Method and system for load management based on APU capability

Abstract

The application discloses a method for load management based on APU capacity, comprising: dividing loads on an airplane into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to importance, each load group comprising one or more loads; detecting whether the APU is overloaded based on APU capacity and load demand; if the APU is detected to be overloaded, unloading the non-important load groups in order from low to high importance; detecting whether the APU is overloaded after each unloading of the non-important load groups, and stopping unloading the non-important load groups after the APU is detected to be no longer overloaded; and if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all the non-important load groups, issuing an APU load warning. The application also discloses a system and a computer readable medium for load management based on APU capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft power system design, and more specifically to a method and system for load management based on APU capabilities. Background Technology

[0002] An auxiliary power unit (APU) is essentially a small gas turbine engine. As an auxiliary power source for an aircraft, its main functions are to provide compressed air for starting the main engine and the environmental control system, and to drive a generator to continuously and stably provide power to various onboard equipment. Currently, most mainstream commercial airliners widely adopt a single-shaft, loaded compressor-type APU.

[0003] However, as a gas turbine engine, the APU's output capability is not fixed but significantly affected by environmental conditions. Altitude, ambient temperature, and flight speed all work together to determine the APU's actual capabilities in different scenarios. Typically, the capability of an airborne APU is lower than that on the ground, and its output capability gradually decreases with increasing altitude. Furthermore, when the APU needs to supply air to the environmental control system or start the engine while simultaneously supplying power, a portion of its shaft power must be allocated to generate bleed air power, thus reducing the shaft power available to drive the generator. This means that when the APU is performing environmental control bleed air or engine starting tasks, its output electrical power is usually much lower than when it is only generating electricity.

[0004] The APU's electrical power output capability varies significantly across different scenarios. In high-altitude bleed air scenarios, the APU's electrical power output capability may only reach 60% of its rated output. With the increasing number of electronic and electrical devices in modern aircraft, the demand for air and power supply capacity is also growing. When the aircraft's power extraction exceeds the APU's capacity, if measures are not taken to reduce power extraction, it will trigger a series of problems (such as exhaust gas temperature (EGT) overheating or power compressor surge), potentially damaging the APU. Generally, EGT overheating usually occurs in hot weather, while power compressor surge usually occurs in cold weather.

[0005] To ensure the APU can provide maximum air and power to the aircraft without damaging the equipment and to improve the mean time between failures (MTBF), different manufacturers employ different control methods. For example, some methods directly disconnect a bus, ensuring normal APU operation by cutting off power to all loads on that bus, but this approach is not very load-friendly. Other methods use power configuration-based offloading schemes, which can ensure normal APU operation in most cases, but the APU still faces the risk of damage under critical conditions.

[0006] In view of this, it is desirable to provide an improved method and system for load management based on APU capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify the key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description that follows.

[0008] This invention provides a method for load management based on APU capacity, comprising: dividing the load on an aircraft into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to their importance, each load group including one or more loads; detecting whether the APU is overloaded based on APU capacity and load demand; if APU overload is detected, unloading non-important load groups in order of increasing importance; detecting whether the APU is overloaded after each unloading of a non-important load group, and stopping the unloading of non-important load groups after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded; and if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all non-important load groups, issuing an APU load alarm.

[0009] In some embodiments, the load type includes electrical load and bleed air load, and the bleed air load includes power bleed air load and environmental control bleed air load.

[0010] In some embodiments, load demand includes the power demand of electrical loads, and wherein detecting whether the APU is overloaded based on APU capacity and load demand further includes: determining that the APU is overloaded if the power demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0011] In some embodiments, the load demand includes the power demand of the electrical load and the bleed air demand of the bleed air load, wherein the power demand is less than the APU capacity, and wherein detecting whether the APU is overloaded based on the APU capacity and the load demand further includes: unloading a preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air demand to obtain an updated load demand; and determining that the APU is overloaded if the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0012] In some embodiments, the bleed air requirement includes the power bleed air requirement of the power bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a first preset electrical load corresponding to the power bleed air requirement.

