WO2022081129A1 - Transporteur de batterie de véhicule pour assistance au sol d'aéronef - Google Patents

Transporteur de batterie de véhicule pour assistance au sol d'aéronef Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022081129A1
WO2022081129A1 PCT/US2020/055255 US2020055255W WO2022081129A1 WO 2022081129 A1 WO2022081129 A1 WO 2022081129A1 US 2020055255 W US2020055255 W US 2020055255W WO 2022081129 A1 WO2022081129 A1 WO 2022081129A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
aircraft
power system
autonomous vehicle
ground
ground power
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/055255
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert Blackmore Collins
Original Assignee
Robert Blackmore Collins
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Robert Blackmore Collins filed Critical Robert Blackmore Collins
Priority to PCT/US2020/055255 priority Critical patent/WO2022081129A1/fr
Publication of WO2022081129A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022081129A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C25/00—Alighting gear
    • B64C25/32—Alighting gear characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface 
    • B64C25/405—Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D43/00—Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64F—GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B64F1/00—Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations
    • B64F1/35—Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T50/00—Aeronautics or air transport
    • Y02T50/40—Weight reduction
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T50/00—Aeronautics or air transport
    • Y02T50/80—Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to autonomous electric power assistance for aircraft taxiing, takeoff, and other services.
  • An airplane’s jet engines are highly inefficient for moving the aircraft on the ground at low speeds.
  • jet engines are noisy, unsafe for ground staff, ingest foreign objects, can consume 10-15% of fuel at major hub airports, and are incapable of reversing.
  • jet engines remain the primary mode of aircraft ground movement.
  • various electric motorized wheel assemblies have been introduced.
  • the invention is a ground power unit for supplying electrical power to an aircraft.
  • the ground power system includes an aircraft wheel on an aircraft, an electric (e.g., induction) motor connected to the aircraft wheel to drive the aircraft wheel, an autonomous vehicle battery carrier releasably connected to the aircraft through an articulating robotic arm to power the electric motor and to move the aircraft on the ground to support aircraft taxiing and preparation for takeoff using the battery power from the autonomous vehicle.
  • a command system releases the autonomous vehicle battery carrier as roll begins but before the aircraft rotates.
  • the invention is a ground power unit for driving an aircraft wheel on the ground.
  • the ground power unit includes an aircraft wheel on an aircraft and a motor assembly in the hub of the aircraft wheel for driving the aircraft wheel; the wheel and motor assembly are configured to fit substantially completely within existing wheel well space of the aircraft and with the remainder of the landing gear in the aircraft.
  • the ground power unit further includes an autonomous vehicle battery carrier connected to the power supply of the aircraft via an articulating robotic arm capable of automated connection and disconnection to and from the aircraft.
  • the ground power unit contains sufficient power to drive the wheel and thereby drive the aircraft during ground movement of the aircraft.
  • the invention is an electric power connector assembly designed to provide a supply of electric power from a source of electric power located externally to an aircraft to an electric drive means mounted to power an aircraft landing gear drive wheel to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground.
  • the connector assembly includes a power distribution assembly in electrical connection with an electric drive means mounted to power an aircraft landing gear drive wheel and drive the aircraft autonomously on the ground, an electric connector element in electric connection between the power distribution assembly, and a source of electric power external to the aircraft.
  • the source of electric power is housed in an autonomous vehicle capable of automatically following the aircraft.
  • the invention is a method of aircraft ground travel using electric power instead of the aircraft’s flight engines.
