Aircraft hybrid electric propulsion and attitude controller
An aircraft hybrid electrical propulsion (HEP) propulsion and attitude control system includes a propulsion system, electrical system and HEP controller. The propulsion system includes at least one propulsor and at least one electric motor configured to drive the at least one propulsor to generate to generate one or both of thrust and lift. The electrical system delivers a first amount of power to the at least one electric motor and a second amount of power to a plurality of electrical loads. The HEP controller determines at least one attitude goal of the aircraft, and controls the electrical system to adjust at least one of the thrust or lift to achieve the at least one attitude goal.
1 . A hybrid electrical propulsion (HEP) propulsion and attitude control system included in an aircraft, the HEP propulsion and attitude control system comprising:
a propulsion system configured to generate at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft, the propulsion system comprising at least one propulsor and at least one electric motor configured to drive the at least one propulsor;
an electrical system configured to deliver a first amount of power to the at least one electric motor and a second amount of power to a plurality of electrical loads; and
a HEP controller in signal communication with the electrical system and the propulsion system, the HEP controller configured to determine at least one attitude goal of the aircraft, and control the electrical system to adjust at least one of the thrust or lift to achieve the at least one attitude goal,
wherein controlling the electrical system includes:
generating first changing dynamic goal data (Vf) based on the at least one attitude goal and second changing dynamic goal data (Vs) based on at least one airframe sub-system goal;
inputting the first changing dynamic goal data (Vf) into a first Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm and inputting the second changing dynamic goal data (Vs) into a second Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm different from the first MPC algorithm;
outputting aircraft response data (Uf) from the first MPC algorithm and outputting system settings data (Us) from the second MPC algorithm;
inputting the aircraft response data (Uf) into and the system settings data (Us) into each of a first aircraft dynamics model and a second aircraft dynamics model different from the first aircraft dynamics model;
outputting airframe setting controls (Xs) from the first aircraft dynamics model which are fed back to the second MPC algorithm to optimize control airframe sub-systems of the aircraft, and outputting attitude control data (Xf) which is fed back to the first MPC algorithm to optimize attitude controls of the aircraft;
and
controlling the at least one electric motor based on the aircraft response data (Uf) to divert thrust from at least one propulsor so as to adjust the at least one of the thrust or lift and achieve the at least one attitude goal while balancing the first amount of power associated with the at least one electric motor.
2 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one voltage conversion unit in signal communication with the electrical system and the propulsion system,
wherein the HEP controller controls the at least one voltage conversion unit to perform one or more voltage conversions to adjust power provided to the propulsors based on the at least one attitude goal.
3 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attitude goal includes at least one of a target pitch, roll, and yaw input to the aircraft.
4 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one propulsor includes a first propulsor and a second propulsor, and wherein the HEP controller is coupled to and configured to control the first propulsor and the second propulsor.
5 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 4 , wherein the HEP controller is configured to send a first signal to the first propulsor and a second signal to the second propulsor based on the at least one attitude goal.
6 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 5 , wherein the HEP propulsion and attitude control system is implemented as a parallel-hybrid system.
7 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 6 , wherein the parallel-hybrid system includes a gas turbine engine and a battery system, and wherein the parallel-hybrid system couples the first and second propulsors to both the gas turbine engine and the battery system.
8 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 5 , wherein the HEP propulsion and attitude control system is implemented as a series-hybrid system.
9 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 8 , wherein the series-hybrid system includes a gas turbine engine, a battery system and at least one electrical motor, and wherein the series-hybrid system decouples the first and second propulsors from a turbo-generator and is configured to drive the first and second propulsors using the at least one electrical motor.
10 . The HEP propulsion and attitude control system of claim 9 , wherein the series-hybrid system further includes a motor-generator, and wherein one or both of the battery system and the motor-generator are configured to power the at least one electrical motor.