Control system for a dual redundant motor/generator and engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561763-B2
Application number	US-201414574891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

An exemplary electrical system may include a power plant operable to provide motive power, and a first and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft, and to the power plant via a gearbox and drive shaft. The exemplary electrical system may further include a system controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator in one of a motor operating mode and a generator operating mode based on at least one parameter. The at least one parameter may be, but is not limited to, vibration and torque. In the motor operating mode, the first and/or second motor/generator provides power to the power plant. In the generator operating mode, the first and/or the second motor/generator extracts power from the power plant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system comprising:
a power plant operable to provide motive power;
a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft, and to the power plant via a gearbox and drive shaft; and
a system controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator in one of a motor operating mode and a generator operating mode based on at least one parameter, and to alter the operating mode when the at least one parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold;
wherein at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator provides power to the power plant in the motor operating mode, and extracts power from the power plant in the generator operating mode;
wherein the at least one parameter includes a temperature of at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor in communication with the system controller, the at least one sensor being able to measure the at least one parameter.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage system configured to receive power from at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator, and to transmit power to at least one of the first motor/generator, the second motor/generator, and at least one load.

4. The electrical system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one parameter further includes at least one of vibration of at least one of the power plant, the first motor/generator, and the second motor/generator, and torque generated by the power plant.

5. The electrical system of claim 4 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from the energy storage system to at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator when at least one of the vibration and the torque exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The electrical system of claim 5 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the other of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the at least one load.

7. The electrical system of claim 5 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from both the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the energy storage device to the at least one load.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter further includes a temperature of the power plant.

9. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the system controller is further configured to redistribute power from one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the other of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator when the one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator has a temperature that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. A control system for operating a power plant coupled to a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator, the control system comprising:
at least one system controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator in one of a motor operating mode and a generator operating mode based on at least one parameter, and to alter the operating mode when the at least one parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
at least one sensor in communication with the at least one system controller, the at least one sensor being able to measure the at least one parameter;
wherein at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator provides power to the power plant in the motor operating mode, and extracts power from the power plant in the generator operating mode;
wherein the at least one parameter includes a temperature of at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator.

11. The control system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one sensor in communication with the system controller, the at least one sensor being able to measure the at least one parameter.

12. The control system of claim 10 , further comprising an energy storage system configured to receive power from at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator, and to transmit power to at least one of the first motor/generator, the second motor/generator, and at least one load.

13. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one parameter further includes at least one of vibration of at least one of the power plant, the first motor/generator, and the second motor/generator, and torque generated by the power plant.

14. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from the energy storage system to at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator when at least one of the vibration and the torque exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The control system of claim 14 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the other of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the at least one load.

16. The control system of claim 14 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from both the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the energy storage device to the at least one load.

17. A process comprising:
operating, by at least one system controller at least one of a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator in a generator operating mode in which the at least one of a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator extracts power from a power plant;
determining, by the at least one system controller, if at least one parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
if the at least one parameter exceeds the predetermined threshold, then altering from one of the generating operating mode and the motor operating mode to the other of the generating operating mode and the motor operating mode;
wherein the at least one parameter includes a temperature of at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator.

18. The process of claim 17 , further comprising measuring, by at least one sensor, the at least one parameter, and transmitting the measurement to the at least one system controller prior to determining if the at least one parameter exceeds the predetermined threshold.

19. The process of claim 17 , further comprising transmitting, by the system controller, transmitting power from one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the other of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the at least one load.

20. The process of claim 17 , wherein the system controller is further configured to transmit power from both the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant, and from the energy storage device to the at least one load.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc
• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Klemen Donald
• Wilson Eric E
• Ross Christine A

Classifications

• H02P5/747

  mechanically coupled by gearing · CPC title

• H02P5/69

  mechanically coupled by gearing · CPC title

• B60R16/03 Primary

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• H02P5/60 Primary

  controlling combinations of DC and AC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46 takes precedence) · CPC title