Systems and methods for controlling an electrical distribution system for a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system

A method for controlling an electrical distribution system of an aircraft propulsion system to charge a high-voltage battery using a low-voltage generator, the method comprising:

• operating an engine to drive rotation of a low-voltage generator to generate low-voltage electrical power;
• converting the low-voltage electrical power to high-voltage electrical power using a DC:DC converter;
• and
• charging the high-voltage battery by supplying the high-voltage electrical power to the high-voltage battery,
• wherein an operability of the DC:DC converter is controlled to prioritize charging of a low-voltage battery with the low-voltage electric power, until a low-voltage charge level of the low-voltage battery is greater than or equal to a low-voltage charge level threshold.

A propulsion system for an aircraft, the propulsion system comprising:

• an engine including a rotor and a shaft, the shaft is connected to the rotor, and the rotor is configured to drive rotation of the shaft about a rotational axis;
• an electrical distribution system including a low-voltage bus, a high-voltage bus, a low-voltage generator, a low-voltage battery, a high-voltage battery, and a DC:DC converter:
• the low-voltage generator is coupled to the shaft, the low-voltage generator is electrically connected to the low-voltage bus;
• and
• the DC:DC converter is electrically connected to the low-voltage bus and the high-voltage bus;
• and
• a controller connected in communication with the low-voltage generator and the DC:DC converter, the controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• control the low-voltage generator to generate low-voltage electrical power;
• control an operability of the DC:DC converter to prioritize charging of the low-voltage battery with the low-voltage electric power, until a low-voltage charge level of the low-voltage battery is greater than or equal to a low-voltage charge level threshold;
• and
• control the DC:DC converter to convert the low-voltage electrical power to high-voltage electrical power and supply the high-voltage electrical power to the high-voltage bus to charge the high-voltage battery.