Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Sundstrand Corporation

Gary L Miles

Mark Hamilton Severson

Christopher J Courtney

Debabrata Pal

Ryan Prescott Susca

Andreas C Koenig

Charles E Reuter

Naison E Mastrocola

Mustansir Kheraluwala

Joseph Kenneth Coldwate

Michael C Harke

Francis C Belisle

Robert C Cooney

Adrian L Stoicescu

Xin Wu

Zubair Ahmed Baig

Donal E Baker

Jordan K Vanevenhoven

Sorin Bengea

Nhia Yang

Gary D Gillingham

Aritra Sur

James J Wrobel

Robert A Bayles

Curtis J Plude

Hailing Wu

Raymond J Beckmann

Michael J Menke

Jesse C Peters

Raymond J Beckman, Jr

An electronics assembly including a motor controller electronics arrangement includes a housing enclosing a solid-state switch array, a cold plate arranged within the housing and in thermal communication with the solid-state switch array, and a feeder cable. The feeder cable is electrically connected to the solid-state switch array, has a coolant jacket extending thereabout, is separated from the switch arrangement by the housing, and is in liquid communication with the cold plate to limit heat communicated by the feeder cable into the housing. Electrical systems and methods of cooling feeder cables are also described.

Motor controller electronics arrangements with actively cooled feeder cables

A power feeder device can include a base having a mounting portion and a plurality of connector structures extending from the mounting portion and spaced apart relative to each other to form a respective gap therebetween. Each connector structure can be configured to receive a respective pair of terminals to electrically connect the respective pair of terminals within connector structures and to block a line of sight between an adjacent pair of terminals. The device can also include a cover configured to mate with the base to enclose each of the plurality of connector structures and to increase a length of a creepage path between each pair of terminals by at least partially inserting into each gap between the connector structures. The base and the cover can be configured to form a terminal opening on each lateral side when assembled to allow pass-through of a conductor and/or portion of each terminal.

Power feeder connector devices

A power system of an aircraft includes a hybrid energy storage system with at least two energy storage subsystems each having a different power-energy density, power draw characteristics and/or dissimilar configuration. A primary power unit includes an aircraft engine coupled to an electric motor and a first generator. A secondary power unit is coupled to a second generator. A bidirectional power converter is coupled to the hybrid energy storage system and one or more controllers of the electric motor, the first generator, and the second generator. A power management controller is configured to interface with the hybrid energy storage system and the one or more controllers of the electric motor, the first generator, and the second generator and perform a model predictive control to dynamically adjust one or more electric power flows through the bidirectional power converter based on an engine propulsion power demand of the aircraft engine.

Hybrid electric power distribution and control for an aircraft

A system and method for controlling a DC midpoint terminal voltage of a three level inverter is provided. The method includes receiving an input power signal at a three level motor control system that includes a three level inverter, the three level inverter powering an electric motor, determining, in the three level motor control system, a speed value of the electric motor, and adjusting a zero-sequence inverter output voltage to adjust a midpoint voltage at the DC midpoint based on the determined speed value.

Speed based gain correction for three level inverter midpoint control

Provided are embodiments of a system for split power-control electronics with fiber-optic multiplexing. The system includes one or more power electronics modules configured to provide power to a load, and a control card configured to control the one or more power electronics modules. The system also includes a control module configured to receive and process the control card, and one or more connections, the one or more connections configured to connect a control module to the one or more power electronics modules. Also provided are embodiments of a method for operating power electronics modules in a redundant mode.

Split power-control electronics with fiber-optic multiplexing

A system is provided. The system includes a semi-conductor device and a gate drive board. The gate drive board provides a voltage to the semi-conductor device. The system also includes a controller and a monitoring circuit. The controller drives the voltage provided by the gate drive board. The monitoring circuit is coupled to the gate drive board to monitor operations of the controller and the semi-conductor device.

Method for monitoring gate drive signals for power module aging effects

An electric motor control system, including an electric motor having a first winding set including first and second parallel windings, the first and second windings operable to each current based on the combined phase current, and a differential current sensor operably coupled to the first winding and the second winding. The differential current sensor measuring a differential current flowing through the first winding and the second winding and operable to transmit a signal indicative of the differential current based on the measuring. The system also includes a motor controller connected to the electric motor, the motor controller operable to direct the combined phase current through the phase lead, receive the differential current signal, determine if the differential current flowing through the winding set exceeds a selected threshold, and identify a health status of the motor winding set as degraded if the differential current exceeds the selected threshold.

Motor parallel winding differential current protection

Disclosed herein is a system and method for determining faults in motors and drives. The system includes a motor drive that has a DC-link coupled to a power source. A controller system is configured to measure power applied to the DC-link, integrate the power over time to yield energy consumed, and to determine energy that accumulates in operation over time. The controller is further configured to detect a fault condition when the energy that accumulates in operation is less than expected based on the energy consumed.

Detecting faults in motors and drives

A mechanism for a motor controller for engaging a spinning motor is provided. A power section is configured to provide power to the motor. A control is configured to control the power section. The control is configured to search for a motor frequency of the motor by applying a small excitation voltage to the motor, and the excitation voltage is initially applied at a voltage frequency which is a maximum frequency. The control is configured to track the motor frequency until the motor frequency is below an equivalent speed command and engage the motor by applying a higher voltage to the motor.

Engagement of a spinning AC induction motor

A method of starting a gas turbine engine with a synchronous multiphase alternating current (AC) dynamoelectric machine with a rotor and a stator that allows re-engagement of a starting operation at non-zero rotor speeds comprises the steps of: applying electrical excitation to the rotor; measuring electromotive force (EMF) generated in the stator; determining rotor speed, acceleration and position from the measured EMF by sensorless means; initiating closed-loop sensorless position controlled power to the stator if the determined rotor speed is at least a pre-determined minimum closed-loop sensorless re-engagement speed; initiating open-loop position controlled power to the stator if the determined rotor speed is less than the pre-determined minimum closed-loop sensorless re-engagement speed but at least a predetermined minimum open-loop re-engagement speed and the determined rotor acceleration is no more than a pre-determined maximum open-loop re-engagement acceleration; and initiating open-loop zero-speed start power to the stator if the determined rotor speed is less than the predetermined minimum open-loop re-engagement speed.

Method to re-engage start of dynamoelectric machine

The problem of providing a flight control panel actuation system, including asymmetry brakes, which will fit into aircraft wings having narrow supercritical air foil shapes, and yet provide a degree of safety with regard to preventing asymmetry which is as good or better than that provided by prior actuation systems is solved by an actuation system which positions an asymmetry brake inboard of an outermost flight control panel actuator within the aircraft wing. The asymmetry brake utilizes a jaw type clutch coupled to an electrical solenoid through a ball spline mechanism to provide significantly greater braking capacity in a given volume than other types of braking devices. The outermost control panel actuator includes an integral no-back to hold that actuator against further movement, should a driveline connection between the asymmetry brake and the actuator be severed. Where the actuation system includes multiple actuators, only one of the actuators is equipped with end of travel stops, therefore allowing the remaining actuators in the system to be physically smaller because they are not required to react loads incident with limiting end of travel. By making the other actuators in the system physically smaller, they are more readily fitted into supercritical wings.

Flap/slat actuation system for an aircraft

Growing community of inventors

Stillman Valley, IL, United States of America

Gary L Miles