Dual redundant motor/generator for an engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9653965-B2
Application number	US-201414575107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

An exemplary electrical system may include a power plant and a dual motor/generator assembly coupled to each other. The power plant may be a gas turbine engine, and may be operable to provide motive power. The dual motor/generator assembly may include a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft, and a gear box configured to couple the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant. The first motor/generator and the second motor/generator may be operable to selectively provide power to or extract power from the power plant. The dual motor/generator assembly may be configured such that the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator may operate together at part loads, or individually as a main and a redundant, backup to the other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system comprising:
a power plant operable to provide motive power and having at least one rotor shaft;
a dual motor/generator assembly having:
a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft;
a drive shaft coupled to the at least one rotor shaft and the common gear shaft; and
a gearbox configured to couple the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant; and

an energy storage system configured to receive power from at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator, and to provide power to at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator;
wherein at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator is operable to selectively provide power to the power plant and to extract power from the power plant.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the power plant is a gas turbine engine.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are substantially identical.

4. The electrical system of claim 3 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are mechanically timed such that the at least one of the respective phases, voltages, and harmonics are substantially synchronized.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the gear shaft is a bevel gear shaft.

6. A vehicle comprising:
a gas turbine engine having at least one rotor shaft;
a dual motor/generator assembly having:
a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft;
a drive shaft coupled to the at least one rotor shaft and the common gear shaft; and
a gearbox configured to couple the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the power plant; and

an energy storage system configured to receive power from at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator, and to provide power to at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator;
wherein at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator is operable to selectively provide power to the power plant and to extract power from the power plant.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are substantially identical.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are mechanically timed such that the at least one of the respective phases, voltages, and harmonics are substantially synchronized.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the gear shaft is a bevel gear shaft.

10. An electrical system comprising:
a first power plant and a second power plant, each operable to provide motive power;
a first dual motor/generator assembly coupled to the first power plant, and a second dual motor/generator assembly coupled to the second power plant, each dual motor/generator assembly having:
a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator operatively coupled to a common gear shaft; and
a gearbox configured to couple the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to the respective power plant; and

an energy storage system configured to receive power from at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator of the first and the second dual motor/generator assemblies, and to provide power to at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator;
wherein at least one of the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator is operable to selectively provide power to and extract power from the respective power plant; and
wherein the first dual motor/generator assembly is operable to provide power to be used by the second engine, and the second dual motor/generator assembly is operable to provide power to be used by the first engine.

11. The electrical system of claim 10 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator of the first dual motor/generator assembly are substantially identical, and the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator of the second dual motor/generator assembly are substantially identical.

12. The electrical system of claim 11 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator of the first dual motor/generator assembly are mechanically timed such that the at least one of the respective phases, voltages, and harmonics are substantially synchronized.

13. The electrical system of claim 11 , wherein the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator of the second dual motor/generator assembly are mechanically timed such that the at least one of the respective phases, voltages, and harmonics are substantially synchronized.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc
• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Klemen Donald
• Wilson Eric E
• Ross Christine A

Classifications

• H02J7/143

  with multiple generators · CPC title

• B60L2240/42

  related to electric machines · CPC title

• B60K2006/266

  with two coaxial motors or generators · CPC title

• B60L50/15

  with additional electric power supply (with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61) · CPC title

• B60L2200/10

  Air crafts · CPC title