[0013] In some embodiments, the bleed air requirement includes the environmental bleed air requirement of the environmental bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a second preset electrical load corresponding to the environmental bleed air requirement.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stopping the unloading of non-critical load groups, detecting whether a new power supply is connected; and if a new power supply is detected, restoring the unloaded non-critical load groups.

[0015] The present invention also provides a system for load management based on APU capabilities, comprising: a load group partitioning unit configured to: divide the load on the aircraft into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to their importance, each load group including one or more loads; an APU overload detection unit configured to: detect whether the APU is overloaded based on APU capabilities and load requirements; a load group unloading unit configured to: unload non-important load groups in order of increasing importance if APU overload is detected; detect whether the APU is overloaded after each unloading of a non-important load group, and stop unloading non-important load groups after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded; and a load alarm unit configured to: issue an APU load alarm if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all non-important load groups.

[0016] In some embodiments, the load type includes electrical load and bleed air load, and the bleed air load includes power bleed air load and environmental control bleed air load.

[0017] In some embodiments, the load demand includes the power demand of an electrical load, and wherein the APU overload detection unit is further configured to determine that the APU is overloaded if the power demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0018] In some embodiments, the load demand includes the power demand of the electrical load and the bleed air demand of the bleed air load, wherein the power demand is less than the APU capacity, and wherein the APU overload detection unit is further configured to: unload a preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air demand to obtain an updated load demand; and determine an APU overload if the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0019] In some embodiments, the bleed air requirement includes the power bleed air requirement of the power bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a first preset electrical load corresponding to the power bleed air requirement.

[0020] In some embodiments, the bleed air requirement includes the environmental bleed air requirement of the environmental bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a second preset electrical load corresponding to the environmental bleed air requirement.

[0021] In some embodiments, the system further includes a load group recovery unit configured to: detect whether a new power supply is connected after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stops unloading non-critical load groups; and if a new power supply is detected, restore the unloaded non-critical load groups.

[0022] The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium storing computer programs for load management based on APU capabilities, the computer programs being executable by a processor to perform the aforementioned methods for load management based on APU capabilities.

[0023] The technical solution of this invention is based on APU capabilities for load management, maximizing the protection of the power and bleed air requirements of the entire aircraft load without damaging the APU, thereby improving aircraft safety and reliability. Simultaneously, by dividing loads into groups according to their importance and sequentially unloading non-critical load groups upon detecting APU overload, continuous operation of critical equipment can be ensured, guaranteeing that the aircraft operates in an optimal power supply environment. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The features, essence, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which provide a detailed description. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are consistently used. It should be noted that the described drawings are schematic and non-limiting. Some components in the drawings may be enlarged and are not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0025] Figure 1 The system architecture for load management based on APU capabilities of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the load management logic of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 3 The present invention illustrates a method for load management based on APU capabilities.

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the load group division of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of overload detection under APU gas supply conditions according to the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 6 An exemplary process for load management based on APU capabilities according to the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 7 A system block diagram of the present invention for load management based on APU capabilities is shown.

[0032] Figure 8 A device block diagram is shown, including the system of the present invention for load management based on APU capabilities. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of this disclosure. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the various aspects described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0034] Because the power capability of the APU is much smaller than that of the main engine, in certain scenarios (such as bleed air starting of the main engine or flying at high altitudes), its capabilities cannot simultaneously support the load requirements of the entire aircraft. This invention proposes a method and system for load management based on APU capabilities. This method can accurately identify scenarios where APU capabilities are insufficient and, according to the actual capabilities of the APU, perform load management of the power system to ensure that load demands remain within the APU's capabilities, thereby maximizing the normal and continuous operation of all aircraft electrical equipment.

[0035] Figure 1 The system architecture 100 of the present invention for load management based on APU capabilities is shown.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, Architecture 100 mainly includes a power system controller, an APU system controller, a power system controller, an environmental control system controller, and a communication bus that runs throughout the entire system. These core components are closely connected through the communication bus, forming a highly integrated intelligent control system capable of transmitting key signals in real time, thereby achieving dynamic monitoring and precise control of the entire system.

