HYBRID CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20110213507A1
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Dooley, Kevin Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/287
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/42 for obtaining a characteristic which is both proportional and time-dependent, e.g. P. I., P. I. D.
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/02 electric

Abstract

A hybrid control system for controlling an electric machine coupled to a gas turbine engine is provided. The control system comprises: a primary analog control loop including an analog controller for controlling the electric machine based on a set point and a measured output of the electric machine; and a digital controller of the turbine engine operationally connected to the primary analog control loop to adjust at least one control parameter associated with the analog controller.

Claims

1. A hybrid control system for controlling an electric machine coupled to a gas turbine engine, the control system comprising:

a primary analog control loop including an analog controller for controlling the electric machine based on a set point and a measured output of the electric machine; and

a digital controller of the turbine engine operationally connected to the primary analog control loop to adjust at least one control parameter associated with the analog controller.

2. The control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with at least one of a proportional function, an integral function and a derivative function.

3. The control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the digital controller is configured to supply the set point to the primary analog control loop.

4. The control system as defined in claim 3, wherein the digital controller comprises a microprocessor.

5. The control system as defined in claim 3, wherein the digital controller is connected to the analog control loop to receive a signal representative of the measured output of the electric machine.

6. The control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one control parameter comprises at least one of a gain associated with a proportional function, a gain associated with an integral function and a gain associated with a derivative function.

7. The control system as defined in claim 6, wherein the digital controller is connected to the analog control loop to receive a signal representative of the measured output of the electric machine.

8. The control system as defined in claim 7, wherein the digital controller is connected to the analog control loop to receive a demand signal.

9. The control system as defined in claim 8, wherein the digital controller is configured to supply the set point to the primary analog control loop.

10. A method for the analog control of an electric generator coupled to a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

controlling an output of the generator based on a set point, a measured output of the generator and at least one control parameter; and

adjusting the at least one control parameter based on a digitally derived signal.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with at least one of a proportional function, an integral function and a derivative function.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the digitally derived signal is derived based on the set point and the measured output of the generator.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the digitally derived signal is derived based on a demand signal supplied to the generator.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with at least one of a proportional function, an integral function and a derivative function.

15. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with a frequency response.

16. A control system for controlling an electric generator coupled to a gas turbine engine, the control system comprising:

a primary analog means for controlling the machine based on a set point and a measured output of the generator; and

a digital control means of the gas turbine engine connected to the primary analog means, the digital control means being configured to supervise the operation of the primary analog means.

17. The control system as defined in claim 16, wherein the digital control means is configured to modify at least one control parameter within the primary analog means.

18. The control system as defined in claim 17, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with at least one of a proportional function, an integral function and a derivative function.

19. The control system as defined in claim 17, wherein the at least one control parameter is associated with a frequency response.

20. The control system as defined in claim 16, wherein the digital control means comprises a full authority digital engine controller.