Construction and operation of electric or hybrid aircraft
This disclosure describes at least embodiments of an aircraft monitoring system for an electric or hybrid airplane. The aircraft monitoring system can be constructed to enable the electric or hybrid aircraft to pass certification requirements relating to a safety risk analysis. The aircraft monitoring system can have different subsystems for monitoring and alerting of failures of components, such as a power source for powering an electric motor, of the electric or hybrid aircraft. The failures that pose a greater safety risk may be monitored and indicated by one or more subsystems without use of programmable components.
1. A modular power system for an electric or hybrid airplane, the modular power system including a power source constructed from a plurality of battery modules coupled to one another, the power source being usable to power a motor configured to propel the electric or hybrid airplane, the modular power system comprising:
a power source configured to power a motor and comprising a plurality of battery modules, the motor being configured to propel a vehicle housing that is configured to fly, the plurality of battery modules comprising a first battery module and a second battery module,
wherein the first battery module comprises a first module housing, a plurality of first battery cells, and a first conductor, the first module housing being configured support the plurality of first battery cells, the plurality of first battery cells being electrically connected in parallel with one another by the first conductor, and
wherein the second battery module comprises a second module housing, a plurality of second battery cells, and a second conductor, the second module housing being configured support the plurality of second battery cells and coupled to the first module housing, the plurality of second battery cells being electrically connected in parallel with one another by the second conductor and electrically connected in series with the plurality of first battery cells.
2. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor comprises a plate and is configured to distribute heat evenly across the plurality of first battery cells so that the plurality of first battery cells age at a common rate.
3. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery module is configured to be cooled by air in the vehicle housing.
4. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor comprises copper.
5. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first battery cells comprises no more than 16 battery cells.
6. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the plurality of first battery cells is substantially shaped as a cylinder, and the first module housing comprises plastic and is substantially shaped as a rectangular prism.
7. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first module housing is configured to prevent a fire in the plurality of first battery cells from spreading outside of the first module housing.
8. The modular power system of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board assembly positioned in first module housing and configured to monitor the plurality of first battery cells with one or more sensors.
9. The modular power system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor a voltage, a temperature, or a current of one or more of the plurality of first battery cells.
10. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the power source is electrically isolated by galvanic isolation from another power source that is configured to power the motor.
11. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery module is not electrically isolated by galvanic isolation from the second battery module.
12. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the power source has a maximum current output between 100 A and 500 A during operation.
13. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein a first side of the first module housing is configured to couple to the second module housing, and a second side of the first module housing opposite the first side is configured to couple to a third module housing of a third battery module of the plurality of battery modules, the third module housing supporting a plurality of third battery cells.
14. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first module housing and the second module housing are sized and shaped to fit between structural supports of the vehicle housing when the first module housing is coupled to the second module housing.
15. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first module housing and the second module housing are sized and shaped to fit within a wing of the vehicle housing when the first module housing is coupled to the second module housing.
16. The modular power system of claim 15 , wherein the first module housing and the second module housing are sized and shaped to fit within an engine compartment of the wing when the first module housing is coupled to the second module housing.
17. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first module housing and the second module housing each have an outer length, an outer width, and an outer height that each range from 30 mm to 250 mm.
18. The modular power system of claim 17 , wherein the outer length, the outer width, and the outer height each range from 50 mm to 100 mm.
19. The modular power system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery module and the second battery module are configured to be electrically coupled in series with a plurality of additional battery modules of the plurality of battery modules.
20. The modular power system of claim 1 , further comprising the motor and the vehicle housing.