  • the invention includes the steps of connecting a battery housed in an autonomous vehicle battery carrier by an automated articulating robotic arm to a motor assembly on a wheel of the aircraft for driving the aircraft wheel and thereby driving the aircraft on the ground after the aircraft has landed on the runway and before takeoff.
  • the invention is a method of aircraft ground travel using electric power instead of the aircraft’s flight engines.
  • the invention includes the steps of connecting an autonomous vehicle battery carrier by an automated articulating robotic arm to a motor assembly on a wheel of an aircraft, powering the motor assembly with the autonomous vehicle battery carrier during taxiing and rollout to drive the aircraft wheel without drawing on-board power from the aircraft, and disconnecting the motor assembly from the autonomous vehicle battery carrier by disconnecting the automatic articulating robotic arm before wheel rotation and takeoff.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of the autonomous vehicle battery carrier.
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electric connector.
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of an aircraft and autonomous vehicle battery carrier.
  • Figure 4 is a partially exploded perspective of the aircraft landing gear with electric motor and perspective view of the autonomous vehicle battery carrier.
  • Figure 5 is a perspective view of the interior of an aircraft cockpit.
  • the invention is the combination of an aircraft wheel 21 on an aircraft 15, an electric (e.g., induction) motor 25 connected to the aircraft wheel 21 to drive the aircraft wheel 21, an autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 releasably connected to the aircraft 15 through an articulating robotic arm 8 to power the electric motor 25 and to move the aircraft 15 on the ground to support aircraft 15 taxiing and takeoff using the power from the battery 7 within the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6, and a command system 19 that releases the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 as the aircraft 15 reaches a speed of 120 mph, but before the aircraft 15 rotates at a speed of 150 mph.
  • an electric e.g., induction
  • the wheel 21 and motor assembly 28 is configured to fit substantially completely within the well space of an existing wheel 21 in conventional aircraft 15 landing gear 16, 17, and 18.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 is capable of automatically following the aircraft 15.
  • the articulating robotic arm 8 includes a connector 9 (e.g., plug or equivalent) that can be automatically connected and disconnected to a connector recipient portion 13 on the aircraft 15 based on relevant factors such as the aircraft’s 15 location.
  • the battery 7 (or batteries) provides sufficient power to the motor 25 during taxiing and takeoff to maneuver the wheels 21 of the landing gear 16, 17, 18 during aircraft 15 ground movement without the need for any on-board power from the aircraft 15.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 has wheels 10 so it may easily maneuver to the best position to trail the aircraft 15.
  • the vehicle body of the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 itself can also take many forms, so long as some portion is capable of housing the battery 7 (or batteries) (e.g., a simple battery housing unit 12 as shown in Figure 1), and an on-board command system 19.
  • the connector 9 may take the form of a magnetic plug 14 so as to ensure quick and easy release.
  • Figure 3 further illustrates a method of aircraft ground travel using electric power instead of the aircraft’s 15 flight engines.
  • the invention includes the steps of connecting a battery 7 housed in an autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 by automated articulating robotic arm 8 to a motor assembly 28 for driving an aircraft wheel 21 on the ground after the aircraft 15 has landed on the runway.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 powers the motor 25 of the motor assembly 28 during taxiing and rollout to maneuver the wheels 21 of the aircraft landing gear motor assembly 28 by disconnecting the automatic articulating robotic arm 8 before wheel 21 rotation and takeoff.
  • the wheel 21, motor 25, and autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 assembly can be retrofitted in an existing aircraft wheel 21 without changing existing landing gear 16, 17, 18 components, including tires 20, piston 31, and axle 26.
  • the retrofitted aircraft wheels 21 would thus be able to fit within the existing aircraft 15 without the need to change aircraft 15 interior spacing or the landing gear doors 34.
  • the power electronics 29 are located in the motor assembly 28 retrofitted in an existing aircraft wheel 21.