[0037] Specifically, the power system controller monitors the power status and issues offload commands based on the APU's capabilities and load requirements to optimize energy distribution. The APU system controller monitors the APU's operating status in real time, including whether it is overloaded, overheated, or about to surge, and transmits this information to other controllers for appropriate load adjustments. The power system controller and environmental control system controller manage the power bleed air and environmental bleed air requirements respectively, and work in conjunction with the power system controller to ensure that bleed air requirements are met as much as possible while satisfying electrical load demands. Through the coordinated work of these controllers, Figure 1 The architecture shown provides foundational support for subsequent load management logic.

[0038] The signals transmitted between the various controllers via the communication bus cover a variety of information, including but not limited to: whether the power supply has been completely unloaded, whether the APU is supplying air, whether the APU is powered, whether the APU is overloaded / overheated, whether the APU is about to surge, whether power bleed air is being used, whether both engines are not working, whether environmental control bleed air is being used, and whether dual-batch air supply is being used, etc. Through the real-time transmission of these signals, the system can quickly and accurately perceive the operating status of each module and make corresponding decisions.

[0039] Furthermore, the power system controller can issue unloading commands to flexibly unload one or more loads based on the current system load and the actual capabilities of the APU. For example, upon detecting an APU overload, the power system controller can quickly identify this state and adjust the APU's bleed air and power supply requirements through appropriate planning. By efficiently transmitting signals between various controllers and modules, combined with fine-grained load management of the power system, this architecture enables precise management of the power system load under different APU scenarios and with varying APU capabilities. Within the APU's capabilities, it maximizes APU energy utilization while ensuring stable power supply to critical loads.

[0040] although Figure 1 The system architecture 100 shown provides a clear framework for a load management system, but it should be clearly stated that this architecture is merely exemplary and not restrictive. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can adopt different architectures based on specific needs and actual circumstances. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates different approaches to implementing an APU-based load management system architecture. Specifically, those skilled in the art can flexibly combine, split, modify, or remove modules within the architecture according to different application scenarios and design requirements, and can even add additional modules to meet specific functional needs. This flexibility enables the architecture to adapt to various complex aviation environments and diverse mission requirements, providing a solid guarantee for the safe operation and efficient management of aviation systems.

[0041] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the load management logic of the present invention is shown.

[0042] During APU operation, the power system controller and APU system controller can monitor electrical load demands and APU operating status in real time via a communication bus. When the aircraft's power demand is less than the APU's capacity, the APU can operate normally and supply power to the electrical load. Conversely, if the aircraft's power demand exceeds the APU's capacity, an APU overload occurs. For ease of explanation, in... Figure 2 The description discusses load management logic under the assumption that the electrical load's power demand is less than the APU's capacity.

[0043] When the APU is working (i.e., supplying power to the electrical load), the bleed air requirement of the APU can be detected in real time (205).

[0044] If a bleed air requirement is detected (output of 210 is "Yes"), then appropriate load management (215) can be performed. The specific process of load management will be explained below. Figure 3-6 Provide a detailed description.

[0045] If no bleed air demand is detected (output of 210 is "No"), the APU will continue to operate, and APU overload status will be monitored while the APU is operating (220). If no APU overload is detected (output of 225 is "No"), APU bleed air demand monitoring will continue (205). However, if an APU overload is detected (output of 225 is "Yes"), appropriate load management will be performed (215).

[0046] After load management, APU overload can be monitored (230). If no APU overload is detected at this point (output of 235 is "No"), the APU will continue to operate and monitor APU bleed air requirements (205). If an APU overload is detected at this point (output of 235 is "Yes"), it is further determined whether all non-critical loads have been unloaded (240). If all non-critical loads have not been unloaded (output of 240 is "No"), load management can continue (215). If all non-critical loads have been unloaded but the APU is still overloaded (output of 240 is "Yes"), the APU will issue an overload signal (245).

[0047] By following the load management logic described above, the power needs of electrical loads can be prioritized. While ensuring the power needs of electrical loads are met, the gas needs of bleed gas loads should be guaranteed as much as possible. Simultaneously, by issuing an alarm if the APU remains overloaded even after unloading all non-critical loads, the APU can be protected from damage to the greatest extent possible.

