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US 9,156,560 B2Granted
Intelligent integrated propulsion control system and method
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsDonald W. Burns, Robert J. Zeller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Control systems and methods for an aircraft propulsion system are disclosed in which the propulsion control system is integrated to intelligently control aircraft propulsion and minimize transient effects from the power demands of other aircraft subsystems.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- at least one aircraft engine operable to generate a power output in response at least in part to an operator power request and sensed parameters from a flight sensor;
- an engine control subsystem configured to control operation of the at least one aircraft engine;
- an electrical power subsystem including at least one electrical power device that is operable to demand electric power during operation of the at least one aircraft engine;
- and
- a propulsion controller connected to the engine control subsystem and to the electrical power subsystem with a propulsion system data bus, wherein the propulsion controller is configured to determine an anticipatory electric power demand of the at least one electrical device based on current operating conditions and provide control signals to the engine control subsystem to control the at least one aircraft engine to generate the power output to meet a total power demand, wherein the total power demand includes at least the anticipatory electric power demand and a nominal power demand based at least in part on the operator power request, and wherein the propulsion controller is configured to initiate compensation for the anticipatory electric power demand prior to the at least one aircraft engine receiving an increased demand for power output.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- at least one propulsion control system including a propulsion controller connected via a first data bus to at least one flight condition sensor, wherein the propulsion controller is configured to determine a nominal power demand of at least one aircraft engine according to parameters sensed by the flight condition sensor and an operator power request;
- an engine control subsystem connected to the propulsion controller with a propulsion system data bus, wherein the engine control system is configured to receive signals from the propulsion controller to control operation of the at least one aircraft engine;
- and
- at least one subsystem connected to the propulsion controller with the propulsion system data bus, wherein the propulsion controller is configured to at least one of determine an anticipatory power demand from current operating conditions of the at least one subsystem based on operational data received from the at least one subsystem over the propulsion system data bus or receive the anticipatory power demand from the at least one subsystem over the propulsion system data bus, wherein the propulsion controller is further configured to determine a total power demand that includes the nominal power demand and the anticipatory power demand and signal the total power demand to the engine control system to control the at least one aircraft engine to produce an output power that satisfies the total power demand;
- wherein the at least one propulsion controller initiates compensation for the anticipatory power demand prior to the at least one aircraft engine receiving the operator power request.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- determining a nominal power demand of at least one aircraft engine of an aircraft;
- determining an anticipatory power demand from at least one subsystem of the aircraft, wherein the anticipatory power demand includes at least one of anticipatory electrical transient loads and anticipatory thermal loads from the at least one subsystem;
- determining a total power demand that includes the nominal power demand and the anticipatory power demand;
- and
- prior to the aircraft engine receiving an increased demand for power output, controlling the at least one aircraft engine to produce a power output that satisfies the total power demand.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.