Energy recovery system and method for an aircraft
AssigneeAirbus Operations S.L.U.
InventorMiguel Bellido López
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energy recovery system and method for an aircraft having propellers. Specifically, the system and a method recover energy during the descent phase by setting the aircraft engines in propulsive mode or in windmill mode as needed. In windmill mode, the wind drives the propellers to generate electrical energy which may be stored. A pitch angle of the blade of the propellers may be changed.
Claims15
An energy recovery system for an aircraft, the energy recovery system comprising:
- a plurality of pods configured to be attached to an aircraft wing, each pod comprising:
- a propeller,
- an electrical motor unit connected to the propeller through a shaft,
- a motor control unit configured to control the electrical motor unit,
- a main electrical supplying system connected with the motor control unit and configured to supply electrical energy to the electrical motor unit,
- a pitch control system configured to modify a pitch angle of the propeller, and
- a secondary electrical supplying system for electrical energy storage;
- and
- a power control management system in communication with the plurality of pods and configured to set each propeller through the motor control unit, during a descent phase, in a propulsive mode or in a windmill mode, depending on a load level of the respective secondary electrical supplying system in each pod and a required power to overcome air ram drag of the aircraft, the power control management system comprising a controller,
- wherein the controller is implemented to determine a minimum number of propellers needed to provide the required power to overcome air ram drag in a descent phase of the aircraft, set the minimum number of propellers in the propulsive mode, wherein said minimum number of propellers are those with a highest load level of the respective secondary electrical supplying system, set at least one remaining propeller in windmill mode by modifying a pitch angle of the remaining propeller for the remaining propeller to rotate based on wind, control generation of electrical energy by the electrical motor unit through a rotation of the at least one remaining propeller set in windmill mode, and control recharge of the respective secondary electrical supplying system with the electrical energy resulting from the rotation of the at least one remaining propeller set in windmill mode,
- wherein in the propulsive mode, the electrical motor unit is configured to actuate a rotation of the propeller, and
- wherein the windmill mode, the motor control unit is configured to operate the pitch control system so that the pitch angle of the propeller is modified for the propeller to rotate from wind, and the electrical motor unit is configured to generate electrical energy as result of the propeller rotation due to wind so that the generated electrical energy is stored within the secondary electrical supplying system.
A method for recovering energy during a descent phase of an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a plurality of pods and each pod comprising a propeller, an electrical motor unit and a secondary electrical supplying system, the method comprising:
- a) determining a minimum number of propellers needed to provide a required power to overcome air ram drag in a descent phase of the aircraft;
- b) setting the minimum number of propellers as determined in step a) in propulsive mode, wherein said minimum number of propellers are those with a highest load level of the respective secondary electrical supplying system;
- c) setting at least one remaining propeller in windmill mode by modifying a pitch angle of the at least one remaining propeller for the at least one remaining propeller to rotate based on wind;
- d) generating electrical energy by the electrical motor unit through a rotation of the at least one remaining propeller set in windmill mode;
- and
- e) recharging the respective secondary electrical supplying system with the electrical energy generated in step d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.