Brushless starter-generator with independently controllable exciter field
First Claim
1. A starter-generator, comprising:
- a multi-phase exciter stator having a plurality of exciter stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof, generate a rotating exciter stator electromagnetic flux;
a rotationally mounted multi-phase exciter rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase exciter stator, the multi-phase exciter rotor having a plurality of exciter rotor windings wound thereon that, upon excitation thereof with the rotating exciter stator electromagnetic exciter flux, have non-rectified excitation currents induced therein;
a multi-phase main stator having a plurality of main stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof from a main AC power source, generate a rotating main stator electromagnetic flux;
a rotationally mounted multi-phase main rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase main stator and mechanically coupled to the exciter rotor, the multi-phase main rotor having a plurality of main rotor windings wound thereon that are electrically connected to receive the non-rectified excitation currents induced in the exciter rotor windings and that, upon excitation thereof with the main stator rotating electromagnetic flux and in response to the non-rectified excitation currents supplied thereto, have currents induced therein that generate a main rotor torque to thereby cause the multi-phase main rotor and the multi-phase exciter rotor to rotate; and
an exciter controller electrically coupled to at least the exciter stator windings and configured to selectively supply the electrical excitation thereto, to thereby selectively control the generated main rotor torque.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A starter-generator system supplies a controllable torque to a gas turbine engine, to thereby assist in starting the gas turbine engine, by independently controlling excitation frequency and/or voltage magnitude. The starter-generator includes a multi-phase exciter stator, a rotationally mounted multi-phase exciter rotor, a multi-phase main stator, a rotationally mounted multi-phase main rotor, and an exciter controller. The rotationally mounted multi-phase exciter rotor has a plurality of exciter rotor windings wound thereon that, upon excitation thereof with a rotating electromagnetic exciter flux generated by the exciter stator, have non-rectified excitation currents induced therein. The rotationally mounted multi-phase main rotor has a plurality of main rotor windings wound thereon that are electrically connected to receive the non-rectified excitation currents induced in the exciter rotor windings and that, upon excitation thereof with a rotating electromagnetic flux and in response to the non-rectified excitation currents supplied thereto, have currents induced therein that generate a main rotor torque to thereby cause the multi-phase main rotor and the multi-phase exciter rotor to rotate. The exciter controller is electrically coupled to at least the exciter stator and is configured to selectively supply the electrical excitation thereto, to thereby selectively control the generated main rotor torque.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A starter-generator, comprising:
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a multi-phase exciter stator having a plurality of exciter stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof, generate a rotating exciter stator electromagnetic flux;
a rotationally mounted multi-phase exciter rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase exciter stator, the multi-phase exciter rotor having a plurality of exciter rotor windings wound thereon that, upon excitation thereof with the rotating exciter stator electromagnetic exciter flux, have non-rectified excitation currents induced therein;
a multi-phase main stator having a plurality of main stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof from a main AC power source, generate a rotating main stator electromagnetic flux;
a rotationally mounted multi-phase main rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase main stator and mechanically coupled to the exciter rotor, the multi-phase main rotor having a plurality of main rotor windings wound thereon that are electrically connected to receive the non-rectified excitation currents induced in the exciter rotor windings and that, upon excitation thereof with the main stator rotating electromagnetic flux and in response to the non-rectified excitation currents supplied thereto, have currents induced therein that generate a main rotor torque to thereby cause the multi-phase main rotor and the multi-phase exciter rotor to rotate; and
an exciter controller electrically coupled to at least the exciter stator windings and configured to selectively supply the electrical excitation thereto, to thereby selectively control the generated main rotor torque. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A starter-generator, comprising:
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a housing;
a shaft rotationally mounted within the housing and configured to rotate;
a multi-phase exciter stator mounted within the housing and having a plurality of exciter stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof, generate a rotating exciter stator electromagnetic flux;
multi-phase exciter rotor mounted on the shaft and disposed at least partially within the multi-phase exciter stator, the multi-phase exciter rotor having a plurality of exciter rotor windings wound thereon that, upon excitation thereof with the rotating exciter stator electromagnetic exciter flux, have non-rectified excitation currents induced therein;
a multi-phase main stator mounted within the housing and having a plurality of main stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof from a main AC power source, generate a rotating main stator electromagnetic flux;
a multi-phase main rotor mounted on the shaft, disposed at least partially within the multi-phase main stator, and mechanically coupled to the exciter rotor, the multi-phase main rotor having a plurality of main rotor windings wound thereon that are electrically connected to receive the non-rectified excitation currents induced in the exciter rotor windings and that, upon excitation thereof with the main stator rotating electromagnetic flux and in response to the non-rectified excitation currents supplied thereto, have currents induced therein that generate a main rotor torque to thereby cause the multi-phase main rotor and the multi-phase exciter rotor to rotate; and
an exciter controller electrically coupled to at least the exciter stator windings and configured to selectively supply the electrical excitation thereto, to thereby selectively control the generated main rotor torque. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A starter-generator, comprising:
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a multi-phase exciter stator having a plurality of exciter stator windings wound thereon;
a rotationally mounted multi-phase exciter rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase exciter stator, the multi-phase exciter rotor having a plurality of exciter rotor windings wound thereon;
a multi-phase main stator having a plurality of main stator windings wound thereon that, upon electrical excitation thereof from a main AC power source, generate a rotating main stator electromagnetic flux; and
a rotationally mounted multi-phase main rotor disposed at least partially within the multi-phase main stator and mechanically coupled to the exciter rotor, the multi-phase main rotor having a plurality of main rotor windings wound thereon that are directly connected to the exciter rotor windings and that, upon excitation thereof with the main stator rotating electromagnetic flux, have currents induced therein that generate a main rotor torque to thereby cause the multi-phase main rotor and the multi-phase exciter rotor to rotate.
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Specification