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US-12623787-B2 - Engine arrangement for an aircraft, and aircraft

US12623787B2US 12623787 B2US12623787 B2US 12623787B2US-12623787-B2

Abstract

An engine arrangement includes a first and a second engine arranged in a fuselage of an aircraft, and a ballistic protection element. The first engine has a first main body and a first drive body which rotates. The second engine has a second main body and a second drive body which rotates. The ballistic protection element is arranged on the first main body, on the second main body, and/or therebetween. The first and second engines are arranged in a ballistically effective proximity to one another. If mechanical damage occurs, the first and/or the second drive body output(s) respective drive body parts substantially radially into respective ballistic hazard areas. The first and the second drive body are arranged offset to one another. The ballistic protection element slows down to below a hazard speed and/or retains the drive body parts output by the first drive body and/or by the second drive body.

Inventors

  • Reiner Brach

Assignees

  • Reiner Brach

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230531
Priority Date
20220601

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An engine arrangement for an aircraft, the engine arrangement comprising: a first engine arranged in a fuselage of the aircraft, the first engine comprising a first engine length, a first longitudinal axis, and a first drive body which is configured to rotate about the first longitudinal axis; at least one second engine arranged in the fuselage of the aircraft, the at least one second engine comprising a second engine length, a second longitudinal axis, and a second drive body which is configured to rotate about the second longitudinal axis; a ballistic protection element arranged between the first engine and the at least one second engine so as to overlap with a majority of the first engine length and the second engine length; and a reference axis, wherein, the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged in a ballistically effective proximity to one another with the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to the reference axis, in an event of a mechanical damage, at least one of, the first drive body outputs drive body parts hazardously acting ballistically in relation to at least one of the at least one second engine and to the second drive body substantially radially relative to the first longitudinal axis into a first ballistic hazard area, and the second drive body outputs drive body parts hazardously acting ballistically in relation to at least one of the first engine and to the first drive body substantially radially relative to the second longitudinal axis into a second ballistic hazard area, the first drive body and the second drive body are arranged to be offset with respect to one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from the second drive body which is put at risk by the drive body parts of the first drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respective to the second drive body along the reference axis, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from the first drive body which is put at risk by the drive body parts of the second drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respective to the first drive body along the reference axis, and the ballistic protection element is configured to at least one of slow down to below a hazard speed and to retain, the drive body parts output by the first drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respect to the at least one of the at least one second engine and the second drive body, and the drive body parts output by the second drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respect to at least one of the first engine and the first drive body.
  2. 2 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein, at least one of, the first drive body comprises a first compressor wheel and a first turbine wheel, and the second drive body comprises a second compressor wheel and a second turbine wheel, and at least one of, the first compressor wheel and the second compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel and the second turbine wheel, are arranged to be offset with respect to one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the second compressor wheel and the second turbine wheel which is put at risk by the hazardously acting ballistically drive body parts of at least one of the first compressor wheel and the first turbine wheel along the reference axis, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the first compressor wheel and the first turbine wheel which is put at risk by the hazardously acting ballistically drive body parts of at least one of the second compressor wheel and the second turbine wheel along the reference axis.
  3. 3 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of, the first drive body and the second drive body, the first compressor wheel and the second compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel and the second turbine wheel, are arranged to be offset from one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the second drive body, the second compressor wheel, and the second turbine wheel which is/are put at risk by at least one of the drive body parts of the first drive body, the first compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel, which is/are hazardously acting ballistically along the reference axis by more than 10 % of at least one of a first total length of the first engine and a second total length of the second engine, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the first drive body, the first compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel which is/are put at risk by at least one of the drive body parts of the second drive body, the second compressor wheel, and the second turbine wheel, which is/are hazardously acting ballistically along the reference axis by more than 10 % of at least one of the first total length of the first engine and the second total length of the second engine.
  4. 4 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein, the ballistic protection element comprises at least one of a synthetic fibrous fabric, a hardened steel, a titanium, and a ceramic, and the at least one of the synthetic fibrous fabric, the hardened steel, the titanium, and the ceramic is configured as a ballistically effective composite protection.
