In flight restart system and method for free turbine engine
AssigneesPratt & Whitney Canada Corp., Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsRobert H. Perkinson, Richard Ullyott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is described a method and system for in-flight start of an engine. The method comprises rotating a propeller; generating electrical power at an electric generator embedded inside a propeller hub from rotation of the propeller; transmitting the electrical power from the electric generator to an engine starter mounted on a core of the engine via an electric power link; and driving the engine with the engine starter to a sufficient speed while providing fuel to a combustor to light the engine to achieve self-sustaining operation of the engine.
Claims10
An aircraft propeller system comprising:
- a propeller through which ambient air may be propelled, the propeller coupled to an actuator for modifying blade pitch;
- an electric generator coupled to the propeller and configured to generate power from wind milling of the propeller;
- a power-plant electrical control unit configured for:
- monitoring a rotational speed of the windmilling propeller as a function of at least one of a frequency and a voltage output of the electric generator;
- and
- adjusting the rotational speed of the windmilling propeller based on at least one of the frequency and the voltage output of the electric generator, the rotational speed of the windmilling propeller limited when a speed threshold is exceeded;
- and
- a bidirectional emergency electric power link coupled to the electric generator and the power-plant electrical control unit and configured to:
- receive control signals for wind milling the propeller;
- and
- transmit generated power to an aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.