Low pressure generator for gas turbine engine

A method for use in an aircraft, the method comprising:

• controlling, by a power controller, in response to a high pressure spool and a low pressure spool of a turbofan gas turbine engine operating in a steady state operating mode, to distribute at least a portion of a flow of electric power generated by a low pressure motor-generator to each of an energy storage device and one or more electric power consumption devices of the aircraft, wherein the low pressure spool includes a low pressure turbine rotor and a low pressure drive shaft that couples the low pressure turbine rotor to a fan of the engine, wherein the fan is coupled to a compressor of the engine and is configured to draw outside air into the engine to be compressed by the compressor, wherein the low pressure motor-generator is coupled between the fan and the compressor to generate a flow of electric power from rotation of the low pressure turbine rotor and to drive rotation of the low pressure drive shaft, wherein the high pressure spool includes a high pressure turbine rotor and a high pressure drive shaft that couples the high pressure turbine rotor to the compressor, and wherein the engine includes a high pressure motor-generator coupled to an auxiliary shaft to generate a flow of electric power from rotation of the high pressure turbine rotor and to drive rotation of the high pressure drive shaft, wherein operating in the steady state operating mode includes withholding providing electrically-driven force of rotation on the low pressure drive shaft and the high pressure drive shaft;
• and
• in response to a present operating condition of the aircraft being an in-flight restart condition, controlling to distribute at least a portion of the flow of electric power generated by the low pressure motor-generator to the high pressure motor-generator to drive the high pressure motor-generator to cause the engine to restart in-flight.

A system comprising:

• turbofan gas turbine engines adapted for use in an aircraft;
• a low pressure motor-generator mounted on a low pressure drive shaft and configured to operate in one of a generation mode to generate electric power from driven rotation of a low pressure turbine rotor and a drive mode to electrically drive rotation of the low pressure drive shaft;
• a high pressure motor-generator configured to operate in one of a generation mode to generate electric power from driven rotation of a high pressure turbine rotor and a drive mode to electrically drive rotation of a high pressure drive shaft;
• and
• a power controller including at least one processor for executing instructions stored on memory, wherein the power controller is electrically coupled to control the low pressure motor-generator and the high pressure motor-generator, and wherein the power control module is configured to, in response to operating conditions being an in-flight restart, operate the low pressure motor-generator in the generation mode and operate the high pressure motor-generator in the drive mode to assist restart of one of the turbofan gas turbine engines.