Aircraft Electric Motor System

• US 20150115108A1
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Benson, Christopher Pete, Quadracci, Leonard J., Cameron, Douglas C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,267,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/53.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• 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 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling an electric aircraft is presented. An apparatus comprises a controller. The controller is configured to identify a state for an electric aircraft. The controller is further configured to identify a group of recharging parameters for a group of electric motors in an electric propulsion system. The electric propulsion system is configured to move the electric aircraft based on the state for the group of electric motors for the electric aircraft. The controller is still further configured to recharge a power source for the electric aircraft using the group of recharging parameters to control recharging of the power source with the group of electric motors when a recharge state is present for the electric aircraft.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to identify a state for an electric aircraft;

identify a group of recharging parameters for a group of electric motors in an electric propulsion system configured to move the electric aircraft based on the state for the group of electric motors for the electric aircraft; and

recharge a power source for the electric aircraft using the group of recharging parameters to control recharging of the power source with the group of electric motors when a recharge state is present for the electric aircraft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the group of recharging parameters includes at least one of a total current to the power source, a current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors, or a voltage for the electric motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the total current is less than or equal to a maximum current for the power source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the group of recharging parameters comprises a current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors and wherein the controller is configured to control a duty cycle of the current generated by the electric motor to control the current.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to identify recharging parameters in the group of recharging parameters for the group of electric motors in response to an event when the electric aircraft is in the recharge state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the event is selected from at least one of the electric aircraft entering the recharge state, an expiration of a period of time, or a change in the group of electric motors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state for the electric aircraft is selected from one of an operating state and the recharge state.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is an impulse width modulation controller.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric aircraft is selected from one of an airplane, a helicopter, a rotorcraft, a quadcopter, and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source is selected from one of a battery system and a fuel cell.

11. An electric aircraft comprising:

an airframe;

a group of propellers;

a group of electric motors physically associated with the airframe and configured to turn the group of propellers and move the airframe;

a power source connected to the group of electric motors such that a current flows between the power source and the group of electric motors; and

a controller configured to identify a state for the group of electric motors;

identify a group of recharging parameters for the group of electric motors when the state is a recharge state present for the electric aircraft; and

recharge the power source using the group of recharging parameters to control recharging of the power source with the group of electric motors when the recharge state is present for the electric aircraft.

12. The electric aircraft of claim 11, wherein the group of recharging parameters includes at least one of a total current to the power source, the current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors, or a voltage for the electric motor.

13. The electric aircraft of claim 12, wherein the power source is a battery system and the total current is less than or equal to a maximum current for the battery system.

14. The electric aircraft of claim 11, wherein the group of recharging parameters comprises the current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors and wherein the controller is configured to control a duty cycle of the current generated by the electric motor to control the current.

15. The electric aircraft of claim 11, wherein the group of propellers comprises four sets of propellers and the group of electric motors comprises four electric motors.

16. A method for controlling an electric aircraft, the method comprising:

identifying a state for the electric aircraft;

identifying a group of recharging parameters for a group of electric motors when the state is a recharge state and is present for the electric aircraft, wherein the group of electric motors is configured to move the electric aircraft; and

recharging a power source for the electric aircraft using the group of recharging parameters to control recharging of the power source with the group of electric motors when the recharge state is present for the electric aircraft.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the group of recharging parameters includes at least one of a total current to the power source, a current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors, or a voltage for the electric motor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the total current is less than or equal to a maximum current for the power source.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the group of recharging parameters comprises a current from an electric motor in the group of electric motors and further comprising:

controlling a duty cycle of the current generated by the electric motor to control the current.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the power source is selected from one of a battery system and a fuel cell and wherein the controller is configured to identify the recharging parameters in the group of recharging parameters for the group of electric motors in response to an event when the electric aircraft is in the recharge state.