Unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system including a dc bus
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorRichard A. Himmelmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion system for an unmanned underwater vehicle includes a turbine engine having a combustor, a turbine, and a mechanical output shaft. The propulsion system further includes an electrical generator having a rotational input connected to the mechanical output shaft, and a poly phase electrical output. A direct current (DC) bus is connected to the poly phase electrical output via a rectifier/inverter. A DC to alternating current (AC) motor drive includes a DC input and a poly phase motor drive output, and a motor connected to the poly phase motor drive output.
Claims23
A propulsion system for an unmanned underwater vehicle comprising:
- a turbine engine including a combustor, a turbine, and a mechanical output shaft;
- an electrical generator including a rotational input connected to the mechanical output shaft, and a poly phase electrical output;
- a direct current (DC) bus connected to the poly phase electrical output via a rectifier/inverter;
- a DC to alternating current (AC) motor drive including a DC input and a poly phase motor drive output;
- a motor connected to the poly phase motor drive output;
- and
- a controller controllably coupled to the electrical generator, the rectifier/inverter, and the DC to AC motor drive, wherein the controller is configured to cause the propulsion system to operate in a range mode by providing direct current (DC) power to the DC bus from the electrical energy storage system, providing DC power from the DC bus to the DC to alternating current (AC) motor drive, and driving the motor in a range mode and configured to cause the propulsion system to entering a sprint mode of operations by initiating operations of a turbine engine and providing poly phase AC power to the rectifier/inverter, converting AC power to DC power using the rectifier/inverter, providing DC power to the DC to AC motor drive, and driving the motor.
(canceled)
A method for propelling an unmanned underwater vehicle comprising:
- selecting a mode of operations from at least a range mode and a sprint mode;
- providing direct current (DC) power to a DC bus from an electrical energy storage system, providing DC power from the DC bus to a DC to alternating current (AC) motor drive, and driving a motor in response to selecting a range mode;
- entering the sprint mode of operations by initiating operations of a turbine engine and providing poly phase AC power to a rectifier/inverter, converting AC power to DC power using the rectifier/inverter, providing DC power to the DC to AC motor drive, and driving the motor in response to selecting a sprint mode.
An unmanned underwater vehicle comprising:
- at least one fuel storage tank;
- a propulsion system including:
- a turbine engine;
- an alternating current (AC) generator mechanically connected to the turbine engine;
- a rectifier/inverter connecting the AC generator to a direct current (DC) bus;
- a DC to AC motor driver connected to the DC bus and providing a poly phase AC output to an electrical motor;
- and
- a propulsor mechanically connected to the electrical motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.