Generator synchronization method on a common drive source and apparatus therefor
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMichael B. McAvoy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system that selectively alters a phase angle of an electrical generator. The system has a powered input shaft for transmitting power and an output shaft for receiving power for delivery to the electrical generator. A coupler portion interconnects the input shaft with the output shaft and transmits power therebetween. The coupler portion is selectively moveable in an axial direction between a first axial position wherein the input shaft and output shaft are disposed at a first relative angular position, and a second axial position wherein the input shaft and output shaft are disposed at a second relative angular position different than the first position.
Claims20
An electrical power system comprising:
- at least one pair of generators having parallel outputs configured to power a common electrical bus;
- a power transmission device having a pair of rotary output elements and an input element;
- a rotary drive source for driving the input of the power transmission;
- at least one adjustable coupler mechanism controllable to adjust a phase angle of a rotor shaft of the at least one generator;
- and
- a controller;
- wherein the at least one generator includes one coupler mechanism to couple the rotor shaft of the generator to one of the rotary output elements;
- and
- the controller being configured to monitor an output electrical phase angle of each generator and control the at least one coupler mechanism in response to a detected phase error between the respective generator output electrical phase angles by adjusting a relative angular position between one of the rotor shafts and the coupled rotary output element such that the phase error is substantially eliminated.
A synchronization system for synchronizing a plurality of generators connected in parallel on a common bus in an engine, the system comprising:
- a primary rotary drive shaft drivingly connected to the engine;
- a power transmission device having an input and a plurality of output drive shafts, the power transmission device being driven by the primary rotary drive shaft and configured to power the plurality of generators at a predetermined rotational frequency;
- at least one coupler mechanism connected between an input shaft of at least one of the generators and one of the output drive shafts of the power transmission device;
- and
- a controller for monitoring an output electrical phase angle of the generators and controlling the at least one coupler mechanism in response to a predetermined deviation between the respective generator electrical output phase angles;
- wherein the coupler mechanism is selectively moveable to adjust a relative angular position of the input shaft relative to the associated output shaft;
- and
- wherein the output electrical phase of the generator with which the coupler portion is coupled is adjustable in response to movement of the coupler mechanism to substantially synchronize the output electrical phase of one of the starter/generators with the output electrical phase of the other starter/generators.
A method of synchronizing a pair of electrical generators for connection to a common electrical bus, comprising:
- driving a rotor shaft of each generator from a common drive source;
- providing a transmission device between each generator and the common drive source;
- coupling the rotor shaft of at least one generator to an input shaft of the transmission device with a coupler device, the coupler device being selectively moveable to adjust a relative angular position between the rotor shaft and the input shaft;
- sensing a phase difference between each electrical generator output current;
- determining whether circulating currents are present based on a sensed phase difference between the generator output currents;
- and
- in response to a sensed phase difference, moving the coupler axially to a second position between the rotor shaft and the input shaft until the sensed phase difference is substantially eliminated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.