Starting of aircraft engine

• US 9,267,438 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Dooley, Kevin Allan, Morgan, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Goyal, Arun
• Application Number:
  US13/270,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 607/78, 607/86, 607/88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/08 characterised by the transmission being driven by a plurality of power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/26 Starting; Ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/266 Electric sparking plugs H01T
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/268 Starting drives for the rotor , acting directly on the rotor of the gas turbine to be started
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/006 using a plurality of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/329 in helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/74 a gas turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/42 Storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A multi-engine system 10 for use on an aircraft 14 is disclosed. The system 10 may comprise a first aircraft engine 16A and a second aircraft engine 16B configured to drive at least one device 12 of the aircraft 14. A starter 20 may be coupled to one of the first and second aircraft engines 16A, 16B to assist starting of the one of the first and second aircraft engines 16A, 16B. An energy source 24 may be configured to deliver energy to the starter 20 at a rapid rate during rapid starting of the one of the first and the second aircraft engines 16A, 16B, the rapid rate being higher than a regular rate used during regular starting of the one of the first and the second aircraft engines 16A, 16B. The energy source 24 may comprise at least one supercapacitor.

Claims

1. A system for rapidly starting an engine of a multi-engine aircraft, the system comprising:

a first engine and a second engine operatively coupled to a rotor of the aircraft;

an energy source comprising at least one supercapacitor; and

a starter-generator in driving engagement with the first engine during regular starting of the first engine at a regular rate, in charging engagement with the energy source during operation of the first engine, and in driving engagement with the second engine during rapid starting of the second engine using the enemy source at a rapid rate higher than the regular rate.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the multi-engine aircraft is a twin-engine helicopter.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises at least one double-layer capacitor.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rapid rate of energy delivery is at least double the regular rate of energy delivery.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rapid rate of energy delivery is at least six times the regular rate of energy delivery.

6. A method for driving a device on an aircraft using a multi-engine system comprising at least a first engine and a second engine, the method comprising:

using the first engine to drive the device while the second engine is in a shut-down state;

charging an energy source comprising at least one supercapacitor using a starter-generator in driving engagement with the first engine during regular starting of the first engine at a regular rate and in charging engagement with the energy source during operation of the first engine while the second engine is in a shut-down state;

rapidly starting the second engine using the starter-generator, by delivering energy from the energy source to the starter-generator at a rapid delivery rate higher than the regular rate used for the regular starting of the first engine; and

using the second engine to drive the device.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the rapid delivery rate of energy delivery is at least double the regular rate of energy delivery.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the rapidly starting the second engine includes:

increasing a compressor speed of the second engine to an optimum light-off speed; and

once lit, further increasing the compressor speed to assist in reaching a desired power level of the second engine.

9. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the energy source comprises at least one double-layer capacitor.

10. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the rapidly starting of the second engine is done upon detection of an emergency condition.

11. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the rapidly starting of the second engine is done upon detection of a performance degradation of the first engine.

12. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the rapidly starting of the second engine is done upon detection of a failure of the first engine.