[0048] Figure 3 The present invention illustrates a method 300 for load management based on APU capabilities.

[0049] like Figure 3 As shown, method 300 begins at step 305. In step 305, the loads on the aircraft are divided into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to their importance, with each load group including one or more loads.

[0050] To ensure the normal power supply of electrical equipment to the greatest extent possible, loads can be grouped according to their importance to safe flight.

[0051] The types of loads can include electrical loads and bleed air loads, wherein bleed air loads further include power bleed air loads and environmental control bleed air loads.

[0052] As an example, Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the load group division of the present invention is shown.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown on the left, all on-machine loads can be divided into five load groups: Load Group 1, Load Group 2, Load Group 3, Load Group 4, and Load Group 5, with the importance of each load group increasing in that order. Furthermore, the load groups can be divided into two main categories based on importance: important load groups and unimportant load groups. As an example, in... Figure 4 In this configuration, load groups 1, 2, and 3 can be non-critical load groups, while load groups 4 and 5 can be critical load groups. When unloading load groups later, only the non-critical load groups can be unloaded, thus ensuring the operation of critical loads.

[0054] Taking electrical loads as an example, all electromechanical loads can be divided into two main categories: important electrical loads and non-important electrical loads. Figure 4 As shown on the right. Among the non-critical electrical loads, they can be further divided into power bleed air unloading loads, environmental control bleed air unloading loads, and other non-critical electrical loads (not shown in the figure). Among them, power bleed air unloading loads and environmental control bleed air unloading loads are allowed to have some overlap.

[0055] It should be noted that Figure 4 The load grouping shown is merely exemplary and not limiting. In specific implementations, those skilled in the art can divide the onboard load into more or fewer load groups. Furthermore, other suitable methods can be used for partitioning. For example, in some cases, each load group may contain only one load. In such cases, the load management strategy of this invention can be applied to each load.

[0056] return Figure 3 In step 310, the APU is detected as overloaded based on its capabilities and load requirements.

[0057] As mentioned earlier, the APU's output capability is affected by flight altitude, ambient temperature, and flight speed. For example, when an aircraft is in flight, the APU's capability is lower than on the ground and gradually decreases with increasing altitude.

[0058] Therefore, during aircraft operation, the actual APU capability can be determined in real time based on the APU's rated output capability and the flight environment (e.g., flight altitude, ambient temperature, and flight speed).

[0059] In some embodiments of the invention, the load requirement may only include the power demand of the electrical load (i.e., there is no bleed air requirement). In this case, APU overload can be detected based on APU capacity and power demand. Specifically, if the power demand is detected to exceed the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is overloaded. Conversely, if the power demand is detected to be less than the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is not overloaded.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present invention, the APU, in addition to meeting the power requirements of the electrical load, can also attempt to supply air to the bleed load. In such embodiments, when the APU is operating normally and supplying power to the electrical load, the presence of a bleed load's bleed air requirement can be detected. For example, if all other air sources cannot meet the bleed load's requirement (e.g., other air sources are unable to operate due to dual-engine failure), the APU needs to guarantee the bleed load, and at this time, a bleed air requirement can be determined. When a bleed air requirement is detected, the preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air requirement can be unloaded first to obtain an updated load requirement. If the updated load requirement exceeds the APU's capacity, the APU is determined to be overloaded. If the updated load requirement is less than the APU's capacity, the APU is determined not to be overloaded, and air can be supplied to the corresponding bleed load at this time. Details regarding overload detection under APU air supply conditions will be discussed below. Figure 5 Further description.

[0061] In step 315, if an APU overload is detected, non-critical load groups are unloaded sequentially in order of importance from low to high.

[0062] by Figure 4 Taking the load group division in the example, if an APU overload is detected, the least important non-critical load group 1 can be unloaded first.

[0063] In step 320, after each unloading of a non-critical load group, the APU is checked for overload, and the unloading of the non-critical load group is stopped after the APU is detected to be no longer overloaded.

