IP Library Granted Patent US 12669091
Granted Patent B2
US 12669091 · App. 18/552,431 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Method for the piloted start-up of a gas turbine of an aircraft, and corresponding system

Inventor: Marc Daniel Tunzini (Moissy-Cramayel, FR)
Assignee: SAFRAN POWER UNITS
F02C7/268F02C7/275F05D2260/85
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12669091
App. No.
18/552,431
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine of an aircraft includes start-up system configured to drive a shaft of the gas turbine in rotation. The start-up system includes a control system and a brushless asynchronous electric machine and is supplied with a DC voltage. A method for starting the gas turbine includes the steps of converting the DC voltage into a three-phase voltage control system based on a first value representative of a rotational speed of a rotor of the electric machine and on a second value representative of a ratio of a determined target torque of the electric machine, suitable for driving the rotation of a shaft of the gas turbine at a determined speed, to the maximum theoretical torque that the electric machine is able to produce at the determined rotational speed of the rotor.

Claims (30)

1 . A method for starting a gas turbine of an aircraft, a starting system being configured to drive a shaft of said gas turbine in rotation, said starting system comprising a control system and a brushless asynchronous electric machine and being powered by a DC voltage (Uin), said starting method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the control system, a first value (N), representative of a speed of rotation of a rotor of the electric machine;

receiving, by the control system, a second value (Tin);

converting, by the control system, the DC voltage (Uin) into a three-phase voltage system for controlling the electric machine; and

controlling, by the control system, the electric machine using the three-phase control voltage system,

wherein, the second value (Tin) is representative of a ratio of a determined target torque of the electric machine, adapted to drive the rotation of the rotor of the electric machine at a determined speed, to the theoretical maximum torque that the electric machine can produce at the determined speed of rotation of the rotor, and

during the conversion, a frequency (Fs) and an amplitude (Vs) of the voltages of the three-phase voltage system are determined according to a control law dependent on the second value (Tin),

and wherein the control law determining the frequency (Fs) and the amplitude (Vs) of the voltages of the three-phase control voltage system is a scalar control law,

and wherein the control law used to determine the amplitude (Vs) and the frequency (Fs) of the voltages of the three-phase control voltage system is such that:

Vs=A+B*N

and

Fs=C+D*N

wherein A, B, C and D are values dependent on the second value (Tin).

2 . The starting method according to claim 1 , wherein the second value (Tin) is a value determined by a control unit of the gas turbine.

3 . The starting method according to claim 1 , wherein the first value (N) is derived from a measurement taken at a level of the rotor of the electric machine by an angular speed sensor.

4 . A starting system for starting a gas turbine of an aircraft configured to drive a shaft of said gas turbine in rotation, said starting system comprising a control system and an electric machine of the brushless asynchronous type and being powered by a DC voltage (Uin), said control system comprising:

a converting stage configured to convert the DC voltage (Uin) into a three-phase voltage system that controls the electric machine according to a first value (N) and second value (Tin),

wherein the second value (Tin) representative of a ratio of a determined target torque of the electric machine, adapted to drive the rotation of the rotor of the electric machine at a determined speed, to the theoretical maximum torque that the electric machine can produce at the determined speed (N) of rotation of the rotor, and the converting stage is configured so that, during the conversion, a frequency (Fs) and an amplitude (Vs) of the voltages of the three-phase control voltage system are determined from a control law dependent on the second value (Tin)

and wherein the control law determining the frequency (Fs) and the amplitude (Vs) of the voltages of the three-phase control voltage system is a scalar control law,

and wherein the control law used to determine the amplitude (Vs) and the frequency (Fs) of the voltages of the three-phase control voltage system is such that:

Vs=A+B*N

and

Fs=C+D*N

wherein A, B, C and D are values dependent on the second value (Tin).

5 . The starting system of claim 4 , wherein the control system is an analogue electronic device.

6 . An aircraft comprising a gas turbine and a starting system according to claim 4 .

7 . An aircraft comprising a gas turbine and a starting system according to claim 5 .

8 . The starting system of claim 4 , wherein the starting system has a shaft which drives the shaft of the gas turbine by means of a gear train.

9 . The starting system of claim 4 , wherein the starting system is mounted directly on the shaft of the gas turbine.

10 . The starting system of claim 4 , wherein the converting stage, is configured to be cooled with a fuel consumed by the gas turbine.