초록 ▼

A method and architecture to optimize an entire traction system available on a helicopter by using an auxiliary engine to provide energy to equipment and accessories of the helicopter connected to the engines. Main engines and an APU unit, as an auxiliary engine, include a gas generator connected to

A method and architecture to optimize an entire traction system available on a helicopter by using an auxiliary engine to provide energy to equipment and accessories of the helicopter connected to the engines. Main engines and an APU unit, as an auxiliary engine, include a gas generator connected to, for the main engines, a reduction gearbox and an accessory gearbox for mechanical, electrical, and/or hydraulic power take-off and connected to, for the APU unit, at least one power conversion member. The power conversion member of the APU unit is connected to the equipment and accessories by the reduction gearbox and/or the accessory gearbox of the main engines.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for optimized transfer of energy between an auxiliary engine and main engines of a helicopter, the method comprising: providing propulsive power with the main engines and providing non-propulsive power with the auxiliary engine; andin certain flight phases, adding power generated by the

1. A method for optimized transfer of energy between an auxiliary engine and main engines of a helicopter, the method comprising: providing propulsive power with the main engines and providing non-propulsive power with the auxiliary engine; andin certain flight phases, adding power generated by the auxiliary engine to power generated by the main engines by connecting a drive shaft of the auxiliary engine to at least one drive shaft and/or power transmission shaft of at least one of the main engines via at least one power adaptation, so that the auxiliary engine provides propulsive power necessary during the flight phases to reduce dimensions and mass of the main engines of the helicopter,wherein the adding power includes adding all available power generated by the auxiliary engine to the power generated by the main engines by connecting the drive shaft of the auxiliary engine to the at least one drive shaft and/or power transmission shaft of the at least one of the main engines via the at least one power adaptation. 2. A method for transferring energy according to claim 1, wherein the drive shaft of the auxiliary engine is connected to at least one of the main engines on one of shafts of the at least one of the main engines selected from a drive shaft of an architecture having a connected-turbine engine, a drive shaft of a gas generator and/or the power transmission shaft of an architecture having a free-turbine engine. 3. A method for transferring energy according to claim 1, wherein a supply of power from the auxiliary engine is adjusted between the main engines to tend towards an equilibrium of power between the main engines by compensating an asymmetrical operation of the main engines when an asymmetry is caused involuntarily by a partial malfunction of one of the main engines, and by supply to a loaded motor in a case of voluntary asymmetry, depending on mission phases of the helicopter. 4. A method for transferring energy according to claim 1, wherein a supply of mechanical power generated by the auxiliary engine is converted into a type of energy selected from energy of an electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, and/or hydraulic nature. 5. A method for transferring energy according to claim 4, wherein the auxiliary engine is a gas turbine, and an exchange of heat takes place between exhaust gases from each of the main engines and compression air output from the auxiliary engine to recover heat energy from the exhaust gases at least in part and to re-inject air thus heated upstream of combustion of gases from the auxiliary engine. 6. A method for transferring energy according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary engine operates in a switched-off chamber, without any fuel being supplied, when the exhaust gases from the main engines supply sufficient heat energy to the auxiliary engine to serve as a heat source. 7. An architecture, configured to implement the method according to claim 1, for optimized transfer of energy between the auxiliary engine and the main engines of the helicopter, the architecture comprising: the auxiliary engine and the main engines,wherein the main engines comprise a gas generator connected to a reduction gearbox and to an accessory gearbox for mechanical, electrical, and/or hydraulic power take-off and connected to, for the auxiliary engine, at least one power conversion member, andthe power conversion member of the auxiliary engine is connected to equipment and accessories, via a selector gearbox, by at least one of the reduction gearbox and the accessory gearbox of the main engines. 8. An architecture for transferring energy according to claim 7, wherein the main engines include a free turbine mounted on a power transmission shaft, and the reduction gearbox is engaged with the power transmission shaft of the free turbine. 9. An architecture for transferring energy according to claim 8, wherein the main engines include a gas exhaust pipe and a recovery heat exchanger integrated into the gas exhaust pipe, the auxiliary engine being a gas turbine including a gas generator formed by a compressor, a combustion chamber, and a turbine which are mounted on a drive shaft, connected at an outlet of the compressor to the heat exchanger of the gas exhaust pipe of the main engines, and the heat exchanger is coupled, at the outlet, upstream of the combustion chamber of the gas generator of the auxiliary engine. 10. An architecture for transferring energy according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary engine and the main engines include digital control units of FADEC type, which transmit information relating to torques and speeds of drive shafts and power transmission shafts, the information being centralized in a flight control unit to adjust transmission of power from the auxiliary engine to the main engines depending on an operating state of each of the main engines relative to torque and speed limit values. 11. A method for transferring energy according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power adaptation includes at least one of a mechanical adaptation, and a converter of mechanical power into at least one of electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic power. 12. A method for transferring energy according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary engine provides the non-propulsive power via the at least one power adaptation.