[0064] Continue with Figure 4 Taking load group partitioning as an example, after unloading non-critical load group 1, it's possible to check if the APU is overloaded. If the APU is still overloaded, non-critical load group 2 can be unloaded. After unloading non-critical load group 2, the APU is checked again for overload, and so on. Once the APU is no longer overloaded, unloading of non-critical load groups can be stopped.

[0065] After detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stopping the unloading of non-critical load groups, the APU can operate normally. Simultaneously, it can detect whether a new power supply is connected; if a new power supply is detected, the unloaded non-critical load groups can be restored. Figure 3 (Not shown in the image).

[0066] In step 325, if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all non-critical load groups, an APU load alarm is issued.

[0067] After unloading all non-critical load groups, if the APU is still detected to be overloaded, an APU load alarm can be issued to inform the generator set of the APU overload situation, allowing the generator set to decide on the next steps. This method can maximize the protection of the APU and prevent damage to it.

[0068] As can be seen from method 300, the technical solution of the present invention can accurately identify APU capabilities and ensure that electrical load requirements are within the APU capability range through load management, thereby maximizing the continuous and normal power supply of the entire aircraft load without damaging the APU and improving the reliability of aircraft power supply.

[0069] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of overload detection under APU gas supply conditions according to the present invention is shown.

[0070] When the APU is operating normally and supplying power to the electrical loads on the aircraft (505), the aircraft's bleed air requirements (510) can be detected.

[0071] When a bleed air demand is detected, it can be further determined whether it is a power bleed air demand or an environmental control bleed air demand.

[0072] If no power bleed air requirement or environmental control bleed air requirement is detected (the outputs of 515 and 540 are both "No"), then the bleed air requirement can continue to be detected while the APU is operating normally (510).

[0073] If a power bleed air demand is detected (output of 515 is "Yes"), the first preset electrical load (520) corresponding to the power bleed air demand can be unloaded.

[0074] If an environmental bleed air demand is detected (output of 540 is "Yes"), the second preset electrical load (545) corresponding to the environmental bleed air demand can be unloaded.

[0075] In other words, when a bleed air demand is detected, a portion of the electrical load can be unloaded to release some of the APU's output power. In this way, the bleed air demand of the bleed air load can be met as much as possible.

[0076] The first and second preset electrical loads can be set according to the actual flight conditions and bleed air requirements. Preferably, the first and second preset electrical loads can be selected from electrical loads of lower importance. It should be noted that the settings of the first and second preset electrical loads are independent of each other. In other words, the first preset electrical load can be set based on the flight conditions and specific power bleed air requirements when power bleed air requirements are detected, while the second preset electrical load can be set based on the flight conditions and specific environmental control bleed air requirements when environmental control bleed air requirements are detected. In some embodiments, the first and second preset electrical loads may partially overlap.

[0077] After detecting the bleed air demand and unloading the first preset electrical load, it is possible to detect whether the APU is overloaded (525). Specifically, the electrical demand after unloading the first preset electrical load can be added to the bleed air demand to obtain the updated load demand. If the updated load demand is less than the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is not overloaded (the output of 525 is "No"). At this time, the APU can start the main engine with bleed air (530) to meet the aircraft's bleed air demand. If the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is overloaded (the output of 525 is "Yes"). At this time, corresponding load management can be performed (535).

[0078] Similarly, after detecting the bleed air demand and unloading the second preset electrical load, it is possible to detect whether the APU is overloaded (550). Specifically, the power demand after unloading the second preset electrical load can be added to the bleed air demand to obtain the updated load demand. If the updated load demand is less than the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is not overloaded (the output of 550 is "No"). At this time, the APU can perform bleed air control (555) to meet the aircraft's bleed air demand. If the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity, it can be determined that the APU is overloaded (the output of 550 is "Yes"). At this time, appropriate load management can be performed (535).

[0079] In this invention, an APU overload can be determined when the load demand (the sum of electricity demand and gas demand (if any)) exceeds the APU's capacity. Furthermore, since APU overheating and surge conditions are also reflected in the APU overload signal, in this invention, if an APU is detected to be in an overheating or surge state, an APU overload can also be determined.

