Nested control loop structure for hybrid propulsion system
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorRichard Freer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling power in an aircraft. The method includes, monitoring an electric energy storage module electrically connected to an electrical bus for an exceedance of a first current limit and monitoring a generator module connected to the electrical bus for an exceedance of a second current limit. If the current limit of either of the electric energy storage module or the generator module is exceeded by a predetermined exceedance amount, the method includes reducing a power consumption for an electric machine by a predetermined bias until the exceedance of the electrical energy storage and the exceedance of the generator module are both less than or equal to zero.
Claims12
A method for controlling power in an aircraft, comprising, during operation of the aircraft:
- supplying electric energy from an electrical generator of the aircraft to an electric machine of the aircraft via an electrical bus of the aircraft;
- and
- charging an electric energy storage module of the aircraft via the electrical bus by biasing the electrical generator to increase power output to the electrical bus based on charge feedback from an electric energy storage module management system, and limiting power output from the electrical generator if an electric energy storage module recharge current limit occurs, including:
- acquiring a state of charge controller target current value and an electric energy storage module recharge current limit;
- selecting a lower of the state of charge controller target current value and the electric energy storage module recharge current limit as a value A1;
- summing total electric machine current and A1 into a summing result;
- selecting a lower value of a generator current limit and the summing result as a value A2;
- and
- controlling generator current based on A2 and a measurement of an actual electrical generator current.
An aircraft electric control system, comprising:
- an electrical generator electrically connected to supply power to an electrical bus;
- an electric energy storage module electrically connected to the electrical bus in electrical parallel with the electrical generator;
- a management system operatively connected to the electric energy storage module and operable to monitor a charge level of the electric energy storage module;
- a controller operatively connected to the management system and to the electrical generator, wherein the controller includes machine readable instructions executable by a processor associated with the controller to cause the controller to:
- control power supply to the electrical bus from the electrical generator;
- and
- control power supply to and from the electrical bus to and from the electric energy storage module,
- wherein the controlling power supply to the electrical bus from the electrical generator includes:
- supplying electric energy from the electrical generator to an electric machine via the electrical bus;
- and
- charging the electric energy storage module of via the electrical bus by biasing the electrical generator to increase power output to the electrical bus based on charge feedback from the management system, and limiting power output from the electrical generator if an electric energy storage module recharge current limit occurs, including:
- acquiring a state of charge controller target current value and an electric energy storage module recharge current limit;
- selecting a lower of the state of charge controller target current value and the electric energy storage module recharge current limit as a value A1;
- summing total electric machine current and A1 into a summing result;
- selecting a lower value of a generator current limit and the summing result as a value A2;
- and
- controlling generator current based on A2 and a measurement of an actual electrical generator current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.