  • the power electronics 29 would be housed in conjunction with the electric motor 25, a capacitor ring 27, stator 23, bearing 24, rotor 22, and brake assembly 30. [0026] Alternatively, the power electronics 29 may be located in separate power housing units 35 on the piston cylinder 32 of the aircraft landing gear 16, 17, 18, but in a manner so as not to obstruct the downlock and drag brace 33 of the existing aircraft 15 landing gear 16, 17, 18. [0027] As shown in Figure 5, The wheel 21, motor 25, and autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 assembly described herein further comprises a cockpit interface 46 to activate the motor 25 assembly and gear system 23 means when activation of the motor 25 assembly means and the gear system 23 means is indicated to be safe.
  • the cockpit interface 46 is located in the instrument panel 48 with the other various flight displays, but the cockpit interface 46 may also be located in the pedestal 50 depending on the aircraft layout, just so long as the cockpit interface 46 is visible to the pilots while they are seated in their seats 47 in the cockpit and handling the yoke 49.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 can follow the aircraft’s 15 main landing gear 16, 17, 18 wheels 21 at a distance sufficiently far to avoid interference or collision with aircraft wheels 21 or landing gear 16, 17, 18, but sufficiently close to charge the motor assembly 28.
  • the motor assembly 28 can include a lightweight high-performance electric motor 25 that attaches to an aircraft’s 15 main landing wheels 21 to power the wheels 21 during taxiing and takeoff without the need for jet fuel.
  • the articulating robotic arm 8 connects to a quick connect/disconnect connector 13 (e.g., plug) on the bottom of the aircraft 15 fuselage behind the main landing gear 16, 17, which plugs and unplugs the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 power cable 11 that charges the electric motor 25.
  • the connector 9 automatically disconnects towards the end of the aircraft 15 takeoff run, before the aircraft 15 rotates or becomes airborne.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 can wait on the taxiway at the end of the runway after supporting a takeoff, or can move to any other defined or desired position, and can pick up the next aircraft 15 after it lands and as it turns to taxi to the terminal.
  • the articulating robotic arm 8 is better for these purposes than (for example) flexible cables, which lack the capability to articulate to the aircraft 15 (e.g., after landing).
  • Each motor 25 has (for example) between about 50 and 500 kW capacity (e.g. 275 kW capacity) and is placed at each wheel 21 to produce a 20-30% boost to acceleration during takeoff.
  • the invention is scalable to various commercial aircraft (e.g., the Boeing 737 has 4 wheels 21 and would require a total motor 25 capacity of 1100kW, whereas the Boeing 747 has 16 wheels 21 and would require a total motor 25 capacity of 4400kW).
  • the battery 7 within the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 provides power to the motor assembly 28 as the aircraft 15 taxies to the terminal, unloads and loads for the next flight, taxies to the runway and performs takeoff.
  • the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 recharges its battery 7 (or batteries) while supporting the aircraft 15 at the terminal.
  • the motor assembly 28 described herein adds substantially less to the weight of an aircraft 15 than previously proposed motor and power supply assemblies because the battery 7, power electronics 29, command system 19, and much of the cabling 11 are maintained within the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6 external to the aircraft 15. In the preferred embodiment, the motor assembly 28 described herein adds approximately one third of the weight to an aircraft 15 as previously-proposed motor and power supply assemblies.
  • the batteries 7 can be recharged from a variety of sources, including (for example) renewable resources such as solar panels at the airports or on the autonomous vehicle battery carrier 6.
  • the invention has the potential to increase overall fuel efficiency by 10-20%, improve range and payload from existing airports, and reduce ground handling costs.
  • the invention will also reduce airport noise during taxing and takeoff and allow for downwind takeoffs to avoid suburban fly-overs due to increased speed on existing runways.
  • the invention will also increase safety for ground staff and reduce the risk of foreign object ingestion because jet engines 40 may be either completely or mostly powered off during much of the aircraft’s 15 ground travel.
