Method for managing the electric power network of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10014707-B2
Application number	US-201314655707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2013
Priority date	Jan 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A method for managing an electrical power supply system ( 1 ) of an aircraft, the power supply system ( 1 ) comprising at least one distribution bus arranged so as to power the electrical loads, at least one generator (G 1 , G 2 ) of a propulsion engine of the aircraft, at least one engine-class main power unit (MPS 1 , MPS 2 ), a plurality of contactors (C 1 -C 18 ) which are capable of electrically connecting the distribution buses to the propulsion engine generator (G 1 , G 2 ) and/or the main power unit (MPS 1 , MPS 2 ); and a management module which is capable of controlling the contactors (C 1 -C 18 ), a method wherein, during normal operating conditions of the aircraft, the distribution bus is powered by the engine-class main power unit (MPS 1 , MPS 2 ) and, during the back-up operating mode of the aircraft, the distribution bus is powered by the propulsion engine generator (G 1 , G 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for managing an electrical power supply system of an aircraft, the power supply system comprising:
at least two distribution buses arranged so as to power electrical loads, the distribution buses belonging respectively to a right-hand portion and a left-hand portion of the power supply system;
at least one generator of a propulsion engine of the aircraft which is capable of providing a supply of electrical energy;
a first engine-class main power unit and a second engine-class main power unit, which are capable of providing a supply of electrical energy, the first engine-class main power unit and the second engine-class main power unit respectively supply the distribution bus of the first portion and the distribution bus of the second portion of the power supply system during normal operating conditions of the aircraft;
a plurality of contactors which are capable of electrically connecting the distribution buses to the propulsion engine generator and/or the main power units; and
a management module which is capable of controlling the contactors; method wherein:
during normal operating conditions of the aircraft, the management module controls the contactors so as to power the distribution buses using the engine-class main power units and
during back-up operating conditions of the aircraft, the management module controls the contactors so as to power the distribution buses using the propulsion engine generator.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, during normal operating conditions of the aircraft, the distribution bus is powered exclusively by the engine-class main power unit.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second engine-class main power unit alone powers the distribution buses of the first portion and the second portion of the power supply system in the event of a malfunction of the first engine-class main power unit.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second engine-class main power unit powers the distribution bus of the second portion of the power supply system and the propulsion engine generator powers the distribution bus of the first portion of the power supply system in the event of a malfunction of the first engine-class main power unit.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, the power supply system comprising a first propulsion engine generator and a second propulsion engine generator, the first generator and the second generator respectively power the distribution bus of the first portion and the distribution bus of the second portion of the power supply system during back-up operating mode of the aircraft.

6. Method according to claims 1 , wherein, the power supply system comprising an emergency back-up power supply system, the management module controls the contactors in such a way as to power the emergency back-up power supply system using an independent emergency power source in the event of a malfunction of the propulsion engine generator during back-up operating mode.

Assignees

• Microturbo
• Safran Power Units

Inventors

• Rideau Jean-Francois
• Dalmas Florent

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J3/0073

  by providing alternative feeding paths when the main path fails · CPC title

• H02J3/001 Primary

  Arrangements for handling faults or abnormalities, e.g. emergencies or contingencies · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title