Buck/boost method of voltage regulation for a permanent magnet generator (PMG)

• US 7,408,327 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Shah, Mahesh J., Seffernick, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO CESAR
• Application Number:
  US11/788,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 322/59, 322/46, 322/44, 322/25, 310/191
• US Class Current: 322/46
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/30 for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/09 Boost converter, i.e. DC-DC step up converter increasing the voltage between the supply and the inverter driving the motor general aspects of plural converters in cascade H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/11 Buck converter, i.e. DC-DC step down converter decreasing the voltage between the supply and the inverter driving the motor general aspects of plural converters in cascade H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/48 Arrangements for obtaining a constant output value at varying speed of the generator, e.g. on vehicle H02P9/04 - H02P9/46 take precedence

Abstract

The output voltage generated by permanent magnet generator (PMG) is regulated by controlling a buck/boost voltage applied to selected sub-coils within the PMG. The PMG includes a number of stator coils that are each divided into a number of sub-coils. A buck/boost voltage source generates a buck/boost voltage, and a controller connected to monitor the output voltage generated by the PMG selectively applies the buck/boost voltage to selected sub-coils based on the monitored output voltage. In this way, the controller is able to regulate the output voltage by selectively controlling the buck/boost voltage applied to the selected sub-coils.

Claims

1. A permanent magnet generator (PMG) system for regulating an output voltage, the system comprising:

a permanent magnet generator (PMG), comprising;

a rotor;

a stator having stator teeth; and

stator coils wrapped around the stator teeth and divided into sub-coils, wherein a first set of sub-coils is connected in series to generate the output voltage;

a buck/boost voltage source for producing a buck/boost voltage; and

a controller connected to monitor the output voltage and to apply the buck/boost voltage to selected sub-coils not connected to the first set of sub-coils based on the monitored output voltage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the buck/boost voltage to be applied in phase with the output voltage to increase the output voltage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the buck/boost voltage to be applied 180 degrees out of phase with the output voltage to decrease the output voltage.

4. The system of claim 1, including:

switches connected to the sub-coils and controlled by the controller to allow the sub-coils to be connected in a plurality of different configurations to control the output voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-coils within each of the stator coils include a number of turns, each sub-coil within one of the stator coils having a different number of turns.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the buck/boost voltage source generates the buck/boost voltage at a frequency equal to a frequency of the output voltage.

7. A permanent magnet generator system, the system comprising:

a permanent magnet generator that includes a number of stator coils divided into sub-coils, wherein selected sub-coils are connected to generate an output voltage; and

a controller connected to monitor the output voltage generated by the PMG and to apply a buck/boost voltage to sub-coils that are not connected to generate the output voltage to either increase or decrease the output voltage based on the monitored output voltage.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller applies a buck/boost voltage in phase with the monitored output voltage if the monitored output voltage is below a desired level.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller applies a buck/boost voltage 180 degrees out of phase with the monitored output voltage if the monitored output voltage is above a desired level.

10. The system of claim 7, further including:

a plurality of switches within a switch array that are controlled by the controller to selectively connect the sub-coils together in one of a plurality of configurations based on the monitored output voltage.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller controls the plurality of switches to connect selected sub-coils in series with the sub-coils connected to generate the output voltage.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller applies a buck/boost voltage, to selected sub-coils that are not connected to generate the output voltage within a particular configuration to either increase or decrease the output voltage.