  5. 5 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 4 , wherein the synthetic fibrous fabric is at least one of an aramid fabric and a polyamide fabric.
  6. 6 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein, the fuselage of the aircraft comprises a tail region, and the first engine and the at least one second engine are each arranged in the tail region.
  7. 7 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein, the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged above one another in the fuselage of the aircraft, and the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged substantially in an aerodynamic plane of symmetry in a flight direction of the aircraft.
  8. 8 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first engine and the at least one second engine have a maximum power output that are different from one another.
  9. 9 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein, the first engine has a first maximum thrust, the at least one second engine has a second maximum thrust, and the first maximum thrust of the first engine is at most 45% to 90% of the second maximum thrust of the second engine.
  10. 10 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first engine and the at least one second engine is a turbine jet engine or a turboprop engine.
  11. 11 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 10 , wherein the turbine jet engine is a turbojet engine or a bypass turbine engine.
  12. 12 . An aircraft comprising the engine arrangement as recited in claim 1 .
  13. 13 . An engine arrangement for an aircraft, the engine arrangement comprising: a first engine arranged in a fuselage of the aircraft, the first engine comprising a first main body which comprises a first longitudinal axis, and a first drive body which is configured to rotate about the first longitudinal axis; at least one second engine arranged in the fuselage of the aircraft, the at least one second engine comprising a second main body which comprises a second longitudinal axis, and a second drive body which is configured to rotate about the second longitudinal axis; a ballistic protection element arranged as least one of on the first main body, on the second main body, and between the first main body and the second main body; and a reference axis, wherein, the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged in a ballistically effective proximity to one another with the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to the reference axis, in an event of a mechanical damage, at least one of, the first drive body outputs drive body parts hazardously acting ballistically in relation to at least one of the at least one second engine and to the second drive body substantially radially relative to the first longitudinal axis into a first ballistic hazard area, and the second drive body outputs drive body parts hazardously acting ballistically in relation to at least one of the first engine and to the first drive body substantially radially relative to the second longitudinal axis into a second ballistic hazard area, the first drive body and the second drive body are arranged to be offset with respect to one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from the second drive body which is put at risk by the drive body parts of the first drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respective to the second drive body along the reference axis, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from the first drive body which is put at risk by the drive body parts of the second drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respective to the first drive body along the reference axis, the ballistic protection element is configured to at least one of slow down to below a hazard speed and to retain, the drive body parts output by the first drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respect to the at least one of the at least one second engine and the second drive body, and the drive body parts output by the second drive body hazardously acting ballistically with respect to at least one of the first engine and the first drive body, at least one of, the first drive body comprises a first compressor wheel and a first turbine wheel, and the second drive body comprises a second compressor wheel and a second turbine wheel, and at least one of, the first compressor wheel and the second compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel and the second turbine wheel, are arranged to be offset with respect to one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the second compressor wheel and the second turbine wheel which is put at risk by the hazardously acting ballistically drive body parts of at least one of the first compressor wheel and the first turbine wheel along the reference axis, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the first compressor wheel and the first turbine wheel which is put at risk by the hazardously acting ballistically drive body parts of at least one of the second compressor wheel and the second turbine wheel along the reference axis, and at least one of, the first drive body and the second drive body, the first compressor wheel and the second compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel and the second turbine wheel, are arranged to be offset from one another along the reference axis so that, the first ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the second drive body, the second compressor wheel, and the second turbine wheel which is/are put at risk by at least one of the drive body parts of the first drive body, the first compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel, which is/are hazardously acting ballistically along the reference axis by more than 10% of at least one of a first total length of the first engine and a second total length of the second engine, and the second ballistic hazard area is arranged at a distance from at least one of the first drive body, the first compressor wheel, and the first turbine wheel which is/are put at risk by at least one of the drive body parts of the second drive body, the second compressor wheel, and the second turbine wheel, which is/are hazardously acting ballistically along the reference axis by more than 10% of at least one of the first total length of the first engine and the second total length of the second engine.
