Aircraft APU electrical starter torque limiter
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorIssam Al-Khairy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A starter system for an auxiliary power unit (APU) includes a starter motor operably connectable to the APU. A clutch is arranged to operably connect the starter motor to the APU when engaged. A torque limiting control unit is disposed and configured to provide APU starter power to the starter motor according to a starting schedule. The starting schedule is configured to govern an acceleration rate of the starter motor after the clutch is engaged.
Claims20
A starter system for an auxiliary power unit (APU) comprising:
- a starter motor operably connectable to the APU;
- a clutch arranged to operably connect the starter motor to the APU when engaged;
- and
- a torque limiting control unit disposed and configured to provide APU starter power to the starter motor according to a starting schedule, the starting schedule configured to govern an acceleration rate of the starter motor after the clutch is engaged.
A method of starting an auxiliary power unit (APU) comprising:
- outputting a clutch command from a torque limiting control unit to engage a clutch of a starter system;
- and
- outputting APU starter power from the torque limiting control unit to a starter motor of the starter system according to a starting schedule, the starting schedule configured to govern an acceleration rate of the starter motor after the clutch is engaged.
A torque limiting control unit for a starter system of an auxiliary power unit (APU) comprising:
- a starting schedule configured to govern an acceleration rate of a starter motor;
- a clutch driver configured to provide a clutch command to a clutch;
- and
- a control module configured to provide APU starter power to the starter motor according to the starting schedule after the clutch is engaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.