Electric power system architecture
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorJames Angelo Elder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical power system architecture is described herein. In some approaches, an electrical system for an aircraft includes an electrical source, an electrical load, and a power distribution system. The power distribution system includes a plurality of power channels connecting the electrical source to the electrical load. The electrical power is distributed in each power channel under normal operating conditions and, in the event of a power channel failure, the electrical power is distributed by a subset of the plurality of power channels such that the aircraft can maintain aircraft flight conditions during the power channel failure.
Claims20
An electrical system for an aircraft, comprising:
- an electrical source;
- an electrical load;
- and
- a power distribution system comprising a plurality of power channels electrically coupling the electrical source to the electrical load to deliver electrical power from the electrical source to the electrical load;
- wherein the electrical power is distributed in each power channel under normal operating conditions;
- and
- wherein, in an event of a power channel failure, the power distribution system distributing the electrical power across a subset of the plurality of power channels such that the electric power delivered to the electrical load remains greater than a threshold parameter for an aircraft flight condition.
An electric propulsion system architecture for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first electrical source;
- a second electrical source;
- at least one first electrical propulsion unit of the aircraft electrically connected to the first electrical source through a first power distribution system comprising a plurality of first power channels;
- and
- at least one second electrical propulsion unit of the aircraft electrically connected to the second electrical source through a second power distribution system comprising a plurality of second power channels;
- wherein each of the first and second power distribution systems, in response to a failure of a respective power channel, distribute electrical power across a subset of the respective plurality of power channels to reduce an asymmetric thrust between the at least one first electrical propulsion unit and the at least one second electrical propulsion unit.
A multi-redundant electric propulsion architecture for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first multi-channel redundant electrical network comprising at least one first electrical source connected to at least one first electrical load through a first power distribution system, wherein the first power distribution system comprises a first plurality of power channels;
- a second multi-channel redundant electrical network comprising at least one second electrical source connected to at least one second electrical load through a second power distribution system, wherein the second power distribution system comprises a second plurality of power channels;
- and
- a control unit configured to control a distribution of electrical power by the first plurality of power channels and the second plurality of power channels under normal operation mode and control the distribution of electrical power by a first subset of the first plurality of power channels or a second subset of the second plurality of power channels upon detection of a power channel failure;
- wherein each of the first and second power distribution systems, in response to a failure of a respective power channel, distribute electrical power across a subset of the respective plurality of power channels to reduce an asymmetric thrust between at least one first electrical propulsion unit and at least one second electrical propulsion unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.