  • the electric motor 25 can be used for regenerative braking during landing, reducing the need for large mass of carbon disc brakes in the hub portion of the aircraft 15 wheel 21.
  • the weight and volume of the electric motor 25 in each wheel 21 is similar to the weight and volume of carbon disc brakes in conventional aircraft 15 wheels 21.
  • the invention’s regenerative braking will greatly reduce the wear and maintenance of brake assemblies 30.
  • Ultra-capacitors are fairly similar to batteries for energy storage, but they can accept much greater loads instantaneously, and which they are only able to store for shorter periods of time because they store energy by electrostatics rather than chemically. Ultra-capacitors are currently used in electric cars with batteries for regenerative braking and peak acceleration. This energy can be stored at landing and made available to the aircraft 15 for several hours after takeoff. In the invention, the autonomous vehicle will disconnect during takeoff when the aircraft reaches approximately 120 mph.
  • the aircraft 15 will still have approximately another ten seconds on the ground as it accelerates up to a rotation speed of approximately 150 mph.
  • the recovered energy during regenerative braking can be stored in a battery or ultra-capacitor on board the aircraft 15 and during takeoff. This recovered energy would be particularly useful to the aircraft 15 in the period after the autonomous battery carrier 6 had disconnected from the aircraft 15 and before aircraft 15 rotation on takeoff.
  • Lightweight high power rare earth electric motors have a weight and volume similar to the large carbon disc brakes used in conventional aircraft wheel hubs, and also with similar kinetic energy requirements for takeoff and landing (approximately 900 kW for each wheel of a Boeing 737). Normally, on landing the aircraft 15 brake assemblies 30 absorb approximately 1/4 of the as heat in the carbon discs.
  • the inventions newer brake assembly 30 should last nearly the lifetime of the aircraft 15, rather than needing to be changed every 300 landings, as currently done.
  • the electric motors 25 on the wheels 21 can spin the wheels 21 up to landing speed prior to landing the aircraft 15.
  • the combination of wheel 21 spin up before landing and regenerative braking will also provide much better control of the aircraft 15 in wet conditions or cross wind landings, in addition to the significant reductions in maintenance.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'alimentation au sol destiné à fournir de l'énergie électrique à un aéronef et un procédé d'utilisation de celui-ci, dans lequel un moteur électrique est relié à une roue d'aéronef pour entraîner la roue d'aéronef. Un transporteur de batterie de véhicule autonome est relié de manière amovible à l'aéronef par le biais d'un bras robotique articulé pour alimenter le moteur électrique et pour déplacer l'aéronef sur le sol afin d'assister le roulage de l'aéronef et la préparation pour le décollage en utilisant l'énergie de la batterie provenant du véhicule autonome, et un système de commande libère le transporteur de batterie de véhicule autonome lorsque le roulage commence mais avant la rotation de l'aéronef.
PCT/US2020/055255 2020-10-12 2020-10-12 Transporteur de batterie de véhicule pour assistance au sol d'aéronef WO2022081129A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2020/055255 WO2022081129A1 (fr) 2020-10-12 2020-10-12 Transporteur de batterie de véhicule pour assistance au sol d'aéronef

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2020/055255 WO2022081129A1 (fr) 2020-10-12 2020-10-12 Transporteur de batterie de véhicule pour assistance au sol d'aéronef

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WO2022081129A1 true WO2022081129A1 (fr) 2022-04-21

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3136747A1 (fr) * 2022-06-20 2023-12-22 Safran Dispositif d’assistance au roulage d’aéronefs

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20190168864A1 (en) * 2017-12-01 2019-06-06 Borealis Technical Limited Aircraft electric taxi system design and operation
WO2020108341A1 (fr) * 2018-11-26 2020-06-04 Lianying Zhang Roue d'amplification de puissance d'aéronef et train d'atterrissage

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20190168864A1 (en) * 2017-12-01 2019-06-06 Borealis Technical Limited Aircraft electric taxi system design and operation
WO2020108341A1 (fr) * 2018-11-26 2020-06-04 Lianying Zhang Roue d'amplification de puissance d'aéronef et train d'atterrissage

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3136747A1 (fr) * 2022-06-20 2023-12-22 Safran Dispositif d’assistance au roulage d’aéronefs

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