Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Stephen Minshull

Grzegorz Popek

Kyle Stephen Ives

Rodrigo Fernandez-Mattos

Parminder Singh Sangha

Ajith Balachandran

An electrical power converter (″) includes a DC link capacitor (″) configured for connection to a DC power source to provide an input load, at least one pair of semiconductor switches (a,b,c,a',b′,a″,b″) connected in parallel with the DC link capacitor (″) and positioned on either side of an output load terminal (a,b,c,a′,b′,a″,b″). The electrical power converter (″) further includes an inductive current sensor (), arranged to sense a primary current from a terminal of the DC link capacitor (), and a detection circuit (), connected to the inductive current sensor () and arranged to monitor for an over-current condition, and to produce an output which causes at least one of the pair of semiconductor switches (a,b,c,a′,b′,a″,b″) to be switched to a non-conducting state when an over-current condition is detected.

Capacitor embedded rogowski current detection

The present invention relates to a system and method for the monitoring and detection of insulation degradation in electric systems. The system comprises a controller for an electric motor (), including input circuitry () for connecting the controller to a power supply (), power conversion circuitry () for providing a power output for the electric motor (), and sensing circuitry () for monitoring a current inside the controller that is representative of a return leakage current from the electric motor to the motor controller. A condition of the insulation may be determined based on the monitored current.

Health monitoring in electric motor control systems

A method of controlling dissipation of regenerated power in a multi-channel drive system having a plurality of inverters connected in parallel across an input power supply to drive one or more loads via one or more motors. The method includes determining a circulation current demand for the inverters when the drive system is operating in regenerative mode, the circulating current demand being dependent on the regenerated power and applied to the inverters such that the regenerated power flows through the inverters and is dissipated by the inverters.

Regenerative energy dissipation control in a multichannel drive

A propulsion system () comprises: a generator () driven by a shaft () of a thermal engine () and configured to generate electrical power; an induction motor () that is electrically coupled to the output of the generator () and is configured to generate a rotational output in response to electrical power provided by the generator (); a generator control unit () that is configured to control an output voltage of the generator () to limit a current supplied to the induction motor () during start-up of the propulsion system (); and a switch () that is electrically coupled between the generator () and the induction motor (), wherein the switch () is controllable by the generator control unit ().

Induction motor control via generator control unit

An EMI filter arrangement includes a noise source, an input filter connected to the input of the noise source, and an output filter connected to the output of the noise source, the noise source, input filter and output filter provided in an electrically conductive electronics box, and an input filter capacitor electrically connecting the input filter to the electrically conductive electronics box and an output filter capacitor electrically connecting the output filter to the electrically conductive electronics box; the arrangement characterised by further comprising an intermediate reference plane provided in the electrically conductive electronics box, and an intermediate capacitor provided in the electrically conductive electronics box electrically connected between the intermediate reference plane and the electrically conductive electronics box, the input filter capacitor and the output filter capacitor being electrically connected to the box via the intermediate reference plane and the intermediate capacitor.

EMI structure for electronic circuit box

A battery charging system for a hybrid electric powerplant can be configured to determine a maximum available charging power available from windmilling and/or excess thermal engine power available, and to use up to the maximum available charging power and/or the excess thermal engine power available to charge a battery. In certain embodiments, a control module can be configured to determine the maximum available charging power available from windmilling.

Battery charging for hybrid electric powerplants

A motor drive system includes an input portion arranged to receive a DC input voltage across first and second conductors. An inverter is connected across the first and second conductors, and is arranged such that, in a normal mode, the inverter receives the DC input voltage and generates an AC drive voltage. A motor is connected to the inverter and is arranged such that, in the normal mode of operation, the motor receives the AC drive voltage. A first normally-open switch is connected along the first conductor between the input portion and the inverter. A damping controller comprising a second normally-closed switch and a damping means is connected in series between the first and second conductors. When the operated in the normal mode, the first switch is closed and the second switch is open. In a damping mode, the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

Motor drive system

An AC-DC power converter includes a bridge circuit that has a first phase leg with first and second power switches connected to each other in series, a second phase leg with third and fourth power switches connected to each other in series. The first phase leg and the second phase leg are connected to the each other via a bridging connection to form the bridge circuit. The converter also includes means for providing power to said bridge circuit, and means for measuring an output voltage of said bridge circuit.

Power device health monitoring utilising a bridge arrangement

A system for providing electric motor control to a plurality of motor loads. The system comprises a plurality of motor controllers that are configurable into different arrangements of motor controllers. The system further comprises a central controller that is operable to individually set a phase and/or frequency of respective PWM carrier signals for the motor controllers, wherein the central controller is configured to set the phase and/or frequency of the PWM carrier signals for the motor controllers within a respective arrangement of motor controllers differently depending on the configuration of the motor controllers within the arrangement.

Control distribution architecture

A power converter assembly comprises a plurality of power converter channels each arranged to provide a three-phase output to an electrical machine having a multiple of three-phase windings. The power converter assembly further comprises control means arranged to provide a torque demand signal to the plurality of power converter channels to provide, together, a desired torque output to drive the machine and a temperature sensing means to detect temperature in the power channels and/or at the windings of the machine. The control means is arranged to determine the proportion of the desired torque output to be provided by each channel based on the detected temperature.

Control of multi-channel drive

A short circuit detection system and method that identifies a short circuit between turns of a winding of a permanent magnet machine having a three-phase winding in response to detection of imbalances between the three motor phases at an instant in time. The imbalances are identified by monitoring motor terminal voltages and currents.

Electric machine fault detection scheme

An engine system for an aircraft comprising a propulsor configured to drive the aircraft, a thermal combustion engine configured to drive the propulsor, an electric motor connected to the thermal combustion engine and configured to drive the propulsor, a power converter configured to apply a torque to the electric motor and generate electric energy from the torque applied to the electric motor, and an engine controller, the engine controller being configured to determine a current power output of the thermal combustion engine, determine an optimum power output of the thermal combustion engine based on current operating conditions, and vary the torque applied to the electric motor so as to vary a load on the thermal combustion engine, wherein the torque may be varied by an amount required to vary the power output of the thermal combustion engine to the determined optimum power output.

Charging scheme for electric propulsion systems

A power train is described herein comprising a load, a first power supply for providing power to the load, a DC-link capacitor connected to the load, a main converter configured to convert DC power to AC power for powering the load; and pre-charge circuitry. The pre-charge circuitry comprises pre-charge means configured to, during a first, pre-charge phase, prevent said power from being provided to said load but provide power to said DC-link capacitor to charge said DC-link capacitor, and, further configured to, during a second, post-charge phase, allow said power to be provided from said first power supply to said load. A method for providing power to the load is also described herein.

Growing community of inventors

Bromsgrove, United Kingdom

Stephen Minshull