Power distribution system and load management protocol therefor
First Claim
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1. A power distribution system for an aircraft comprising:
- a gas turbine engine;
a controller in communication with said gas turbine engine; and
an aircraft load controller in communication with said gas turbine engine controller and a multitude of loads, one of said gas turbine engine controller and said aircraft load controller including an instruction set with a power source load capacity algorithm operable to selectively shed one or more of said loads, said power source load capacity algorithm defines a multitude of zones, said multitude of zones including a continuous load capacity zone;
a time controlled zone above said continuous load capacity zone; and
a fault zone above said time controlled zone, said continuous load capacity zone, said time controlled zone and said fault zone related to altitude.
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Abstract
An Auxiliary Power System includes an APU controller and an aircraft load controller which include an APU load capacity algorithm which provides an uncomplicated and robust method of APU load control. The APU load capacity algorithm defines three load zones: a continuous APU load capacity zone (zone A); a time controlled zone (zone B); and a fault zone (zone C). Each zone is related to altitude to the service ceiling of the APU to provides consistent APU load capacity that addresses APU performance variation and deterioration effects to an end of the APU useful life.
26 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A power distribution system for an aircraft comprising:
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a gas turbine engine; a controller in communication with said gas turbine engine; and an aircraft load controller in communication with said gas turbine engine controller and a multitude of loads, one of said gas turbine engine controller and said aircraft load controller including an instruction set with a power source load capacity algorithm operable to selectively shed one or more of said loads, said power source load capacity algorithm defines a multitude of zones, said multitude of zones including a continuous load capacity zone;
a time controlled zone above said continuous load capacity zone; and
a fault zone above said time controlled zone, said continuous load capacity zone, said time controlled zone and said fault zone related to altitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of controlling a power distribution system having a gas turbine engine comprising:
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(1) determining whether the gas turbine engine is operating within a predefined continuous load capacity zone; (2) determining whether the gas turbine engine is operating within a predefined frequent over-load zone above the predefined continuous load capacity zone for a predetermined time period; (3) relating the predefined continuous load capacity zone and the predefined frequent over-load zone relative to altitude; and (4) recording a duration of gas turbine engine operation which exceeds the predetermined time period of said step (2). - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling a power distribution system having a gas turbine engine comprising:
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(1) determining that the gas turbine engine is operating within a predefined continuous load capacity zone; (2) determining that the gas turbine engine is operating within a predefined frequent over-load zone above the predefined continuous load capacity zone; and (3) shedding a load in response to said step (2) such that the gas turbine engine operates in the predefined continuous load capacity zone, the predefined continuous load capacity zone and the predefined frequent over-load zone related to altitude. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification