Gas turbine engine and electrical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9601970-B2
Application number	US-201314135567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes an electrical system that includes a controller coupled to a first inverter/converter controller, a second inverter/converter controller, and a converter/controller that is coupled to an energy storage device. The system is configured to provide electrical power to a first electrical bus and a second electrical bus, from first and second electrical machines, under the direction of the controller. The converter controller is configured to control the amount of electrical power supplied to the first electrical bus and the second electrical bus from the energy storage system. The amount of electrical power received from the first electrical bus and the second electrical bus, and energy supplied to the energy storage system are under the direction of the controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbomachine, comprising:
a high pressure rotor;
a low pressure rotor; and
an electrical system configured to supply power to two electrical busses, the electrical system including:
a first controller configured to control operation of the turbomachine;
a second controller coupled to the first controller;
a first electrical machine in mechanical communication with the high pressure rotor;
a second electrical machine in mechanical communication with the low pressure rotor;
a first inverter-converter controller and a third inverter-converter controller, each coupled to both the second controller and the first electrical machine, wherein the first inverter-converter controller is coupled to, and is dedicated to, a first electrical bus of the two electrical busses and is configured to provide electrical power to the first electrical bus under direction from the second controller, and wherein the third inverter-converter controller is coupled to, and is dedicated to, a second electrical bus of the two electrical busses and is configured to provide electrical power to the second electrical bus under direction from the second controller;
a second inverter-converter controller and a fourth inverter-converter controller, each coupled to both the second controller and the second electrical machine, wherein the second inverter-converter controller is coupled to, and is dedicated to, the first electrical bus and is configured to provide electrical power to the first electrical bus under direction from the second controller, and wherein the fourth inverter-converter controller is coupled to, and is dedicated to, the second electrical bus and is configured to provide electrical power to the second electrical bus under direction from the second controller;
an energy storage system configured to supply power to and absorb power from the two electrical busses; and
a converter controller coupled to the energy storage system, the second controller and the two electrical busses, wherein the converter controller is configured to control an amount of electrical power supplied to the two electrical busses from the energy storage system under direction from the second controller, and configured to control an amount of electrical power received from the two electrical busses and supplied to the energy storage system under direction from the second controller;
wherein the first inverter-converter controller and the second inverter-converter controller are configured to provide electrical power to the first electrical bus in parallel under the direction of the second controller; and
wherein the third inverter-converter controller and the fourth inverter-converter controller are configured to provide electrical power to the second electrical bus in parallel under the direction of the second controller.

2. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical machine is a starter/generator.

3. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage system is configured to absorb transient loads on the two electrical busses.

4. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the second controller, the first electrical machine, the second electrical machine, the first inverter-converter controller, the second inverter-converter controller, the third inverter-converter controller, and the fourth inverter-converter controller are configured for variable power sharing.

5. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the electrical system is configured to regulate respective voltages of the two electrical busses.

6. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the electrical system is configured to transfer power between the high pressure rotor and the low pressure rotor.

7. The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage system is configured to supply power to the two electrical busses during high output operations of the turbomachine.

8. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a high pressure spool;
a low pressure spool;
a controller; and
a first electrical machine coupled to the low pressure spool and coupled to a first inverter-converter controller and a third inverter-converter controller, with the first inverter-converter controller being coupled to, and dedicated to, a first electrical bus and the third inverter-converter controller being coupled to, and dedicated to, a second electrical bus;
a second electrical machine coupled to the high pressure spool and coupled to a second inverter-converter controller and a fourth inverter-converter controller, with the second inverter-converter controller being coupled to, and dedicated to, the first electrical bus and the fourth inverter-converter controller being coupled to, and dedicated to, the second electrical bus;
an energy storage system configured to supply power to and absorb power from the first electrical bus and the second electrical bus; and
a converter controller coupled to the energy storage system, the controller, the first electrical bus, and the second electrical bus, wherein the converter controller is configured to control an amount of electrical power supplied to the first electrical bus and the second electrical bus from the energy storage system under direction from the controller, and to control an amount of electrical power received from the first electrical bus and from the second electrical bus and supplied to the energy storage system under direction from the controller;
wherein the first inverter-converter controller and the third inverter-converter controller are configured to provide electrical power in parallel to the first electrical bus under direction from the controller; and
wherein the second inverter-converter controller and the fourth inverter-converter controller are configured to provide electrical power in parallel to the second electrical bus under direction from the controller.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the first electrical machine, the second electrical machine and the energy storage system are configured to supply power simultaneously to the first and second electrical buses; wherein the energy storage system is configured to absorb transient loads from the first and second electrical buses; and wherein the energy storage system is configured to be charged by the first and second electrical buses.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second electrical machines is a starter/generator.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the energy storage system is configured to absorb transient loads on the first electrical bus and/or the second electrical bus.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the controller, the first electrical machine, the second electrical machine, the first inverter-converter controller, the second inverter-converter controller, the third inverter-converter controller, and the fourth inverter-converter controller are configured for variable power sharing.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the energy storage system is configured to supply power to the first electrical bus and the second electrical bus during high thrust operations of the gas turbine engine.

14. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a high pressure spool;
a low pressure spool; and
an electrical system configured to supply power in parallel to a first electrical bus and a second electrical bus, the electrical system including:
a first controller configured to control operation of the gas turbine engine;
a second controller coupled to the first controller;
a first electrical machine in mechanical communication with the high pressure spool;
a second electrical machine in mechanical comm

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc
• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• French Mat
• Alt John T
• Blackwelder Mark J

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• F02N11/0862

  characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery · CPC title

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title

• F05B2220/706

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• H02J1/102

  being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) · CPC title