[0080] The following will combine Figure 6 Describe in detail the load management process in the event of APU overload. Figure 6 An exemplary process 600 for load management based on APU capabilities according to the present invention is shown.

[0081] During APU operation, an APU overload can be detected (605). The process of APU overload detection has been explained in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0082] If no APU overload is detected (output of 610 is "No"), the APU continues to operate and continues to detect whether an APU overload has occurred during APU operation (605).

[0083] If APU overload is detected (output of 610 is "Yes"), load management can be performed. Specifically, less critical load groups can be unloaded in order of importance from lowest to highest.

[0084] For ease of explanation, Figure 6 It is assumed that all non-critical loads are divided into three load groups, in order of increasing importance: load group 1, load group 2, and load group 3.

[0085] Therefore, if an APU overload is detected (the output of 610 is "yes"), the least important load group 1 (615) can be unloaded first.

[0086] After unloading load group 1, the total load demand of the system will decrease. At this point, it is possible to continue to determine whether the APU is overloaded (620).

[0087] If the total load demand after unloading load group 1 still exceeds the APU's capacity or the APU is in an over-temperature or surge state, then the APU is overloaded (output of 620 is "Yes"). At this time, load group 2 (625) can continue to be unloaded.

[0088] After unloading load group 2, the total system load demand will decrease further. At this point, it is possible to continue to determine whether the APU is overloaded (630).

[0089] If the total load demand after unloading load group 2 still exceeds the APU's capacity or the APU is in an over-temperature or surge state, then the APU is overloaded (output of 630 is "Yes"). At this time, load group 3 (635) can be further unloaded.

[0090] After unloading load group 3, all non-critical load groups have been unloaded. If the APU is still overloaded at this point (output "Yes" at 640), the damper angle can be adjusted to the minimum value (645) (if the aircraft is designed with dampers). If the APU is still overloaded after adjusting the damper angle to the minimum value (output "Yes" at 650), an APU fault alarm can be issued to inform the crew of the APU overload situation, and the crew can decide on the next course of action.

[0091] If the APU does not overload after unloading load group 1 (i.e., the load demand is less than the APU's capacity and the APU is not in an over-temperature or surge state) (output of 620 is "No"), then unloading subsequent load groups 2 and 3 can be stopped. At this time, the APU can operate normally without issuing alarms, and a new power supply can be detected while the APU is operating (660). If no new power supply is detected (output of 660 is "No"), unloading load group 1 can remain unloaded (665). If a new power supply is detected (output of 660 is "Yes"), load group 1 can be restored (670). For example, if the load in load group 1 is an electrical load, power supply to load group 1 can be restored. If the load in load group 1 is a bleed air load, air supply to load group 1 can be restored.

[0092] If the APU does not overload after unloading load group 1 and load group 2 (the output of 630 is "No"), then unloading the subsequent load group 3 can be stopped. At this time, the APU can work normally without issuing an alarm, and can detect whether a new power supply has been connected (675) while the APU is working.

[0093] If no new power supply is detected (the 675 output is "No"), then unloaded load group 2 can remain unloaded (for simplicity, Figure 6 (Not shown in the image). If a new power supply is detected (output of 675 is "Yes"), load groups 1 and 2 (680) can be restored.

[0094] If the APU does not overload after unloading all non-critical load groups (i.e., load group 1, load group 2, and load group 3) (the 640 output is "No"), the APU can operate normally without issuing an alarm, and can detect whether a new power supply has been connected while the APU is operating (685). If no new power supply is detected (the 685 output is "No"), load group 3 can remain unloaded (for simplicity, Figure 6 (Not shown in the image). If a new power supply is detected (685 output "Yes"), load groups 1, 2, and 3 (690) can be restored.

[0095] If the APU does not overload after unloading all non-critical load groups and adjusting the damper angle to the minimum value (output of 650 is "No"), the APU can operate normally without issuing an alarm, and the APU overload detection continues while the APU is operating (605).

[0096] As can be seen from process 600, the technical solution of the present invention can improve the power utilization rate of the APU, maximize the protection of the APU, and extend the service life of the APU. At the same time, by performing load management in order of increasing importance when an APU overload is detected, and restoring the load groups when a new power supply is detected, the power / air bleed requirements of important loads can be guaranteed as much as possible.

