Propulsion system for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022063819-A1
Application number	US-202017007026-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft can include a propulsor assembly having at least one propulsor and a power generation system. The power generation system can include a first power assembly, a second power assembly, a first electric machine, and a second electric machine. The first power assembly can be drivingly coupled to the first electric machine to produce a first amount of electric power. The second power assembly can be drivingly coupled to the second electric machine to produce a second amount of electric power. A controller can be operably coupled to the first power assembly, the first electric machine, or both and to the second power assembly, the second power assembly, or both. The controller can be configured to combine at least a portion of the first and second amount of power for electric transfer to the propulsor assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising:
a propulsor assembly having at least one propulsor; a power generation system comprising at least a first power assembly, a second power assembly, a first electric machine, and a second electric machine, the first power assembly drivingly coupled to the first electric machine to produce a first amount of electric power and the second power assembly drivingly coupled to the second electric machine to produce a second amount of electric power, wherein the second power assembly is configured to generate electric power more efficiently than the first power assembly; a power bus coupled to the first electric machine and the second electric machine; and a controller operably coupled to the first power assembly, the first electric machine, or both, and to the second power assembly, the second electric machine, or both, the controller and the power bus configured to combine at least a portion of the first amount of electrical power and the second amount of electrical power to supply the propulsor assembly.

2 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the first power assembly includes a turbomachine and the second power assembly includes an internal combustion engine.

3 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide electrical power from the first electric machine to the propulsor assembly in a first operating condition and from the second power assembly to the propulsor assembly in a second operating condition.

4 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 3 , further comprising:
an energy storage unit operably coupled with each of the first power assembly, the second power assembly, and the propulsor assembly.

5 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 4 , wherein each of the first power assembly, the second power assembly, and the propulsor assembly are configured to utilize electrical power stored in the energy storage unit.

6 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the second power assembly is configured to generate less electrical power than the first electric machine.

7 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 3 , wherein the first operating condition is indicated by a command to accelerate or climb the aircraft and the second operating condition is indicated by a command for the aircraft to operate in a level flight condition.

8 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the second power assembly generates less than half of the electrical power of the first electric machine.

9 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a desired thrust output, and if a desired thrust output is within a second power assembly operating range, activate the second power assembly, and if the desired thrust output is greater than the second power assembly operating range, activate the first power assembly.

10 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the first power assembly is configured to operate in a first range of revolutions per minute and the second power assembly is configured to operate in a second range of revolutions per minute that is at least partially less than or greater than the first range of revolutions per minute.

11 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 2 , further comprising:
one or more power electronics positioned between the first power assembly and the power bus, the second power assembly and the power bus, or both.

12 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the first power assembly generates a first noise level and the second power assembly generates a second noise level while operating at a common speed and/or operating parameter, and wherein the first noise level is greater than the second noise level.

13 . A method for operating a hybrid propulsion system of an aircraft, the hybrid propulsion system comprising a first power assembly operably coupled with a first electric machine, a second power assembly operably coupled with a second power electric machine, and a propulsor assembly, the propulsor assembly comprising at least one propulsor and operably coupled to at least one of the first electric machine and the second electric machine, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more computing devices, a command to provide a first amount of thrust output for a first operating condition; providing, by the one or more computing devices, a first amount of electrical power from the first electric machine to provide the first thrust output from the first power assembly to the propulsor assembly; receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a command to provide a second amount of thrust output for a second operating condition; and providing, by the one or more computing devices, a second amount of electrical power from the second electric machine to provide the second thrust output from the second power assembly to the propulsor assembly.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first power assembly is configured to operate in a first range of revolutions per minute and the second power assembly is configured to operate in a second range of revolutions per minute that is at least partially less than or greater than the first range of revolutions per minute.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first operating condition is a takeoff flight condition or a climb flight condition.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second power assembly is configured to generate the second amount of electric power more efficiently than the first power assembly generates the first amount of electric power.

17 . A hybrid propulsion system for an aircraft comprising:
a first power assembly having a turbomachine coupled to a first electric machine; a second power assembly having an internal combustion engine coupled to a second electric machine; a propulsor assembly having a first motor operably coupled to a first propulsor, wherein the propulsor assembly is selectively powered by the first and second electric machines; a power bus coupled to the first electric machine and the second electric machine; and a controller operably coupled to the first power assembly, the first electric machine, or both and to the second power assembly, the second power assembly, or both, wherein, if a desired thrust output is within a second power assembly operating range, the second power assembly is activated, and if the desired thrust output is greater than the second power assembly operating range, the first power assembly is activated.

18 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 17 , wherein the desired thrust output is greater than the second power assembly operating range during a first operating condition, the first operating condition including a takeoff flight condition or a climb flight condition.

19 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 17 , further comprising:
an energy storage unit operably coupled with each of the first power assembly, the second power assembly, and the propulsor assembly.

20 . The hybrid propulsion system of claim 17 , wherein the propulsor assembly further comprises a second motor operably coupled to a second propulsor, wherein the first and the second propulsor assemblies are powered in parallel.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Murrow Kurt David
• Nunes Alexis Raquel

Classifications

• F02C9/28

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

• B64D27/24

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• B64D27/10

  of gas-turbine type  (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• F02C9/44

  responsive to the speed of aircraft, e.g. Mach number control, optimisation of fuel consumption · CPC title

• B64D27/02 Primary

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title