Proactive thermal management system
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsChristopher Thomas Cantrell, Manoj Prakash Gokhale, Rishabh Kumar Jain, Parag Ashok Gumaste, Pranavamoorthy Balasubramanian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal management system proactively provides cooling to powered components and/or the battery of an aircraft based on expected temperature rises of the components. The thermal management system may monitor maneuver commands input by a pilot and/or may monitor a flight plan including maneuver commands and associated trigger events to determine when to take proactive steps. The thermal management system may adjust a coolant flow rate and/or may adjust a refrigerant flow rate to increase or decrease the level of cooling provided to various components.
Claims15
A method of operating a thermal management system of an aircraft, the thermal management system comprising a first cooling circuit for cooling a battery of the aircraft and a second cooling circuit for cooling a motor arrangement of the aircraft, the second cooling circuit operating independently of the first cooling circuit;
- the method comprising:
- sharing a refrigeration circuit between the first and second cooling circuits, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve;
- operating the thermal management system in a normal operating mode;
- identifying an imminent temperature rise of each of the battery and the motor arrangement;
- and
- in response to the identification, increasing a flow rate of a pump of the first cooling circuit and increasing a flow rate of a pump of the second cooling circuit, and increasing a flow rate of the compressor of the refrigeration circuit to chill the first and second cooling circuits before a temperature of the battery and the motor arrangement rises.
An electronic controller of an aircraft that each include a memory and processor configured to store and implement instructions for operating a thermal management system of the aircraft, the thermal management system comprising a first cooling circuit for cooling a battery of the aircraft and a second cooling circuit for cooling a motor arrangement of the aircraft, the second cooling circuit operating independently of the first cooling circuit, the instructions comprising:
- sharing a refrigeration circuit between the first and second cooling circuits, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve;
- operating the thermal management system in a normal operating mode;
- identifying an imminent temperature rise of each of the battery and the motor arrangement;
- and
- in response to the identification, increasing a flow rate of a pump of the first cooling circuit and increasing a flow rate of a pump of the second cooling circuit, and increasing a flow rate of the compressor of the refrigeration circuit to chill the first and second cooling circuits before a temperature of the battery and the motor arrangement rises.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.