Hybrid contingency power drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040566-B2
Application number	US-201515328616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A hybrid power drive system for an aircraft comprises a rotor that receives power and a first power drive sub-system including at least one engine in connection with the rotor is configured to provide a first power to the rotor. Further, the hybrid power drive system also includes a second power drive sub-system connected in parallel to the first power drive sub-system. The second power drive sub-system is configured to provide a second power to the rotor a second power drive sub-system connected in parallel to the first power drive sub-system and configured to provide a second power to the rotor when the first power provided by the first power drive sub-system is less than a power demand of the rotor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid power drive system for an aircraft, comprising:
a rotor;
a first power drive sub-system including at least one engine in connection with the rotor and configured to provide a first power to the rotor;
a second power drive sub-system connected in parallel to the first power drive sub-system and configured to provide a second power to the rotor when the first power provided by the first power drive sub-system is less than a power demand of the rotor; and
a controller operable to supply power from the second power drive sub-system to the first power drive sub-system to power to the rotor in response to a signal indicative of the power demand of the rotor.

2. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein the second power drive sub-system includes an electric motor in electric communication with an electric power source of the hybrid power drive system.

3. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein an electric motor is in mechanical communication with the first power drive sub-system at a rotor shaft.

4. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein an electric motor is in mechanical communication with the first power drive system at a first gearbox.

5. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein an electric motor is mechanical communication with the first power drive sub-system at an engine power shaft.

6. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein an electric power source comprises a rechargeable energy source selected from a list, wherein the list includes at least one of a battery, a capacitor, and a flywheel energy storage sub-system.

7. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to receive a power demand signal indicative of the power demand.

8. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first power is a main power, the first power drive sub-system is a main power drive sub-system, the second power is a contingency power, and the second power drive sub-system is an auxiliary power drive sub-system.

9. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first power is less than the power demand of the rotor when the first power drive sub-system fails due to an emergency condition.

10. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein the emergency condition is a failure of the engine.

11. The hybrid power drive system of claim 1 , wherein the first power is less than the power demand of the rotor when the engine increases the power demand in accordance with a drooped rotor state.

12. A method for controlling a hybrid power drive system of an aircraft, comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of a power demand on a rotor;
connecting in parallel a first power drive sub-system and a second power drive sub-system; and
causing the supply of second power from the second power drive sub-system to the first power drive sub-system to provide power to the rotor when the first power provided by the first power drive sub-system is less than the power demand of the rotor
wherein a controller in communication with a flight control computer causes the supply of second power from the second power drive sub-system to the first power drive sub-system to provide power to the rotor in response to receiving the signal indicative of the power demand on the rotor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first power is a main power, the first power drive sub-system is a main power drive sub-system, the second power is a contingency power, and the second power drive sub-system is an auxiliary power drive sub-system.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the receiving of the signal indicative of the power demand on the rotor is due to an emergency condition, and
wherein the emergency condition is one of
a failure of the engine and
when the engine increases the power demand in accordance with a drooped rotor state.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Waltner Peter James

Classifications

• F05D2220/329

  in helicopters · CPC title

• F05D2270/09

  to cope with emergencies · CPC title

• B60K6/20

  the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs · CPC title

• F05D2260/42

  Storage of energy · CPC title

• F01D15/12

  Combinations with mechanical gearing (driven by multiple engines F01D13/00) · CPC title