Universal platform architecture for hybrid more electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940813-B2
Application number	US-201816106484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

An aircraft power system includes a front-end power converter and a back-end power converter. The front-end power converter is configured to generate a first direct current (DC) supply voltage or a second DC supply voltage based on a voltage level of an alternating current (AC) supply voltage output from an AC voltage source. The backend power converter sub-system is configured to convert the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage into a backend supply voltage. An active power distribution system is configured to select different electrical paths between the front-end converter and the backend converter subsystem in response to detecting output of the first DC supply voltage and the second DC supply voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft power system comprising:
a front-end power converter configured to generate a first direct current (DC) supply voltage or a second DC supply voltage based on a voltage level of an alternating current (AC) supply voltage output from an AC voltage source;
a backend power converter sub-system configured to convert the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage into a backend supply voltage;
at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit including an input in signal communication with the front-end power converter and an output in signal communication with a battery installed on the aircraft;
an active power distribution system in signal communication with the front-end converter, the back-end converter, and the bi-directional battery charger circuit, the active power distribution system configured to select different electrical paths between the front-end converter and the backend converter subsystem in response to detecting output of the first DC supply voltage and the second DC supply voltage,
wherein the active power distribution system comprises a power distribution controller configured to invoke a hybrid power exchange mode, and in response to invoking the hybrid power exchange mode, selectively deliver from the AC voltage source either a first voltage having a first voltage level of 230V AC or second voltage having a second voltage level of 115V AC, and also delivering the battery power output from the battery via the at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit to drive a DC load.

2. The aircraft power system of claim 1 , wherein the active power distribution system comprises:
a multi-phase rectifier circuit including a plurality of switches operable in an open state and a closed state, wherein
the power distribution controller configured to invoke the open and closed states of the switches, and wherein different combinations of open and closed switches establish the different electrical paths between the front-end power converter and the backend power converter sub-system.

3. The aircraft power system of claim 2 , wherein the power distribution controller invokes a first combination of opened and closed switches to establish a first electrical path between the front-end power converter and the backend power converter sub-system in response to detecting the first DC supply voltage, and invokes a second combination of opened and closed switches to establish a different second electrical path between the front-end power converter and the backend power converter sub-system in response to detecting the second DC supply voltage.

4. The aircraft power system of claim 3 , wherein the backend power converter sub-system comprises:
at least one voltage converter circuit including at least one of a DC-to-DC converter circuit and a DC-AC converter circuit.

5. The aircraft power system of claim 4 , wherein the first electrical path defines a first electrical connection between the at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit and the at least one voltage converter circuit.

6. The aircraft power system of claim 5 , wherein the first electrical connection establishes a parallel connection between the at least one battery charger circuit and the at least one voltage converter circuit.

7. The aircraft power system of claim 4 , wherein, the second electrical path defines a different second electrical connection between the at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit and the at least one of a voltage converter circuit.

8. The aircraft power system of claim 7 , wherein the second electrical connection establishes a first series connection between a plurality of battery charger circuits and a second series connection between a plurality of voltage converter circuits such that the first series connection is in parallel with the second series connection.

9. The aircraft power system of claim 4 , wherein the power distribution controller invokes a third combination of opened and closed switches to establish a third electrical path between the front-end power converter and the backend power converter sub-system in response to detecting disconnection of the AC voltage source.

10. The aircraft power system of claim 9 , wherein the third electrical path connects an output of the bi-directional battery charger circuit to the at least one voltage converter circuit.

11. The aircraft power system of claim 10 , wherein the third electrical path is configured to share the output of the bi-directional battery charger circuit among the DC-to-DC converter circuit and the DC-to-AC converter circuit.

12. The aircraft power system of claim 4 , wherein the least one bi-directional battery charger circuit is configured to charge the battery based on the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage.

13. The aircraft power system of claim 12 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter circuit is configured to convert the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage into a third DC supply voltage having a different voltage level that drives the DC load installed on the aircraft.

14. The aircraft power system of claim 13 , wherein the DC-to-AC converter circuit is configured to convert the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage into a second AC supply voltage that drives a motor installed on the aircraft.

15. The aircraft power system of claim 14 , wherein the power distribution controller is configured to invoke a hybrid power exchange mode, and in response to invoking the hybrid power exchange mode, and deliver at least one of the first and second AC supply voltages along with battery power output from the battery to drive the DC load.

16. A method of controlling an aircraft power system, the method comprising:
generating, via a front-end power converter, a first direct current (DC) supply voltage or a second DC supply voltage based on a voltage level of an alternating current (AC) supply voltage output from an AC voltage source;
converting, via a backend power converter sub-system, the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage into a backend supply voltage;
outputting battery power via at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit including an input in signal communication with the front-end power converter and an output in signal communication with a battery;
selecting, via an active power distribution system, different electrical paths between the front-end converter and the backend converter subsystem in response to detecting output of the first DC supply voltage and the second DC supply voltage; and
invoking, via the active power distribution system, a hybrid power exchange mode to selectively deliver from the AC voltage source either a first voltage having a first voltage level of 230V AC or second voltage having a second voltage level of 115V AC, while also delivering the battery power output from the battery via the at least one bi-directional battery charger circuit to drive a DC load.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the different electrical paths further comprises invoking, via a power distribution controller, open and closed states of switches included in a multi-phase rectifier, and wherein different combinations of the open and closed states establish the different electrical paths between the front-end power converter and the backend power converter sub-system.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein selecting the different electrical paths further comprises invoking a first combination of opened and closed switches to establish a first electrical p

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp
• Hamilton Sunstrand Corp

Inventors

• Kumar Dhananjay
• Somani Vaibhav Kumar

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J7/965

  obtained with the battery disconnected from the charge or discharge circuit · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/96

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title