Granted Patent B2

US 12,654,670 · App. 18/179,045 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Zubair A. Baig (South Windsor, CT); Martin Amari (Glastonbury, CT)

Assignee: RTX CORPORATION

B60W10/08B60L1/08B64D27/026B64D27/24B64D27/33B64D31/18B64D2221/00F01D15/10F05D2220/323F05D2270/05H02J2105/32H02J2105/51H02J2105/52H02P2101/30

Abstract

Claims (67)

1 . A hybrid electrical propulsion (HEP) system included in an aircraft, the HEP system comprising:

a propulsion system configured to generate at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft, the propulsion system comprising a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor;

an electrical system including a voltage conversion unit configured to deliver a first amount of power to the electric motor and a second amount of power to a plurality of electrical loads that are different from the electric motor; and

a HEP controller in signal communication with the electrical system and the propulsion system, the HEP controller configured to store a plurality of different voltage conversion operations corresponding to a plurality of different mission objectives of the aircraft, to monitor a load demand of at least one electrical load of the plurality of electrical loads and to actively modify at least one of the first amount of power or the second amount of power in response to changes in the load demand,

wherein the actively modifying the at least one of the first amount of power or the second amount of power includes:

determining an initiated mission system corresponding to a mission objective among the plurality of different mission objectives;

determining the plurality of loads has a load demand that exceeds a load demand threshold associated with the initiated mission system;

reducing the first amount of power delivered to the propulsion system to produce a first excess amount of power;

delivering the first excess amount of power to the voltage conversion unit and performing a voltage conversion operation that corresponds to the initiated mission system of the mission objective to generate a converted first excess amount of power;

outputting the converted first excess amount of power from the voltage conversion unit to increase the second amount of power and satisfy the load demand of the initiated mission system corresponding to the mission objective.

2 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein actively modifying the at least one of the first amount of power or the second amount of power further comprises:

determining the load demand of the initiated mission system is equal to or below the load demand threshold;

reducing the second amount of power to produce a second excess amount of power;

delivering the second excess amount of power to the voltage conversion unit to generate a converted second excess amount of power; and

outputting the converted second excess amount of power from the voltage conversion unit to increase the first amount of power delivered to the propulsion system.

3 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein the HEP controller is further configured to determine a predicted load demand of the at least one electrical load, wherein the first amount of power is reduced based on the predicted load demand.

4 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein the HEP controller is further configured to:

identify the at least one electrical load based at least in part on a mission requirement among the plurality of different mission objectives; and

determine that the load demand of the at least one electrical load exceeds the second amount of power,

wherein actively modifying the at least one of the first amount of power or the second amount of power comprises reducing the first amount of power and increasing the second amount of power based on a determination that the at least one electrical load exceeds the second amount of power.

5 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical system comprises a sensor in signal communication with the at least one electrical load and the HEP controller, the sensor configured to output a load signal indicative of an amount of power drawn by the at least one electrical load, wherein the HEP controller actively modifies the at least one of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on the amount of power drawn by the at least one electrical load.

6 . The HEP system of claim 5 , wherein the HEP controller further predicts the load demand of the initiated mission system and actively modifies the at least one of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on the amount of power and the predicted load demand.

7 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein actively modifying the at least one of the first amount of power and the second amount of power includes actively distributing a total amount of power available among the plurality of electrical loads according to a smart prioritization scheme configured to actively distribute the total amount of available power to the at least one electrical load based on one or more actively changing scheme conditions.

8 . The HEP system of claim 4 , wherein the HEP controller is further configured to identify an increase in load demand of the propulsion system and increase the first amount of power in response to the increase in the load demand of the propulsion system.

9 . The HEP system of claim 5 , wherein the HEP controller actively modifies one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on a power prioritization algorithm that assigns goal weighting strategies to the HEP system and the at least one electrical load.

10 . The HEP system of claim 9 , wherein the HEP controller maps power goals to different flight events performed by the HEP system and the at least one electrical load, and controls the electrical system to transfer power between the propulsion system and the at least one electrical load to balance power loading in the electrical system while the propulsion system or the at least one load performs the flight event.

11 . A method of actively performing motor and electrical load management in a hybrid electrical propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft, the method comprising:

generating electrical power from an electrical system;

delivering a first amount of the power to a propulsion system including a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor;

generating, using the propulsion system, at least one of thrust or lift to operate the aircraft based on the first amount of power;

delivering a second amount of the power to a plurality of electrical loads; and

storing, in a HEP controller, a plurality of different voltage conversion operations corresponding to a plurality of different mission objectives of the aircraft;

monitoring, by the HEP controller in signal communication with the electrical system and the propulsion system, a load demand of at least one electrical load of the plurality of electrical loads; and

actively modifying one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power in response to changes in the load demand,

wherein the actively modifying the one or both of the first amount of power or the second amount of power includes:

determining an initiated mission system corresponding to a mission objective among the plurality of different mission objectives;

determining the plurality of loads has a load demand that exceeds a load demand threshold associated with the initiated mission system;

reducing the first amount of power delivered to the propulsion system to produce a first excess amount of power;

delivering the first excess amount of power to a voltage conversion unit and performing a voltage conversion operation that corresponds to the initiated mission system of the mission objective to generate a converted first excess amount of power;

outputting the converted first excess amount of power from the voltage conversion unit to increase the second amount of power and satisfy the load demand of the initiated mission system corresponding to the mission objective.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein actively modifying the one or both of the first amount of power or the second amount of power further comprises:

determining the load demand of the initiated mission system is equal to or below the load demand threshold;

reducing the second amount of power to produce a second excess amount of power;

delivering the second excess amount of power to the voltage conversion unit to generate a converted second excess amount of power; and

outputting the converted second excess amount of power from the voltage conversion unit to increase the first amount of power delivered to the propulsion system.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, by the HEP controller, a predicted load demand of the at least one electrical load; and

reducing the first amount of power based on the predicted load demand.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying, by the HEP controller, the at least one electrical load based at least in part on a mission requirement among the plurality of different mission objectives;

determining, by the HEP controller, that a load demand of the at least one electrical load exceeds the second amount of power; and

reducing the first amount of power and increasing the second amount of power based on a determination that the at least one electrical load exceeds the second amount of power.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

outputting, from a sensor in signal communication with the at least one electrical load and the HEP controller, a load signal indicative of the load demand of the at least one electrical load; and

actively modifying, by the HEP controller, one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on the load demand of the at least one electrical load.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising predicting, by the HEP controller, the load demand of the initiated mission system; and

actively modifying, by the HEP controller, the one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on the amount of power and the predicted load demand.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein actively modifying the one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power comprises: actively distributing a total amount of power available among the plurality of electrical loads according to a smart prioritization scheme configured; and actively distributing the total amount of available power to the at least one electrical load based on one or more actively changing scheme conditions.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

identifying, by the HEP controller, an increase in a load demand of the propulsion system; and

increasing the first amount of power in response to the increase in the load demand of the propulsion system.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

executing, the by HEP controller, a power prioritization algorithm that assigns goal weighting strategies to the HEP system and the at least one electrical load;

actively modifying, by the HEP controller, one or both of the first amount of power and the second amount of power based on power prioritization algorithm.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

mapping, by the HEP controller, power goals to different flight events performed by the HEP system and the at least one electrical load; and

controlling the electrical system to transfer power between the propulsion system and the at least one electrical load to balance power loading in the electrical system while one or both of the propulsion system and the at least one load performs a flight event included in the different flight events.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (14)