Wild frequency avionic refrigeration system and controller therefor

• US 7,721,564 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Rizzo, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman; Marc E
• Application Number:
  US11/603,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 621/34, 621/80, 622/281, 62D/IG.5, 363/39, 318/400.42, 318/767, 318/803
• US Class Current: 62/228.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/025 by controlling speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/111 of condenser fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 62/05 Aircraft cooling

Abstract

A wild frequency avionic refrigeration system and a controller therefore are provided. One embodiment of the refrigeration system includes: a refrigeration LRU including a vapor cycle system with a brushless DC compressor motor, a brushless DC condenser motor, a brushless DC evaporator motor and a plurality of sensors configured to output operating parameter data relative to the vapor cycle system; a power module configured to convert a wild frequency AC input voltage to at least one DC output voltage; a motor control module in communication with the brushless DC compressor, condenser and evaporator motors; and a processing module in communication with the plurality of sensors and the motor control module, wherein the processing module, according to the operating parameter data, outputs control signals to the motor control module for independently driving the brushless DC compressor, condenser and evaporator motors.

Claims

1. A wild frequency avionic galley refrigeration system chiller unit comprising:

a housing including a cavity configured to store comestible items, and a door coupled with the housing, the door being movable between a closed orientation for sealing the cavity and an open orientation for accessing or disposing comestible items in the cavity;

a vapor cycle system disposed in the housing for chilling comestible items in the cavity, the vapor cycle system including a brushless DC compressor motor, a brushless DC condenser motor, a brushless DC evaporator motor and a plurality of sensors configured to output operating parameter data relative to the cavity and the vapor cycle system;

a power module disposed in the housing, the power module configured to convert a wild frequency AC input voltage to at least one DC output voltage;

a motor control module disposed in the housing, the motor control module being in communication with the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor; and

a processing module disposed le being in communication with the plurality of sensors and the motor control module, wherein the processing module, according to the operating parameter data, outputs control signals to the motor control module for independently driving the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

2. The system wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 1 wherein the power module comprises:

a three phase 15-pulse transformer; and

a 15-pulse rectifier.

3. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 2 wherein the power module further comprises a power protection module including:

a voltage sensor module configured to detect at least one of an interruption of the wild frequency AC input voltage, an over-voltage transient of the wild frequency AC input voltage, and an under-voltage of the DC output voltage;

at least one switch in communication with the voltage sensor module, the at least one switch configured to interrupt the wild frequency AC input voltage and the DC output voltage.

4. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 3 wherein the at least one switch comprises:

a three phase, normally closed AC relay interposed between the three phase 15-pulse transformer and a wild frequency AC source; and

a MOSFET interposed between the 15-pulse rectifier and the motor control module.

5. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 1 wherein the motor control module comprises:

a back EMF sensor module configured to output a rotor position signal for at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor;

a commutation module in communication with the back EMF sensor module and the processing module, the commutation module configured to output a PWM signal according to the control signals from the processing module and the rotor position signal; and

a three phase inverter module in communication with the commutation module, the three phase inverter module configured to drive, according to the PWM signal, at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

6. The system wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 5 wherein the three phase inverter module comprises:

a first switching assembly for driving a first phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor;

a second switching assembly for driving a second phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor; and

a third switching assembly for driving a third phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

7. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 6 wherein each of the first, second and third switching assemblies comprises an IGBT half-bridge.

8. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 5 wherein the motor control module further comprises a temperature sensing module configured to prevent overheating of the motor control module.

9. The wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit of claim 8 wherein the temperature sensing module comprises a thermistor in communication with the commutation module.

10. A controller for a wild frequency avionic galley chiller unit including a housing with a cavity configured to store comestible items, a vapor cycle system for chilling comestible items in the cavity, the vapor cycle system having a brushless DC compressor motor, a brushless DC condenser motor, a brushless DC evaporator motor and a plurality of sensors configured to output operating parameter data relative to the vapor cycle system, the controller comprising:

a power module disposed in the housing, the power module being configured to convert a wild frequency AC input voltage to at least one DC output voltage;

a motor control module disposed in the housing the motor control module being in communication with the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor; and

a processing module disposed in the housing, the processing module being in communication with the plurality of sensors and the motor control module, wherein the processing module, according to the operating parameter data, outputs control signals to the motor control module for independently driving the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

11. The controller of claim 10 wherein the power module comprises:

a three phase 15-pulse transformer; and

a 15-pulse rectifier.

12. The controller of claim 11 wherein the power module further comprises a power protection module including:

a voltage sensor module configured to detect at least one of an interruption of the wild frequency AC input voltage, an over-voltage transient of the wild frequency AC input voltage, and an under-voltage of the DC output voltage;

at least one switch in communication with the voltage sensor module, the at least one switch configured to interrupt the wild frequency AC input voltage and the DC output voltage.

13. The controller of claim 12 wherein the at least one switch comprises:

a three phase, normally closed AC relay interposed between the three phase 15-pulse transformer and a wild frequency AC source; and

a MOSFET interposed between the 15-pulse rectifier and the motor control module.

14. The controller of claim 10 wherein the motor control module comprises:

a back EMF sensor module configured to output a rotor position signal for at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor;

a commutation module in communication with the back EMF sensor module and the processing module, the commutation module configured to output a PWM signal according to the control signals from the processing module and the rotor position signal; and

a three phase inverter module in communication with the commutation module, the three phase inverter module configured to drive, according to the PWM signal, at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

15. The controller of claim 14 wherein the three phase inverter module comprises:

a first switching assembly for driving a first phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor;

a second switching assembly for driving a second phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor; and

a third switching assembly for driving a third phase of at least one of the brushless DC compressor motor, the brushless DC condenser motor and the brushless DC evaporator motor.

16. The controller of claim 15 wherein each of the first, second and third switching assemblies comprises an IGBT half-bridge.

17. The controller of claim 14 wherein the motor control module further comprises a temperature sensing module configured to prevent overheating of the motor control module.

18. The controller of claim 17 wherein the temperature sensing module comprises a thermistor in communication with the commutation module.