Pulsed power hybrid electric unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414477-B2
Application number	US-201715631248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system includes a turbine engine having a mechanical output, an electrical generator including a mechanical connection to the mechanical output, and an electrical input/output. At least one power bus connects the electrical input/output to one of a motor drive and a motor. A rechargeable energy storage system is connected to the at least one power bus and is configured to provide power to the power bus in at least a first mode and receive power from the power bus in a second mode. A controller is configured to control at least one of the electrical generator, the motor drive, the motor, and the rechargeable energy source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system comprising:
a turbine engine including a mechanical output and a combustor connected to a partial admission axial turbine via a supersonic nozzle;
an electrical generator including a mechanical connection to the mechanical output, and an electrical input/output;
at least one power bus connecting the electrical input/output to one of a motor drive and a motor;
a rechargeable energy storage system connected to the at least one power bus and configured to provide power to the power bus in at least a first mode and receive power from the power bus in a second mode; and
a controller configured to control at least one of the electrical generator, the motor drive, the motor, and the rechargeable energy source.

2. The unmanned underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the combustor is connected to a first tank and a second tank such that a fuel in the first tank and an oxidizer in the second tank are mixed in the combustor.

3. The unmanned underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electrical generator is a voltage controlled permanent magnet generator.

4. The unmanned underwater vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a propulsor drivably connected to the motor.

5. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one power bus comprises, a direct current (DC) bus connecting a first rectifier/inverter to a second rectifier/inverter.

6. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 5 , further comprising an alternating current (AC) bus parallel to the DC bus.

7. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 6 , wherein the AC bus includes a set of power contactors configured to open and close the AC bus, and wherein the first rectifier/inverter is connected to a generator side of the set of power contactors and the second rectifier/inverter is connected to a motor side of the set of power contactors.

8. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 6 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage system is connected to the DC bus.

9. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the first rectifier/inverter is connected to an electrical output of the electrical generator, and the second rectifier/inverter is connected to an electrical input of the motor drive.

10. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 9 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage system is connected to the DC bus via a DC to DC converter.

11. The unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a memory storing instructions for causing the propulsion system to repeatedly cycle between a turbine operation mode and a DC supply operation mode.

12. The unmanned underwater vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is configured in a recharge mode while the propulsion system is in the turbine operation mode.

13. The unmanned underwater vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is configured in a supply power mode while the propulsion system is in the DC supply operation mode.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Himmelmann Richard A

Classifications

• F42B19/30

  with timing control of propulsion · CPC title

• B60L2200/32

  Waterborne vessels · CPC title

• F42B19/24

  by electric motors · CPC title

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42B19/22

  by internal-combustion engines · CPC title