Turbogenerator with simplified control system for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12305582-B2
Application number	US-202017608685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2020
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A propulsion assembly for aircraft includes a single-shaft engine turbomachine including a combustion chamber and a rotatably mounted shaft that turns at a turbomachine rating; an electrical generator coupled to the shaft; and a control system. The control system includes a fuel pump that brings fuel into the combustion chamber at a fuel flow rate which is a direct function of an ambient pressure and of the turbomachine rating, and power electronics that are coupled to the electrical generator and that control an electrical power drawn off the electrical generator so as to attain a target turbomachine rating.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propulsion assembly for aircraft, the propulsion assembly comprising:
a single-shaft engine turbomachine comprising a combustion chamber and a rotatably mounted shaft configured to turn at a turbomachine rating;
an electrical generator coupled to the shaft;
at least one ambient pressure sensor;
an engine health monitoring system and
a control system, the control system comprising:
a fuel pump configured to bring fuel into the combustion chamber at a fuel flow rate which is a direct function of an ambient pressure and of the turbomachine rating; and
power electronics coupled to the electrical generator and configured to control an electrical power drawn off the electrical generator, so as to attain a target turbomachine rating,
the engine health monitoring system being configured to compare the electrical power drawn to a planned electrical power depending on the ambient pressure.

2. The propulsion assembly for aircraft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump is configured so that the fuel flow rate is proportional to the ambient pressure and increases with the turbomachine rating.

3. The propulsion assembly for aircraft as claimed in claim 2 , wherein
the fuel pump is a mechanical pump in direct engagement with the turbomachine; and
the fuel flow rate mechanically depends on the turbomachine rating and on the ambient pressure.

4. The propulsion assembly for aircraft as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:
a sensor that senses the turbomachine rating; and
an ambient pressure sensor that senses the ambient pressure,
wherein the fuel pump is an electrical pump configured to supply the fuel at the fuel flow rate as a function of the ambient pressure and the turbomachine rating.

5. The propulsion assembly for aircraft as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an energy-storing system configured to supply an additional electrical power when the electrical power drawn is less than a target electrical power.

6. The propulsion assembly for aircraft as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor that senses the turbomachine rating, and an overspeed monitoring system configured to control the turbomachine rating in the event of a malfunction of the control system.

7. A method for controlling a propulsion assembly for aircraft, the method comprising:
bringing fuel into a combustion chamber of a single-shaft engine turbomachine by a fuel pump by enforcing a fuel flow rate according to a direct function of an ambient pressure and of a turbomachine rating at which the shaft of the turbomachine turns; and
drawing electrical power off an electrical generator coupled to the shaft under control of power electronics, so as to attain a target turbomachine rating,
the power electronics being configured to control the electrical power drawn off the electrical generator as a function of a power requirement that is lower that the electrical power drawn so as to transiently increase the drawn electrical power and reduce the turbomachine rating, then reduce the drawn electrical power to attain the target electrical power and a constant turbomachine rating.

8. The control method as claimed in claim 7 ,
wherein the drawn electrical power and the fuel flow rate depend on a first threshold and a second threshold, and
wherein:
if the turbomachine rating is less than the first threshold, the electrical generator operates in an engine mode in which the electrical generator assists the turbomachine and the fuel flow rate is proportional to the turbomachine rating;
if the turbomachine rating is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold, the turbomachine is autonomous without the assistance of the electrical generator; and
if the turbomachine rating is greater than the second threshold, the electrical generator operates in a generator mode and the drawn electrical power is controlled by the power electronics to attain a nominal turbomachine rating.

9. The control method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the power electronics is configured to control the electrical power drawn off the electrical generator as a function of a mechanical load on the turbomachine so as to transiently reduce the drawn electrical power to increase the turbomachine rating, then increase the drawn electrical power to attain the target electrical power and a constant turbomachine rating.

10. A method for controlling a propulsion assembly for aircraft, the method comprising:
bringing fuel into a combustion chamber of a single-shaft engine turbomachine by a fuel pump by enforcing a fuel flow rate according to a direct function of an ambient pressure and of a turbomachine rating at which the shaft of the turbomachine turns;
drawing electrical power off an electrical generator coupled to the shaft under control of power electronics by increasing or decreasing a resistive torque applied by the electrical generator to the shaft, so as to attain a target turbomachine rating; and
comparing the drawn electrical power to a planned electrical power depending on the ambient pressure.

Assignees

• Safran Helicopter Engines
• Safran Power Units

Inventors

• Mercier-Calvairac Fabien
• Marconi Patrick
• Real Denis Antoine Julien

Classifications

• B64D27/026

  comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine (Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33) · CPC title

• F05D2270/335

  Output power or torque · CPC title

• F05D2270/312

  Air pressure · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• F02C9/28 Primary

  Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) · CPC title