US 12,637,225 B1Granted

System and method for managing electric motor propulsion command limits on a hybrid rotorcraft

AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

InventorsPoi Loon Tang, Xuening Lu

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Abstract

A method includes receiving a torque load demand associated with a rotor, and a gas-turbine engine (GTE) power measurement among first measurements from a GTE. The method includes determining whether the torque load demand is within operating limits of the GTE without assistance from a motor, based on the first measurements compared to a condition for operating in an assisted mode. The method includes generating a first command signal that sets a motor torque limit, and a second command signal that sets a motor speed reference value based on a difference between the torque load demand and the GTE power measurement. The method includes setting or reducing the motor torque limit to a low value when the condition for operating in the assisted mode is not satisfied, and increasing the motor torque limit to a high value when the condition for operating in the assisted mode is satisfied.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving a torque load demand associated with a rotor, and a gas-turbine engine (GTE) power measurement among first measurements from a GTE;
determining whether the torque load demand is within operating limits of the GTE without assistance from a motor, based on the first measurements compared to a condition for operating in an assisted mode;
and
generating and outputting a first command signal that sets a motor torque limit, and a second command signal that sets a motor speed reference value based on a difference between the torque load demand and the GTE power measurement,
wherein generating the first and second command signals includes:
setting or reducing the motor torque limit to a low value and setting the motor speed reference value equal to a speed setpoint of the GTE, in response to a determination that the condition for operating in the assisted mode is not satisfied;
and
increasing the motor torque limit to a high value and varying the motor speed reference value from the speed setpoint of the GTE, in response to a determination that the condition for operating in the assisted mode is satisfied.

5 more elements

An electronic device comprising:

at least one processor configured to:
receive a torque load demand associated with a rotor, and a gas-turbine engine (GTE) power measurement among first measurements from a GTE;
determine whether the torque load demand is within operating limits of the GTE without assistance from a motor, based on the first measurements compared to a condition for operating in an assisted mode;
and
generate and output a first command signal that sets a motor torque limit, and a second command signal that sets a motor speed reference value based on a difference between the torque load demand and the GTE power measurement,
wherein to generate the first and second command signals, the at least one processor is further configured to:
set or reduce the motor torque limit to a low value and setting the motor speed reference value equal to a speed setpoint of the GTE, in response to a determination that the condition for operating in the assisted mode is not satisfied;
and
increase the motor torque limit to a high value and varying the motor speed reference value from the speed setpoint of the GTE, in response to a determination that the condition for operating in the assisted mode is satisfied.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.