METHOD FOR RATIONALISING A CHAIN OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF AN AIRCRAFT, IMPLEMENTATION ARCHITECTURE AND CORRESPONDING AIRCRAFT

• US 20140084677A1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Helicopter Engines
• Original Assignee: Turbomeca
• Inventors: Haillot, Jean-Michel
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/50 for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A chain of components for transmitting electric power of an aircraft includes an auxiliary power unit (APU), main engines and end consumer systems via power networks and electronic connections controlled by a unit. The APU supplies power to a shaft by a connection to at least one energy converter unit, via a transmission unit, each converter unit comprising only one convertible electromechanical component. The transmission of power is effected by a direct connection to the transmission unit and to the end consumer system. The connection between a converter unit and the APU is provided by connecting the shaft of the APU to the shaft of the starter/generator (SG) via a directional transmission of power operating in one direction only from the shaft of the APU to the shaft of the SG.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method for rationalising a chain of components for transmission of electrical energy of an aircraft comprising an auxiliary power unit APU, main engines and systems that are end consumers of electrical, pneumatic and/or hydraulic energy, comprising:

providing, via the APU, mechanical power delivered to a power shaft by connection to at least one energy converter unit via a power transmission unit, each converter unit having only one convertible electromechanical starter/generator SG and an associated energy converter; and

transmitting electrical power from the converter unit or each converter unit by direct connection, firstly, to the transmission unit and, secondly, to the dedicated end system.

17. The method for rationalising according to claim 16, in which the connection between the converter unit and the APU is made by connecting the power shaft of the APU to the shaft of the starter/generator SG via a directional transmission of power operating in one direction only running from the drive shaft of the APU to the shaft of the SG, the transmission being free or without communication of drive in the other direction.

18. The method for rationalising according to claim 16, in which the SG or one of the SGs is configured to operate in motor mode during the APU starting phase, and then to drive the APU via a directional transmission of power running from the SG to the APU.

19. The method for rationalising according to claim 18, in which the SG then operating in motor mode is removably connected to the power shaft of the APU in such a way that the associated energy converter is not driven during the APU starting phase.

20. The method for rationalising according to claim 16, in which a turbine for the recovery of energy, by heat exchange at the outlet of hot gases emerging from pneumatic equipment and/or the main engines, drives at least partially a converter unit by connection in the power transmission unit via at least one directional transmission of power running from the recovery turbine to the converter unit.

21. The method for rationalising according to claim 16, in which the SG or one of the converter units is dedicated to taxiing by the supply of electrical energy in combination with a landing gear motor of the aircraft and the other [converter] unit is dedicated to supplying energy in accordance with the requirements of the aircraft, the unit dedicated to taxiing being configured to operate in generator mode in conjunction with the power shaft of the APU in accordance with the traction requirement of said motor unit, and in motor mode to drive the associated energy converter when the landing gear motor unit is converted to generator mode during the braking phases.

22. The method for rationalising according to claim 16, in which an additional SG is dedicated to taxiing and connected to the shaft of the APU in the transmission unit in order to be driven by this shaft and to operate in generator mode in accordance with the traction requirement of the landing gear motor unit, and to operate in motor mode to drive the shaft of the APU which is itself in motor mode when the landing gear motor unit is converted to generator mode during the braking phases.