Dual-structured aircraft engine starter/generator

• US 7,687,928 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smiths Aerospace, LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Aerospace, LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Padgett, Gary A., Taneja, Dinesh N., Wirsch, Paul J. Jr., Abbas, Mohamed A., Huang, Hao, Zywot, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Julio Cesar
• Application Number:
  US11/797,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20080093850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 290/38.R, 290/8, 290/31, 290/36.R, 290/4.A, 290/34, 322/44, 322/59, 322/89, 322/90
• US Class Current: 290/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• 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 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/02 characterised by the magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/24 Rotor cores with salient poles ; Variable reluctance rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/32 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/325 between salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/38 Structural association of synchronous generators with exciting machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/527 applicable to rotors only
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/02 by ambient air flowing through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft starting and generating system includes a first starter/main machine assembly that includes a first exciter and a first main machine, and second starter/main machine assembly that includes a second exciter and a second main machine. The system also includes a permanent magnet generator (PMG) that is connected to the first and second starter/main machine assemblies. The system further includes a first inverter/converter/controller (ICC) that is connected to the first starter/main machine assembly and to the PMG, and a second ICC that is connected to the second starter/main machine assembly and to the PMG. The first and second ICCs generate AC power to respective drive the first and second starter/main machine assemblies in a start mode of the starting and generating system for starting a prime mover of the aircraft, and the first and second ICCs convert AC power, respectively obtained from the PMG after the prime mover has been started, to DC power in a generate mode of the starting and generating system.

Claims

1. An aircraft starting and generating system, comprising:

a first starter/main machine assembly that includes a first exciter and a first main machine;

a second starter/main machine assembly that includes a second exciter and a second main machine;

a permanent magnet generator (PMG) that is connected to the first and second starter/main machine assemblies;

a gear train provided between the first main machine and the PMG and between the second main machine and the PMG, the gear train providing a speed increasing function;

a first inverter/converter/controller (ICC) that is connected to the first starter/main machine assembly and to the PMG; and

a second ICC that is connected to the second starter/main machine assembly and to the PMG,

wherein the first and second ICCs generate AC power to respectively drive the first and second starter/main machine assemblies in a start mode of the starting and generating system for starting a prime mover of the aircraft, and

wherein the first and second ICCs convert AC power, respectively obtained from the PMG after the prime mover has been started, to DC power in a generate mode of the starting and generating system.

2. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second exciters each include a stator and a rotor, and wherein each of the stators includes a winding that is configured to work conjunctionally with a contactor to function as an AC winding during the start mode, and that is configured to work conjunctionally with the contactor as a DC winding during the generate mode.

3. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 2, wherein the contactor provides connection of an exciter IGBT bridge with the exciter stator during the start mode.

4. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first ICC comprises:

a main insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) bridge that is connected to a main stator of the first main machine;

and an exciter IGBT Bridge that is connected to an exciter stator of the first exciter.

5. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 4, wherein the second ICC comprises:

a main IGBT bridge that is connected to a main stator of the second main machine; and

an exciter IGBT Bridge that is connected to an exciter stator of the second exciter.

6. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a full wave or half-wave rectifier,

wherein the first and second exciters each includes an exciter rotor and an exciter stator, and

wherein the full wave or half wave rectifier is provided on a shaft of the exciter rotors of the first and second exciters, and rotates with rotation of the exciter shafts of the first and second exciters.

7. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, further comprising a stub shaft for coupling the PMG to a gearbox of an engine of the aircraft.

8. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second ICCs are housed in a first Line Replaceable Unit (LRU), and wherein an Engine Starter/Generator that includes the first and second starter main machine assemblies is housed in a second LRU.

9. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the PMG includes a stator having at least five windings, wherein three of the five windings are used for converter/regulator functions, wherein a fourth of the five windings is used for ICC power supply, and wherein a fifth of the five windings is used for excitation of the first and second exciters.

10. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second ICCs includes generator voltage regulator assemblies (GVRs), wherein the GVRs rectify and modulate an output of the PMG.

11. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the gear train splits and steps up input mechanical power into two parallel paths, for providing the mechanical power simultaneously to the first and second starter/main machine assemblies.

12. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, further comprising an oil cooling system for providing cooling to the PMG, the first and second starter/main machine assemblies, and to the first and second ICCs.

13. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 12, further comprising:

an insulation system for providing an insulation function for the PMG, the first and second starter/main machine assemblies, and to the first and second ICCs,

wherein no cooling oil contacts the insulation system.

14. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 13, wherein the insulation system includes polymide materials and epoxy materials.

15. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second exciters each comprises:

an exciter rotor; and

an exciter stator.

16. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second starter/main machine assemblies each comprises:

a main machine rotor; and

a main machine stator.

17. An aircraft starting and generating system, comprising:

first starter/main machine assembly means for providing a start and a generate function for the aircraft;

second starter/main machine assembly means for providing a start and a generate function for the aircraft;

permanent magnet generator (PMG) means;

first ICC means for driving the first starter/main machine assembly means;

second ICC means for driving the second starter/main machine assembly means; and

speed increaser gear train means, wherein the first and second starter/main machine assembly means are connected in parallel to each other, and wherein the first and second start/main machine assembly means are connected to the speed increaser gear train means which is in turn connected to the PMG means,

wherein the first and second ICC means generate AC power to respectively drive the first and second starter/main machine assembly means in a start mode of the starting and generating system for starting a prime mover of the aircraft, and

wherein the first and second ICC means convert AC power, respectively obtained from the PMG means after the prime mover has been started, to DC power in a generate mode of the starting and generating system.

18. The aircraft starting and generating system according to claim 17, further comprising stub shaft means for coupling the PMG means to an engine gear box.