INDEPENDENT POWER GENERATION IN AIRCRAFT

• US 20150014479A1
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bayliss, Andrew J., Retz, Kevin, Paterson, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/58
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/00 Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space , or structural parts of the aircraft treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes A61G10/02; respiratory apparatus in general A62B; for vehicles in general B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/06 the air being conditioned pressurising B64D13/02
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0603 Environmental Control Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0644 including electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2041/002 Mounting arrangements for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2041/005 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/04 Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/20 Emptying systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/007 Ram air turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method includes generating thrust at one or more engines of an aircraft. The method includes generating first electricity at a first power unit concurrently with generating second electricity at a second power unit. The first power unit and the second power unit are independent of the one or more engines of the aircraft. The first electricity has a first set of electrical characteristics and the second electricity has a second set of electrical characteristics, where the first set of electrical characteristics is different than the second set of electrical characteristics.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating thrust at one or more engines of an aircraft;

generating first electricity at a first power unit that is independent of the one or more engines of the aircraft, the first electricity having a first set of electrical characteristics;

concurrently with generating the first electricity, generating second electricity at a second power unit that is independent of the one or more engines of the aircraft, the second electricity having a second set of electrical characteristics, wherein the first set of electrical characteristics is different than the second set of electrical characteristics; and

receiving the first electricity at an environmental control system (ECS) of the aircraft, wherein, during flight, the ECS is electrically and pneumatically isolated from the one or more engines.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before generating thrust at the one or more engines of the aircraft, starting the one or more engines of the aircraft using the first electricity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, during flight, the first power unit generates the first electricity independent of the one or more engines of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, during flight, the second power unit generates the second electricity independent of the one or more engines of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electricity includes direct current and wherein the second electricity includes alternating current.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power unit includes a first generator and wherein the second power unit includes a second generator that is different than the first generator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first power unit generates the first electricity using a first fuel, wherein the second power unit generates the second electricity using a second fuel, wherein the first power unit receives the first fuel from a first fuel source, wherein the second power unit receives the second fuel from a second fuel source that is distinct from the first fuel source, wherein the one or more engines generate the thrust using a third fuel, and wherein the one or more engines receive the third fuel from a third fuel source that is different from the first fuel source and the second fuel source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power unit includes a fuel cell.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power unit includes a fuel cell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power unit includes a gas turbine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power unit includes a gas turbine.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electricity is provided from the first power unit to a first powered system, wherein the second electricity is provided to a second powered system, wherein the first powered system is associated with a first set of power requirements, wherein the second powered system is associated with a second set of power requirements, wherein the first set of power requirements include the first set of electrical characteristics, and wherein the second set of power requirements include the second set of electrical characteristics.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating conditioned air at the ECS using the first electricity; and

providing the conditioned air to at least a portion of a fuselage of the aircraft.

14. A system comprising:

at least one engine configured to generate thrust;

a first power unit configured to generate first electricity independent of the at least one engine, wherein the first electricity has a first set of electrical characteristics;

a second power unit configured to generate second electricity independent of the at least one engine, wherein the second electricity has a second set of electrical characteristics that is different than the first set of electrical characteristics; and

an environmental control system (ECS) configured to receive the first electricity from the first power unit, wherein, during operation, the ECS is electrically and pneumatically isolated from the at least one engine.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one engine is housed in at least one engine nacelle, and wherein no power derived from the at least one engine is routed to operate systems outside the engine nacelle.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first powered system having a first set of power requirements; and

a second powered system having a second set of power requirement,

wherein the first set of power requirements corresponds to the first set of electrical characteristics, and wherein the second set of power requirements corresponds to the second set of electrical characteristics.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one power conversion device configured to generate the second electricity using at least a portion of the first electricity in response to a failure of the second power unit, wherein the second electricity generated by the at least one power conversion device has the second set of electrical characteristics.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first power unit generates the first electricity concurrently with the second power unit generating the second electricity.

19. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

one or more wings;

at least one engine configured to generate thrust;

a first power unit configured to generate first electricity independent of the at least one engine, wherein the first electricity has a first set of electrical characteristics;

a second power unit configured to generate second electricity independent of the at least one engine, wherein the second electricity has a second set of electrical characteristics that is different than the first set of electrical characteristics; and

an environmental control system (ECS) configured to receive the first electricity from the first power unit, wherein, during flight, the ECS is electrically and pneumatically isolated from the at least one engine.

20. The aircraft of claim 19, wherein the ECS is further configured to:

generate conditioned air using the first electricity; and

provide the conditioned air to at least a portion of the fuselage.