Parallel power source for aircraft
AssigneeBoom Technology, Inc.
InventorJames Senerth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A GPU output from a ground power unit (GPU) can be converted to power suitable for starting a jet engine of an aircraft by an auto-transformer rectifier unit (ATRU) of the aircraft. Multiple ATRUs, each connected to a corresponding GPU, may output multiple ATRU outputs, and combining these multiple ATRU outputs can generate a combined power, which can satisfy the power requirements for starting a jet engine when they exceed what can be supplied by a single GPU. The combining is possible when the outputs of the ATRUs are synchronized, which can require generating and sharing a sync signal between the ATRUs that is synchronous with an ATRU designated as the master (i.e., reference) for the other ATRUs.
Claims22
A method for combining power on a bus of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a first autotransformer rectifier unit (ATRU), a first GPU output from a first ground power unit (GPU);
- generating a sync signal at the first ATRU;
- outputting, at the first ATRU, a first ATRU output based on the first GPU output and the sync signal;
- receiving, at a second autotransformer rectifier unit (ATRU), a second GPU output from a second ground power unit (GPU) and the sync signal from the first ATRU;
- outputting, at the second ATRU, a second ATRU output based on the second GPU output and the sync signal;
- and
- coupling the first ATRU output and the second ATRU output in parallel to the bus to generate a combined power on the bus.
A system for combining power on a bus of an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a first autotransformer rectifier unit (ATRU) configured to output a first ATRU output based on a first GPU output from a first ground power unit (GPU), the first ATRU including:
- a first sync generator/receiver configured to generate a sync signal;
- a first frequency source configured to generate a first frequency signal based on the sync signal generated by the first sync generator/receiver;
- a first frequency conversion stage configured to synthesize a first alternating current (AC) waveform based the first GPU output and the first frequency signal;
- and
- a first transformer stage configured to transform the first AC waveform to the first ATRU output at a first output of the first ATRU;
- and
- second autotransformer rectifier unit (ATRU) configured to output a second ATRU output based on a second GPU output from a second ground power unit (GPU), the second ATRU including:
- a second sync generator/receiver configured to receive the sync signal from the first ATRU;
- a second frequency source configured to generate a second frequency signal based on the sync signal received from the first ATRU;
- a second frequency conversion stage configured to synthesize a second alternating current (AC) waveform based the second GPU output and the second frequency signal;
- and
- a second transformer stage configured to transform the second AC waveform to the second ATRU output at a second output of the second ATRU, the first ATRU output and the second ATRU output being synchronized by the sync signal.
A method for combining power on a bus to start a jet engine of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of GPU outputs from a plurality of ground power units (GPUs) at a plurality of autotransformer rectifier units (ATRUs) of the aircraft;
- designating a first autotransformer rectifier unit (ATRU) of the plurality of ATRUs as a master ATRU;
- designating other ATRUs of the plurality of ATRUs as slave ATRUs;
- operating the first ATRU in a master mode, which includes:
- generating a sync signal at the master ATRU;
- and
- synthesizing a first ATRU output at an output of the first ATRU based on the sync signal and a first GPU output from a first ground power unit (GPU) of the plurality of GPUs;
- operating the other ATRUs in a slave mode, which includes:
- receiving the sync signal from the master ATRU;
- and
- synthesizing other ATRU outputs at outputs of the slave ATRUs based on the sync signal and other GPU outputs from other GPUs of the plurality of GPUs;
- coupling the first ATRU output and the other ATRU outputs in parallel to the bus to generate a combined power on the bus;
- and
- starting the jet engine of the aircraft using the combined power on the bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.