Power management between a heat engine and an electric machine for an aircraft powerplant
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsTrevor T. Ricci, Frank Paoletti, Mark Cunningham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operation is provided during which rotation of a propulsor rotor of an aircraft is driven using mechanical power output from a powerplant. The powerplant includes a heat engine and an electric machine. The heat engine provides a first portion of the mechanical power. The electric machine provides a second portion of the mechanical power. An operational temperature of the heat engine is regulated by controlling the first portion of the mechanical power generated by the heat engine and the second portion of the mechanical power generated by the electric machine.
Claims20
A method of operation, comprising:
- driving rotation of a propulsor rotor of an aircraft using mechanical power output from a powerplant, the powerplant including a heat engine and an electric machine, the heat engine providing a first portion of the mechanical power, and the electric machine providing a second portion of the mechanical power;
- and
- regulating an operational temperature of the heat engine by controlling the first portion of the mechanical power generated by the heat engine and the second portion of the mechanical power generated by the electric machine.
A method of operation, comprising:
- driving rotation of a propulsor rotor of an aircraft using mechanical power output from a powerplant, the powerplant including a heat engine and an electric machine, the heat engine providing a first portion of the mechanical power, and the electric machine providing a second portion of the mechanical power;
- operating a cooling system to dissipate a thermal load generated by and output from the heat engine while providing the first portion of the mechanical power;
- and
- controlling the first portion of the mechanical power generated by the heat engine and the second portion of the mechanical power generated by the electric machine based on a cooling capacity of the cooling system.
A system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a propulsor rotor;
- a powerplant configured to output mechanical power to drive rotation of the propulsor rotor, the powerplant comprising a heat engine and an electric machine, the heat engine configured to provide a first portion of the mechanical power, and the electric machine configured to provide a second portion of the mechanical power;
- and
- a control system configured to operate the powerplant to regulate an operational temperature of the heat engine by controlling a ratio of the first portion of the mechanical power generated by the heat engine to the second portion of the mechanical power generated by the electric machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.