The Boeing Company

Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

University of Connecticut

Joseph S Breit

Trevor Milton Laib

Kamiar J Karimi

Kazushige Sugimoto

Farhad Nozari

Amir Faghri

Steven B Helton

Kurt M Lorhammer

Kazuya Matsuo

Atsushi Iwashima

Casey Joe Roberts

Travis Robert Ward

Christopher Robak

Shengyi Liu

Lijun Gao

John Anthony Trela

Ali Reza Mansouri

Richard Leroy Rankin

Joanna Szydlo-Moore

Michael Neil Witting

Markland T Gates

An electric system of an aircraft includes a power stabilizing device connected to a primary AC bus and a secondary battery. The secondary battery has a rated voltage which allows the secondary battery to absorb regenerative power from a control surface actuator. Based on a voltage and a frequency in the primary AC bus, charging/discharging of the secondary battery is controlled to stabilize the electric system.

System and method for stabilizing aircraft electrical systems

A heat transfer system includes a fuel cell module that produces heat and water, and a thermal energy storage module that stores the heat produced by the fuel cell module. The thermal energy storage module includes a phase-change material. A conduit couples the fuel cell module to the thermal energy storage module. The conduit is oriented to channel the water produced by the fuel cell module through the thermal energy storage module.

Utilizing phase change material, heat pipes, and fuel cells for aircraft applications

A power stabilizing device in a system includes as a portion of a power converter section, a second PWM converter provided between a second primary AC bus and a second DC bus in an electric system and configured to perform mutual conversion between DC power and AC power. A power stabilizing control section in the power stabilizing device controls charging and discharging of a secondary battery based on a voltage and a frequency in the second primary AC bus, thereby stabilizing the electric system.

Electric system stabilizing system for aircraft

A system and method for operating a fuel cell system to control an amount of degradation to the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system is operative to switch between two or more power sources to provide power to a load. The switching is designed to minimize degradation of a fuel cell of the fuel cell system.

System and method for fuel cell degradation management

A regenerative integrated actuation system and method are provided to efficiently supply power to a plurality of actuators and to make efficient use of power regenerated by the actuators. The system may include a plurality of actuators in communication with a power distribution system. Each actuator may include an energy storage element. The system may also include a controller for determining if a respective actuator is in a consumption mode or a regenerative mode. If in the consumption mode, the controller may determine whether the respective actuator should draw power from an energy storage element or from the power distribution system. Conversely, if in the regenerative mode, the controller may determine whether any excess power from the respective actuator should be provided to one of the actuators, such as to another actuator which is in the consumption mode or to the energy storage element associated with the respective actuator.

Regenerative integrated actuation system and associated method

The disclosure provides for an aircraft galley and lavatory energy system capable of independent operation from a separate aircraft energy generating system. The galley and lavatory energy system comprises an energy source providing electrical energy, heat energy, and at least one by-product; a plurality of galley and lavatory devices for receiving the electrical energy, the heat energy, and the at least one by-product; and, a plurality of connectors for connecting the electrical energy, the heat energy, and the at least one by-product to the galley and lavatory devices. The energy source comprises a fuel cell, a fuel module, and optionally, a supplemental fuel source.

Localized utility power system for aircraft

In a non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, electrical power is adaptively managed. A profile of predetermined threshold levels of electrical loading is developed for phases of an operation. A profile of electrical loading is developed for the phases of the operation such that electrical loading is substantially a same predetermined margin below the predetermined threshold levels during the phases of the operation. During the phases of the operation, operational data indicative of an electrical power generation system's actual ability to support electrical loading and/or actual electrical loading is received. The profile of the predetermined threshold levels and/or the profile of electrical loading is adjusted responsive to the operational data such that electrical loading is maintained substantially the same predetermined margin below the predetermined threshold levels during the phases of the operation.

Method and system for adaptive power management

Systems and methods are disclosed for energy control and vehicle energy control. A vehicle energy control system includes an intelligent device that is configured to determine an energy demand of the intelligent device during an operation of a vehicle. The vehicle energy control system also includes an energy management system. The energy management system is configured to communicate with the intelligent device regarding the energy demand to coordinate scheduling of energy distribution during the operation. The energy management system is further configured to generate an energy distribution schedule to account for the energy demand and at least a second energy demand of another device.

Intelligent energy management architecture

Systems and methods are disclosed for a power control system including intelligent devices. A vehicle power control system includes a power supply configured to supply a first quantity of power to at least one device configured to consume power based on a first power demand. The vehicle power control system also includes an intelligent device configured to determine a second power demand for the intelligent device during a vehicle operation. The vehicle power control system also includes an energy management system. The energy management system is configured to communicate with the at least one the intelligent device regarding the second power demand of the at least one intelligent device to coordinate scheduling of power distribution during the vehicle operation in order to generate a power distribution schedule to account for the first power demand of the at least one device and the second power demand of the at least one intelligent device. The energy management system directs the first quantity of power to the at least one device according to the first power demand of the at least one device and directs a second quantity of power to the at least one intelligent device according to the power distribution schedule.

A power distribution system for a vehicle is provided. The power distribution system includes a network incorporating at least one load. At least a first and a second power source are connected to the network. The first power source is located and connected proximal to the load and the second power source is located distal from the load. A generator may be connected to the network distally from the first and second loads and configured to supply power to at least one of the first and second loads. The generator may be configured such that power is supplied selectively when power from at least one of the first and second power sources is less than respectively required by the first and second loads. The first and second power sources may be configured to be regenerated by the generator. The network may include more highly power-rated components in areas configured for higher power transmission and more lowly power-rated components in areas configured for lower power transmission.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Joseph S Breit