Electric motor power control systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021359631-A1
Application number	US-202117321169-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 14, 2021
Priority date	May 15, 2020
Publication date	Nov 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control system for an electric motor powered by a battery can be configured to receive an input power or torque command corresponding to a commanded power or torque. The control system can be configured to determine if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over a time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery. The control system can be configured such that if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs the input power or torque command, and such that if the battery is not capable of supplying and/or not permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs an available maximum power or torque command corresponding to an available maximum power or torque over the time period that is less than the commanded power or torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control system for an electric motor powered by a battery, configured to receive an input power or torque command corresponding to a commanded power or torque,
wherein the control system is configured to determine if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over a time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, wherein the control system is configured such that if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs the input power or torque command, and wherein the control system is configured such that if the battery is not capable of supplying and/or not permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs an available maximum power or torque command corresponding to an available maximum power or torque over the time period that is less than the commanded power or torque.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein control system includes a comparison module configured to receive the available maximum power or torque over the time period and to receive the power or torque command, and to determine whether to output the input power or torque command or to output the available maximum power or torque command.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the comparison module is configured to output the input power or torque command if the commanded power or torque is less than the available maximum power or torque, wherein the comparison module is configured to output the available maximum power or torque command if the commanded power or torque is greater than the available maximum power or torque.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the control system includes a battery model module operatively connected to the comparison module and configured to receive an SOC of the battery and to determine the available maximum power or torque over the time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, the battery model module configured to output the available maximum power or torque over the time period to the comparison module.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system includes a flight mode counter module operatively connected to the battery model module to provide the time period to the battery model module, wherein the time period is a remaining flight time.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the flight mode counter module is configured to receive a maximum time and a flight phase and to output the remaining flight time.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the input power or torque command is an input torque command, wherein the system further includes a power draw module configured to receive an input torque command and a motor speed, and to output an input power command to the comparison module.

8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a motor control module operatively connected to the comparison module to receive either the input power command or the available maximum power command, and to receive a motor speed, and wherein the motor control module is configured to control the electric motor to output a torque.

9 . A hybrid electric or fully electric aircraft powerplant, comprising:
an electric motor powered by a battery; and a control system configured to provide power to the electric motor, the control system configured to receive an input power or torque command corresponding to a commanded power or torque, wherein the control system is configured to determine if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over a time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, wherein the control system is configured such that if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs the input power or torque command, and wherein the control system is configured such that if the battery is not capable of supplying and/or not permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, the control system outputs an available maximum power or torque command corresponding to an available maximum power or torque over the time period that is less than the commanded power or torque.

10 . The powerplant of claim 9 , wherein control system includes a comparison module configured to receive the available maximum power or torque over the time period and to receive the power or torque command, and to determine whether to output the input power or torque command or to output the available maximum power or torque command.

11 . The powerplant of claim 10 , wherein the comparison module is configured to output the input power or torque command if the commanded power or torque is less than the available maximum power or torque, wherein the comparison module is configured to output the available maximum power or torque command if the commanded power or torque is greater than the available maximum power or torque.

12 . The powerplant of claim 11 , wherein the control system includes a battery model module operatively connected to the comparison module and configured to receive an SOC of the battery and to determine the available maximum power or torque over the time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, the battery model module configured to output the available maximum power or torque over the time period to the comparison module.

13 . The powerplant of claim 12 , wherein the control system includes a flight mode counter module operatively connected to the battery model module to provide the time period to the battery model module, wherein the time period is a remaining flight time.

14 . The powerplant of claim 13 , wherein the flight mode counter module is configured to receive a maximum time and a flight phase and to output the remaining flight time.

15 . The powerplant of claim 10 , wherein the input power or torque command is an input torque command, wherein the system further includes a power draw module configured to receive an input torque command and a motor speed, and to output an input power command to the comparison module.

16 . The powerplant of claim 15 , further comprising a motor control module operatively connected to the comparison module to receive either the input power command or the available maximum power command, and to receive a motor speed, and wherein the motor control module is configured to control the electric motor to output a torque.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving an input power or torque command corresponding to a commanded power or torque; determining if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over a time period based on a state of charge (SOC) of a battery, wherein if the battery is capable of supplying and/or permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, controlling a motor control module or an electric motor to cause the electric motor to output the commanded power or torque, and wherein if the battery is not capable of supplying and/or not permitted to supply the commanded power or torque over the time period, controlling the motor control module or the electric motor to cause the electric motor to output an available maximum power or torque over the time period that is less than the commanded power or torque.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Ives Kyle Stephen
• Buzzard John N

Classifications

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/855 Primary

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

• H02J7/96

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D31/18

  for hybrid-electric power plants · CPC title