[0097] Figure 7 A block diagram of the present invention for load management based on APU capabilities is shown.

[0098] See Figure 7 The system 700 may include a load group partitioning unit 702, an APU overload detection unit 704, a load group unloading unit 706, a load alarm unit 708, and a load group recovery unit 710. Each of these units may be directly or indirectly connected to or communicate with each other on one or more buses 712.

[0099] In various embodiments of the present invention, the load grouping unit 702 is configured to divide the loads on the aircraft into one or more important load groups and unimportant load groups according to their importance, with each load group including one or more loads.

[0100] In various embodiments of the present invention, the APU overload detection unit 704 is configured to detect whether the APU is overloaded based on the APU's capabilities and load requirements.

[0101] In some embodiments, load demand includes the power demand of electrical loads, and the APU overload detection unit is further configured to determine APU overload if the power demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0102] In some embodiments, the load demand includes the power demand of the electrical load and the bleed air demand of the bleed air load, wherein the power demand is less than the APU capacity, and the APU overload detection unit is further configured to: unload a preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air demand to obtain an updated load demand; and determine that the APU is overloaded if the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity.

[0103] In various embodiments of the present invention, the load group unloading unit 706 is configured to: if an APU overload is detected, unload non-critical load groups in order of increasing importance; after each unloading of a non-critical load group, detect whether the APU is overloaded, and stop unloading the non-critical load group after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded.

[0104] In various embodiments of the present invention, the load alarm unit 708 is configured to issue an APU load alarm if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all non-critical load groups.

[0105] In various embodiments of the present invention, the load group recovery unit 710 is configured to: detect whether a new power supply is connected after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stops unloading non-critical load groups; and if a new power supply is detected, restore the unloaded non-critical load groups.

[0106] Although Figure 7 Specific units of system 700 are shown, but it should be understood that these units are exemplary and not limiting. In different implementations, one or more of these units can be combined, split, removed, or additional units can be added. For example, in some implementations, the load group offloading unit 706 and the load group recovery unit 710 can be merged into a single unit. In some implementations, system 700 may also include additional units. It should be noted that the functions of the various units in system 700 can be determined through... Figure 1 The various controllers shown can be used to implement this, but other specially designed devices can also be employed. Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate method based on the specific requirements of the system design. Figure 7 The implementation methods of each unit.

[0107] Figure 8 A device block diagram of a system 800 for load management based on APU capabilities according to the present invention is shown.

[0108] This device illustrates a typical hardware environment in which the invention can be applied according to exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0109] Now refer to Figure 8 Device 800 is described as an exemplary embodiment of a hardware device that can be applied to various aspects of the present invention. Device 800 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computation, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, or any combination thereof. The above-described system can be implemented wholly or at least partially by device 800 or similar devices or systems.

[0110] Device 800 may include components that can be connected to or communicate with bus 812 via one or more interfaces. For example, device 800 may include bus 812, processor 802, memory 804, input device 808, and output device 810, etc.

[0111] Processor 802 can be any type of processor and may include, but is not limited to, general-purpose processors and / or special-purpose processors (e.g., special-purpose chips), intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, processor 802 may be configured to use a memory controller to operate a memory array. In other cases, a memory controller (not shown) may be integrated into processor 802. Processor 802 may be responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software stored in memory. Processor 802 may also be configured to perform various functions described herein related to APU-based load management. For example, processor 802 can be configured to: divide the load on the aircraft into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to their importance, with each load group including one or more loads; detect whether the APU is overloaded based on APU capacity and load requirements; if APU overload is detected, unload non-important load groups in order of increasing importance; detect whether the APU is overloaded after each unloading of a non-important load group, and stop unloading non-important load groups after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded; and if the APU is still overloaded after unloading all non-important load groups, issue an APU load alarm.

[0112] Memory 804 can be any storage device capable of storing data. Memory 804 may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes or any other magnetic media, optical discs or any other optical media, ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), cache memory and / or any other memory chip or cartridge, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. Memory 804 may store computer-executable software 806 including computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the various functions described herein related to APU-based load management.

