Wing-mounted turbine for generating electricity and increasing thrust
Inventors
Whitehouse, Glen R. • Quackenbush, Todd R.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12319432-B1
Publication Date
2025-06-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A turbine mounted behind an aircraft wing provides a specified proportion of a propulsive force in the aircraft flight direction to an amount of power generated by the turbine when driven by the airflow trailing the wing. The turbine converts a portion of the otherwise wasted energy in the rotational vortices trailing the aircraft wing into thrust that reduces aircraft drag while also providing electricity to power electrical systems on the aircraft. In one embodiment, the method used to construct the turbine saves computation time by using an optimization routine to define a preliminary turbine configuration based on an idealized vortex model and then matches it to the flow trailing an actual aircraft wing. The turbine can also use the energy in the wake solely to generate electricity without increasing drag on the aircraft or solely to reduce drag without generating electricity.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a turbine having a plurality of blades with a predetermined airfoil profile and mounted from a proximal blade root to a distal blade tip on a turbine shaft. The turbine blades are arranged around a turbine axis to rotate the turbine shaft in the presence of fluid flow introduced to a turbine inlet. When vortical fluid flow is introduced to the turbine inlet, the blades are configured according to a set of turbine parameters to provide a specified weighted combination of a propulsive force in the direction of the turbine axis and an amount of power generated by the turbine.
The invention further provides a turbine configuration for use with a wing in which the turbine is mounted proximate the trailing edge of the wing at a location where airflow trailing the wing when an aircraft is traveling at a freestream velocity V∞ in a predetermined direction is introduced to the turbine inlet. In this context, the turbine blades are configured by a set of turbine parameters related to blade geometry, turbine geometry, and rate of rotation to provide the specified weighted combination of propulsive force in the predetermined direction and power generated by the turbine.
The invention also extends to an aircraft having at least two wings and at least two turbines mounted on the wings. Each turbine includes a housing for mounting the turbine proximate the trailing edge of a respective wing, a plurality of blades mounted to a turbine shaft, and an electrical generator operatively connected in the housing to provide electricity to the aircraft when the turbine shaft is rotated by airflow introduced to the turbine inlet.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims. Across them, there are three core claim groupings.
Weighted combination of axial propulsive force and generated power from vortical fluid flow
A turbine in which a plurality of blades are configured according to a set of turbine parameters related to blade geometry, turbine geometry, and rate of rotation to provide a specified weighted combination of a propulsive force in the direction of the turbine axis to an amount of power generated by the turbine when vortical fluid flow is introduced to the turbine inlet.
Wing-proximate trailing-edge turbine for specified weighted combination at V∞
A turbine for use with a wing providing lift in flight in a predetermined direction at a particular freestream velocity V∞, where the turbine is mounted proximate the trailing edge of the wing at a location where airflow trailing the wing at V∞ in the predetermined direction is introduced to the turbine inlet, and the turbine blades are configured according to a set of turbine parameters to provide a specified weighted combination of a propulsive force in the predetermined direction to an amount of power generated by the turbine.
Aircraft with two wings and trailing-edge turbines with electrical generation
An aircraft comprising at least two wings and at least two turbines mounted on the wings, where each turbine has a housing mounting the turbine proximate the trailing edge of a respective wing, includes blade-mounted turbine shaft rotation in airflow introduced to the turbine inlet, and includes an electrical generator in the housing operatively connected to the turbine shaft for providing electricity to the aircraft when the turbine shaft is rotated by the airflow.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on configuring turbine blades using a set of turbine parameters to achieve a specified weighted combination of propulsive force and generated power when vortical flow or wing-trailing airflow is introduced, and applying this configuration to an aircraft with wing-proximate turbines that include an electrical generator in a housing.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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