# US 11,440,673 B2 · Aircraft propulsion system with voltage regulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,673 B2 - Document ID: US11440673B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/688,108 - Filed: 2019-11-19 - Published: 2021-05-20 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-19 - Assignees: GE Aviation Systems LLC - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Thomas William Brown; Paul Robert Gemin; Di Pan; Dominic Barone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440673B2 ## CPC - B64D 31/06: actuated automatically - B64D 27/24: using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) - B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft - B64D 31/16: for electric power plants - H02P 29/032: Preventing damage to the motor, e.g. setting individual current limits for different drive conditions - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - H02P 29/0241: {the fault being an overvoltage} - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS ## Abstract Aspects of the disclosure generally relate to an aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft. The aircraft propulsion system can include at least an electric power source, an electric machine, a voltage regulator, and at least one propeller. The voltage regulator regulates the electrical power provided to the electric machine from the electrical power source. The electric power source is capable of providing an AC or DC electrical output and can include a combustion engine with a generator or an electrical storage device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising: a propeller; an electric machine configured to operably rotate the propeller; an electrical power source having a power output and configured to provide electrical power to the electric machine; and a voltage regulator configured to regulate the electrical power at the power output by controlling the voltage provided to the electric machine as a function of ambient air pressure in at least one portion of the aircraft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 further comprising an electrical conductor connecting the voltage regulator to the electric machine and the at least one portion of the aircraft includes at least a portion of the electrical conductor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 2 wherein the electrical conductor comprises an electrical insulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 3 wherein the electrical insulation is sized to prevent partial discharge at maximum voltage of the electrical power source at the ambient air pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 3 wherein the electrical insulation is sized to prevent partial discharge at maximum altitude of a flight envelope of the aircraft propulsion system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 5 wherein the voltage regulator is configured to regulate the electrical power by controlling the voltage provided to electric machine to prevent partial discharge throughout the flight envelope. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 further comprising an ambient air pressure sensor operably coupled to the voltage regulator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 7 wherein the ambient air pressure sensor is an altimeter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 further comprising an electrical conductor connecting the voltage regulator to the electric machine, and wherein the electrical conductor is exposed to atmospheric pressure and the ambient air pressure is the current atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the electric power source is one of an AC or DC electric power source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the electric machine is at least one of an AC or DC motor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the propeller comprises multiple propellers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 12 wherein the electric machine comprises multiple electric machines, where each of the multiple propellers being rotatably driven by a different one of the multiple electric machines. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 13 where the voltage regulator is electrically coupled to all of the multiple electric machines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 13 wherein the voltage regulator comprises multiple voltage regulators, with each of the multiple electric machines being electrically coupled to a different one of the multiple voltage regulators. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the electric power source comprises at least one of a combustion engine with generator or an electrical storage device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The aircraft propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the voltage regulator comprises an inverter or a converter. ### Claim 18 A method of operating an electric distribution system having an electrical conductor supplying electricity to an electric machine rotationally driving a propeller in an aircraft, the method comprising: sensing ambient air pressure of the electrical conductor; and controlling the voltage at the electrical conductor based on the sensed ambient air pressure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the controlling the voltage comprises controlling the voltage to prevent partial discharge from the electrical conductor based on the sensed ambient air pressure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein the sensed ambient air pressure is atmospheric pressure.