  14. 14 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein, the ballistic protection element comprises at least one of a synthetic fibrous fabric, a hardened steel, a titanium, and a ceramic, and the at least one of the synthetic fibrous fabric, the hardened steel, the titanium, and the ceramic is configured as a ballistically effective composite protection.
  15. 15 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 14 , wherein the synthetic fibrous fabric is at least one of an aramid fabric and a polyamide fabric.
  16. 16 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein, the fuselage of the aircraft comprises a tail region, and the first engine and the at least one second engine are each arranged in the tail region.
  17. 17 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein, the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged above one another in the fuselage of the aircraft, and the first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged substantially in an aerodynamic plane of symmetry in a flight direction of the aircraft.
  18. 18 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first engine and the at least one second engine have a maximum power output that are different from one another.
  19. 19 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein, the first engine has a first maximum thrust, the at least one second engine has a second maximum thrust, and the first maximum thrust of the first engine is at most 45% to 90% of the second maximum thrust of the second engine.
  20. 20 . The engine arrangement as recited in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first engine and the at least one second engine is a turbine jet engine or a turboprop engine.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/DE2023/200110, filed on May 31, 2023 and which claims benefit to German Patent Application No. 10 2022 113 843.7, filed on Jun. 1, 2022. The International Application was published in German on Dec. 7, 2023 as WO 2023/232206 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). FIELD The present invention relates to an engine arrangement for an aircraft, comprising a first engine, at least a second engine, and a reference axis, wherein the first engine comprises a first main body having a first longitudinal axis and comprises a first drive body rotating about the first longitudinal axis, the second engine comprises a second longitudinal axis and a second drive body rotating about the second longitudinal axis, the first engine and the second engine are arranged in a ballistically effective proximity to one another with the respective longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the reference axis, and, in the event of mechanical damage, the first drive body and/or the second drive body output or outputs respective drive body parts hazardously acting ballistically in relation to the respective other engine and/or in relation to the respective other drive body substantially radially relative to the respective longitudinal axis into a respective ballistic hazard area, wherein the first engine and the at least second engine are arranged in a fuselage of the aircraft. The present invention also relates to an aircraft comprising such an engine arrangement. BACKGROUND Previous engine arrangements for aircraft, in particular when two engines are arranged in the immediate proximity of one another, are often constructed symmetrically and therefore require powerful ballistic protection apparatuses in order to protect one engine against splintered parts output from another engine, for example, when this second-mentioned engine is damaged. Unnecessary weight is therefore added to the aircraft. Additional protection is required when corresponding engines are intended to be arranged in the proximity of the fuselage or in the fuselage. Engine arrangements are also known on airplanes in which engines are, for example, far enough away from one another that the risk of them damaging one another is ruled out. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,340 describes a corporate jet comprising engines of different powers, but without any apparent ballistic protection. US 2019/0091749 A1 describes a commercial jet in which the engines are arranged on the respective wings. A plurality of engines are in this case arranged to be offset from one another on one wing based on a sweep angle of the wings in the longitudinal direction. DE 10 2014 208 921 A1 describes an outer engine structure which also acts as a ballistic protection structure for the engine. US 2018/0134406 A1 describes an aircraft which comprises an additional engine in the tail region. US 2017/0137135 describes an airplane comprising engine intakes which are arranged to be offset from one another. U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,891 describes an arrangement of three engines in the tail region of an airplane. DE 693 10 344 T2 describes two engines which are axially offset from one another on a wing on an airplane, wherein one engine is arranged above the wing and one engine is arranged below the wing. US 2005/0178890 describes a corporate jet comprising engines of different sizes in the fuselage, but without any specific ballistic protection. US 2019/0031363 A1 describes a system and a method for operating a shrouded propeller for boundary layer ingestion. Some component parts of the drive system are in this case arranged to be axially offset from one another. WO 2017/085405 A1 describes a commercial jet comprising an engine arrangement on the wings and in the tail region. SUMMARY An aspect of the present invention is to improve upon the prior art. In an embodiment, the present invention provides an engine arrangement for an aircraft. The engine arrangement includes a first engine arranged in a fuselage of the aircraft, at least one second engine arranged in the fuselage of the aircraft, a ballistic protection element, and a reference axis. The first engine comprise a first main body which comprises a first longitudinal axis, and a first drive body which is configured to rotate about the first longitudinal axis. The at least one second engine comprises a second main body which comprises a second longitudinal axis, and a second drive body which is configured to rotate about the second longitudinal axis. The ballistic protection element is arranged as least one of on the first main body, on the second main body, and between the first main body and the second main body. The first engine and the at least one second engine are arranged in a ballistically effective proximity to one another with the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to the