[0113] Input device 808 can be any type of device that can be used to input information.

[0114] The output device 810 can be any type of device used for outputting information. In one case, the output device 810 can be any type of output device capable of displaying information.

[0115] The technical solution of this invention can accurately identify all APU operating scenarios requiring energy management, maximizing the protection of normal power consumption for electrical equipment and the aircraft's gas requirements. Simultaneously, it can also maximize the protection of the APU, preventing damage due to overheating or surge.

[0116] The detailed description above, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes examples but does not represent all examples that can be implemented or fall within the scope of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary" are used in this specification to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and do not imply "superiority or superiority over other examples."

[0117] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the use of these phrases may refer to more than one embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0118] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, and the universal principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be granted the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein references to the singular form of an element, unless specifically stated otherwise, are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents of the various aspects of the invention described throughout are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

[0119] It should also be noted that these embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of these operations can be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0120] While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and components described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements that will be apparent to those skilled in the art can be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for load management based on APU capabilities, comprising: The loads on the aircraft are divided into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups according to their importance, and each load group includes one or more loads; The overload of the APU is detected based on the APU capacity and load requirements, wherein the load requirements include the power requirements of the electrical load and the bleed air requirements of the bleed air load, and the power requirements are less than the APU capacity. If an APU overload is detected, non-critical load groups are unloaded in order of importance from low to high. After each unloading of a non-critical load group, check whether the APU is overloaded, and stop unloading the non-critical load group after detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded; as well as If the APU remains overloaded after unloading all non-critical load groups, an APU load alarm will be issued. Detecting whether the APU is overloaded based on the APU capacity and the load requirement further includes: Unload the preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air requirement to obtain an updated load requirement; and If the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity, then the APU is determined to be overloaded.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The types of loads include electrical loads and bleed air loads, and bleed air loads include power bleed air loads and environmental control bleed air loads.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bleed air requirement includes the power bleed air requirement of the power bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a first preset electrical load corresponding to the power bleed air requirement.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bleed air requirement includes the environmental bleed air requirement of the environmental bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a second preset electrical load corresponding to the environmental bleed air requirement.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further includes: After detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stops unloading non-critical load groups, check whether to connect a new power supply; as well as If a new power supply is detected, the offloaded non-critical load groups are restored.

6. A system for load management based on APU capabilities, comprising: The load grouping unit is configured to divide the loads on the aircraft into one or more important load groups and non-important load groups based on their importance, with each load group including one or more loads. An APU overload detection unit is configured to detect whether the APU is overloaded based on the APU capacity and load requirements, wherein the load requirements include the power requirements of the electrical load and the bleed air requirements of the bleed air load, and wherein the power requirements are less than the APU capacity. The load group offloading unit is configured as follows: If an APU overload is detected, non-critical load groups are unloaded in order of importance from low to high. After each unloading of a non-critical load group, check if the APU is overloaded, and stop unloading the non-critical load group once the APU is no longer overloaded; and The load alarm unit is configured to issue an APU load alarm if the APU remains overloaded after unloading all non-critical load groups. The APU overload detection unit is further configured to: Unload the preset electrical load corresponding to the bleed air requirement to obtain an updated load requirement; and If the updated load demand exceeds the APU capacity, then the APU is determined to be overloaded.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The types of loads include electrical loads and bleed air loads, and bleed air loads include power bleed air loads and environmental control bleed air loads.

8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bleed air requirement includes the power bleed air requirement of the power bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a first preset electrical load corresponding to the power bleed air requirement.

9. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bleed air requirement includes the environmental bleed air requirement of the environmental bleed air load, and the preset electrical load includes a second preset electrical load corresponding to the environmental bleed air requirement.

10. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, It further includes a load group recovery unit, which is configured to: After detecting that the APU is no longer overloaded and stops unloading non-critical load groups, it checks whether to connect a new power supply; and If a new power supply is detected, the offloaded non-critical load groups are restored.

11. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for load management based on APU capabilities, the computer program being executable by a processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

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