Electrical energy system having active segments for variable voltage generation

A method comprising:

• rotating, by an electrical machine comprising:
• a drive shaft;
• a fixed rotor segment coupled to the drive shaft;
• an active rotor segment axially adjacent to the fixed rotor segment along the drive shaft;
• and
• a torque actuator mechanism,
• and responsive to a torque applied to the drive shaft being in a first direction, the active rotor segment into a first position relative to the fixed rotor segment;
• and
• rotating, by the electrical machine and responsive to the torque applied to the drive shaft being in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the active rotor segment into a second position relative to the fixed rotor segment, wherein:
• the fixed rotor segment comprises first permanent magnets of alternating polarity, and
• the active rotor segment comprises second permanent magnets of alternating polarity.

A gas-turbine engine system comprising:

• a gas turbine engine that includes:
• a lower pressure spool assembly configured to rotate a lower pressure shaft;
• and
• a higher pressure spool assembly mechanically coupled to the lower pressure spool assembly and comprising a higher pressure shaft;
• an electrical machine comprising:
• a drive shaft;
• a fixed rotor segment coupled to the drive shaft, the fixed rotor segment having affixed thereon first permanent magnets of alternating polarity;
• an active rotor segment axially adjacent to the fixed rotor segment along the drive shaft, the active rotor segment having affixed thereon second permanent magnets of alternating polarity;
• and
• a torque actuator mechanism configured to, based on torque applied to the drive shaft, rotate the active rotor segment relative to the fixed rotor segment to alter a phase of the second permanent magnets relative to the first permanent magnets to change a first voltage generated by the electrical machine to a second voltage generated by the electrical machine;
• and
• an assembly gearbox configured to mechanically couple the lower pressure shaft to the drive shaft.