fluidly communicates with the core engine by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes a central hub and multiple heat transfer elements extending radially from the hub and spaced in a circumferential array, for heat energy transfer from a first fluid within the elements to an inlet airflow passing over a surface of the elements prior to airflow entry into an inlet to the core engine. The gas turbine engine further includes a first electric machine rotationally connected to the first shaft, and positioned downstream of the heat exchanger module.

An electrical generating system for aircraft with one or more engines includes a plurality of generators associated with the engines so as to produce respective AC outputs. The frequencies of these outputs can differ from each other, as a result of differing engine speeds and/or deliberate design, but they are to be connected to a common bus to avoid redundancy of wiring. One or more converters are present between the generators and the bus for adjusting the output frequency of the generators to provide an AC output voltage at a common bus frequency. The system includes a control system for setting the AC bus frequency in such a way that it can vary with time. The bus frequency may follow the natural frequency of the engine, and only small converters are needed to make the already approximately equal generator frequencies identical, so that they can all feed the common bus.

Electrical distribution system

This invention relates to a method of controlling torque oscillations in a mechanical drive train of an electrical generation system which provides electrical power to an isolated electrical network, the method including the steps of: a. monitoring for changes in the electrical condition of the electrical network; b. determining whether a change in the electrical condition of the network falls within a predetermined range; c. adjusting the power in the network using an auxiliary power source when the electrical condition of the network falls within the predetermined range so as reduce or substantially prevent the build up of torque oscillations in the mechanical drive train.

Method and apparatus for controlling torque on the shaft of a generator

Electromechanical arrangements are utilized widely whereby a prime mover in the form of a mechanical assembly such as a gas turbine engine is utilized to drive an electrical machine as an electrical generator. Unfortunately the loads applied to the electrical generator may vary creating oscillation across phases of the electrical generator. Such oscillations generally will be translated to the mechanical assembly in the form of torque oscillations which may cause stressing. Stressing of the mechanical assembly will reduce its life and may alter its performance as well as fuel consumption. By provision of appropriate mechanisms for balancing electrical loads across an electrical machine as well reducing the time decay period for stored charge within an electrical assembly associated with an electrical machine it is possible to reduce torque oscillations as presented to the mechanical assembly and therefore improve its operational performance.

Electromechanical arrangement

A gas turbine engine arrangement comprises a first gas turbine engine, a second gas turbine engine, a differential gearbox and an electrical generator. The differential gearbox has a first input drive, a second input drive and an output drive. The output drive of the differential gearbox is arranged to drive the electrical generator via an external, accessory, gearbox. The external, accessory, gearbox drives other accessories. The first gas turbine is arranged to drive the first input drive of the differential gearbox and the second gas turbine engine is arranged to drive the second input drive of the differential gearbox. The electrical generator and accessories are driven at a constant frequency speed/frequency.

Gas turbine engine arrangement

Electrical machine arrangements have advantages with regard to providing local electrical power and starting. Embedding such electrical machine arrangements in machinery such as gas turbine engines is advantageous in removing mechanical linkages and reducing aerodynamic drag. However, the components utilized must be able to withstand harsh environmental conditions and therefore the DC link capacitor used for smoothing of voltage fluctuations are limited to relatively low capacitance densities. Low density DC link capacitors require large sizes which render electrical machines less acceptable for embedded usage. By providing offset of electrical current in inductance elements such as stator windings and stator coils of electrical machines in dead periods of the cycle a reduction in DC link capacitor requirements is achieved reducing the size, weight and complexity of installing electrical machines in gas turbine engines.

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Nottingham, United Kingdom

Gareth Edward Moore