US 12,305,569 B2
Distributed propulsion with offset propulsion modules
Patrick Gonidec, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); Miguel Angel Aguirre, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); Sébastien Duplaa, Pompertuzat (FR); Bernard Robic, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); Benoit Rodriguez, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); and Nicolas Jérôme Jean Tantot, Moissy-Cramayel (FR)
Assigned to INSTITUT SUPERIEUR DE L'AERONAUTIQUE ET DE L'ESPACE, Toulouse (FR); SAFRAN, Paris (FR); and SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, Paris (FR)
Appl. No. 17/769,554
Filed by INSTITUT SUPERIEUR DE L'AERONAUTIQUE ET DE L'ESPAC, Toulouse (FR); SAFRAN, Paris (FR); and SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, Paris (FR)
PCT Filed Oct. 14, 2020, PCT No. PCT/FR2020/051812
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/074521, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1911489 (FR), filed on Oct. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133339 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0229709 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 3/04 (2006.01); B64D 27/10 (2006.01); F04D 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 3/04 (2013.01) [B64D 27/10 (2013.01); F04D 17/02 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A propulsion unit comprising:
a gas generator comprising:
a compressor;
a combustion chamber configured to receive air compressed by the compressor and exhaust exhausted air; and
a turbine configured to rotationally drive the compressor using the exhausted air;
two compressed-air propulsion modules, each compressed-air propulsion module comprising a fan and a compressed-air turbine configured to rotationally drive the fan; and
a manifold comprising:
a first intake configured to collect the exhausted air from the combustion chamber of the gas generator;
a second intake including a channel configured to collect at least one bypass flow from the gas generator; and
a mixer configured to collect and mix the exhausted air with the at least one bypass flow to obtain compressed air;
wherein the bypass flow is collected outside of the propulsion unit such that the bypass flow does not enter the compressor of the propulsion unit;
wherein the compressed air is supplied to the compressed-air turbines from the mixer of the manifold; and
wherein at least one of the manifold and the compressed-air propulsion modules comprises a flow control device configured to control supply of the compressed-air turbines with compressed air.