AC/AC power converter for aircraft
First Claim
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1. An electric power circuit for converting variable or constant frequency power in an aircraft, comprising:
- a starter/generator of the aircraft;
two bidirectional AC/AC matrix converters selectively coupled together in parallel with contactors to receive power flow from a power supply in a forward direction, said matrix converters delivering controlled frequency power to the starter/generator to operate said starter/generator as a starter;
the contactors providing for selective decoupling of the two matrix converters; and
the two decoupled matrix converters simultaneously receive power flow from the starter/generator operating as a generator providing power in a reverse direction, with one matrix converter delivering constant frequency power for constant frequency electrical loads in the aircraft and the other matrix converter delivering controlled, variable frequency power for controlled, variable frequency electrical loads in the aircraft.
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Abstract
A matrix converter circuit having two AC/AC matrix converters coupled in parallel in a first mode to power a starter and decoupled in a second mode to each power separate functions used in aircraft power applications. Three common functional modes include 1) start mode with two matrix converters operating in parallel powering the starter, 2) a motor mode where one matrix converter powers a motor, and 3) a constant frequency power mode where the other matrix converter provides constant frequency AC power.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An electric power circuit for converting variable or constant frequency power in an aircraft, comprising:
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a starter/generator of the aircraft; two bidirectional AC/AC matrix converters selectively coupled together in parallel with contactors to receive power flow from a power supply in a forward direction, said matrix converters delivering controlled frequency power to the starter/generator to operate said starter/generator as a starter; the contactors providing for selective decoupling of the two matrix converters; and the two decoupled matrix converters simultaneously receive power flow from the starter/generator operating as a generator providing power in a reverse direction, with one matrix converter delivering constant frequency power for constant frequency electrical loads in the aircraft and the other matrix converter delivering controlled, variable frequency power for controlled, variable frequency electrical loads in the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A matrix converter circuit producing power in an aircraft, comprising:
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a starter/generator of the aircraft; a first bidirectional matrix converter for providing AC/AC conversion of variable or constant frequency power delivered by the starter/generator functioning as a generator in a first mode to deliver constant frequency power for first electrical loads of the aircraft; a second bidirectional matrix converter, acting simultaneously with the first matrix converter, for providing AC/AC conversion of variable or constant frequency power delivered by said starter/generator functioning as a generator in a first mode to deliver controlled frequency power for second loads of the aircraft; the first and second matrix converter for providing AC/AC conversion of power from an external power supply in a second mode to deliver controlled frequency power to said starter/generator functioning as a starter, the first and second matrix converter coupled in parallel to deliver said power; and wherein the AC/AC conversion does not comprise AC/DC conversion or DC/AC conversion. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification