Hybrid aircraft and thermal management method and system thereof

Abstract

The application provides a heat management method of a hybrid aircraft, a heat management system and a hybrid aircraft comprising the heat management system. The hybrid aircraft comprises a first cabin and a second cabin, and a plurality of temperature sensors are arranged in the second cabin. The heat management method comprises: acquiring temperature detection values of the plurality of temperature sensors; in response to any temperature detection value being less than a first preset threshold, introducing heat exchange gas in the first cabin into the second cabin, the heat exchange gas being gas that has undergone heat exchange with the first cabin; or in response to all temperature detection values being greater than or equal to the first preset threshold, stopping the introduction of the heat exchange gas. The heat management method provided by the application introduces heat of the first cabin with heat dissipation requirements into the second cabin with heating requirements, thereby meeting the heat dissipation requirements and the heating requirements of the hybrid aircraft, and through energy reuse, the endurance of the hybrid aircraft is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft technology, and more specifically to a thermal management method, a thermal management system, and a hybrid-electric aircraft including the thermal management system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, its application scenarios in low-temperature environments continue to expand, such as polar scientific expeditions, border patrols, forest fire prevention and control in cold regions, icing detection of high-voltage power transmission lines, and remote sensing detection of agricultural pests and diseases in winter. Drone operation in low-temperature conditions may lead to equipment malfunctions, such as rapid degradation of lithium battery performance, decreased efficiency of motors and drive systems, and reduced reliability of electronic devices. Existing technical solutions mainly include traditional passive insulation and active heating solutions. Traditional passive insulation solutions, such as wrapping the battery compartment with insulation cotton, can reduce battery performance degradation to some extent, but the added weight leads to shorter flight time, and the insulation cotton needs to be removed when the drone is operating in non-low-temperature conditions, which is cumbersome. Another active heating solution, such as using nickel-chromium alloy heating elements for battery preheating, can maintain the core battery temperature, but the high power consumption also leads to shorter flight time. To better avoid equipment malfunctions caused by drone operation in low-temperature conditions, this invention provides a hybrid-powered aircraft and its thermal management method and system. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify 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 to precede the more detailed description that follows. To overcome the aforementioned shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a thermal management method for a hybrid-electric aircraft, a thermal management system, and a hybrid-electric aircraft including the thermal management system.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a thermal management method for a hybrid-electric aircraft is provided. The hybrid-electric aircraft includes a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a plurality of temperature sensors are disposed in the second compartment. The thermal management method includes: Obtain temperature readings from several temperature sensors; In response to any temperature detection value being less than a first preset threshold, heat exchange gas from the first chamber is introduced into the second chamber; the heat exchange gas is the gas that has undergone heat exchange with the first chamber; or In response to all temperature detection values ​​being greater than or equal to a first preset threshold, the introduction of heat exchange gas is stopped.

[0005] Furthermore, the outer surface of the second compartment is equipped with several air inlets and several air outlets, and the air inlets are equipped with heat dissipation dampers. The thermal management method also includes: In response to any temperature detection value being greater than or equal to a second preset threshold, the cooling damper is opened, where the second preset threshold is greater than a first preset threshold; or In response to all temperature detection values ​​being less than the second preset threshold, the cooling damper is closed.

[0006] Furthermore, opening the cooling vents includes: Calculate the maximum difference between several temperature detection values ​​and a second preset threshold; The degree of opening of the cooling damper is determined based on the maximum difference; and Control the opening of the cooling damper to the degree corresponding to the maximum difference.

[0007] Furthermore, the first compartment is a range extender compartment, which houses the range extender and a heat dissipation channel for cooling the range extender. A heating pipe is installed between the first and second compartments. The air inlet of the heating pipe is connected to the downstream channel of the heat dissipation channel, and the air outlet of the heating pipe is connected to the second compartment. The heating pipe is equipped with a heating damper. Introducing heat exchange gas from the first compartment into the second compartment includes: Control the opening of the heating damper to introduce heat exchange gas from the first compartment into the second compartment; or Stopping the introduction of heat exchange gas includes: Control the heating damper to close and stop the introduction of heat exchange gas.

[0008] Furthermore, the range extender compartment is located at the nose of the hybrid-electric aircraft. An air intake is located on the windward side of the nose. The range extender compartment also houses a first duct, a fan, a radiator for cooling the range extender, and several temperature sensors. The air intake faces the fan's inlet, the fan's outlet faces the windward side of the radiator's cooling fins, and the leeward side of the cooling fins faces the inlet of the first duct. The outlet of the first duct is located on the side surface of the nose. The air intake, through the fan and radiator, forms the cooling channel for the range extender via the first duct. The inlet of the heating duct is connected to the first duct to introduce gas that exchanges heat with the cooling fins within the first duct. The thermal management method also includes: Acquire temperature readings from several temperature sensors within the extended-range cabin and the operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft; In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in non-cruise mode and any temperature reading inside the range extender cabin being greater than or equal to a third preset threshold, the fan is activated; or In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in cruise mode, the cruise speed of the hybrid-electric aircraft is obtained. In response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and all temperature detection values ​​in the extended range cabin being less than a third preset threshold, the fan is turned off.

[0009] Furthermore, turning on the fan includes: Calculate the maximum difference between any temperature reading inside the extended-range cabin and a third preset threshold. The fan speed is determined based on the maximum difference; and Adjust the fan speed to the speed corresponding to the maximum difference.

[0010] Furthermore, the range extender's cooling system includes a first circulation path, a second circulation path, and a thermostat. The opening and closing of the thermostat correspond to the first and second circulation paths of the cooling system, respectively. At least one flow path of the radiator is connected to the first circulation path. The thermal management method further includes: In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in a non-cruise operating condition, the thermostat is activated; and In response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and several temperature detection values ​​in the extended-range cabin being less than or equal to a fourth temperature threshold, the thermostat is closed, and the fourth preset threshold is less than the third preset threshold.

[0011] Furthermore, the first compartment is one or more of an extension compartment, an engine compartment, or a power compartment; the second compartment is one or more of an equipment compartment, a battery compartment, or a cargo compartment.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a thermal management system for a hybrid-electric aircraft is provided. The hybrid-electric aircraft includes a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a plurality of temperature sensors are disposed in the second compartment. The thermal management system of the hybrid-electric aircraft includes a fuselage controller, which is communicatively connected to the plurality of temperature sensors, and the fuselage controller is configured to implement the thermal management method described above.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a hybrid-powered aircraft is provided, including the thermal management system described above. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of this disclosure in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a thermal management method for a hybrid-powered aircraft in a specific embodiment is shown.

[0016] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown.

[0017] Figure 3 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown.

[0018] Figure 4 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method for a hybrid-powered aircraft is shown in a specific embodiment.

[0019] Figure 5 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown.

[0020] Figure 6 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown.

[0021] Figure 7 A perspective view of the nose section of a hybrid-powered aircraft to which the thermal management method is applied in a specific embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to implement and use the invention and adapt it to specific application contexts. Various modifications and uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein are applicable to a wide range of embodiments. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the embodiments given herein, but should be granted the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0023] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that practice of the invention is not necessarily limited to these specific details. In other words, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form without being depicted in detail to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0024] Readers should note all documents and references submitted concurrently with this specification and open to public inspection, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Unless otherwise expressly stated, all features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstracts, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features for the same, equivalent, or similar purposes. Therefore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, each disclosed feature is merely one example of a set of equivalent or similar features.

[0025] Note that, where used, the markings left, right, front, back, top, bottom, front, back, clockwise, and counterclockwise are merely for convenience and do not imply any specific fixed direction. In fact, they are used to reflect the relative position and / or orientation between different parts of an object. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] Note that, in practice, "further," "preferably," "even further," and "more preferably" are simply starting points for describing another embodiment based on the foregoing embodiments. The combination of the content following "further," "preferably," "even further," or "more preferably" with the foregoing embodiments constitutes the complete configuration of another embodiment. Any combination of several "further," "preferably," "even further," or "more preferably" settings following the same embodiment can form yet another embodiment.

[0027] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the aspects described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention in any way.

[0028] A hybrid-powered aircraft refers to an aircraft that uses two or more power sources. Compared to a purely electric-driven aircraft, in embodiments of this invention, a hybrid-powered aircraft may refer to an aircraft that uses both an electric motor and a range extender. The range extender is a power auxiliary device used to extend the aircraft's range. It solves problems such as short flight time and insufficient power caused by battery capacity limitations through an additional energy supply mechanism.

[0029] A range extender generally includes an engine and a generator. Common engines constituting a range extender can be fuel-powered engines such as two-stroke engines, four-stroke engines, or micro gas turbines, or new energy engines such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells or methanol reforming fuel cells. Common generators constituting a range extender can be synchronous generators such as rare-earth permanent magnet synchronous generators or brushless synchronous generators, or asynchronous generators such as squirrel-cage asynchronous generators or wound-rotor asynchronous generators. This application does not limit the type of engine or generator used in the range extender of a hybrid-electric aircraft; it can be a combination of existing or future engines and generators that can serve as a power source for the aircraft.

[0030] According to one aspect of the present invention, a thermal management method for a hybrid-powered aircraft is provided.

[0031] In some embodiments, the hybrid-powered aircraft may include a first compartment and a second compartment.

[0032] The first and second compartments refer to any two different compartments in a hybrid-electric aircraft. The first compartment is the one that generates heat and frequently requires cooling, while the second compartment is the one that requires heating under certain conditions. It is understood that the first and second compartments can vary depending on the operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft and do not refer to a specific compartment. For example, the first compartment can be one or more of the range extender compartment, engine compartment, or power compartment; the second compartment can be one or more of the equipment compartment, battery compartment, or cargo compartment.

[0033] In some embodiments, the hybrid-powered aircraft has at least a number of temperature sensors installed in the second cabin.

[0034] The temperature sensors can be commonly used temperature sensors such as infrared temperature sensors, semiconductor temperature sensors, fiber optic temperature sensors, and thermocouples. The number of temperature sensors in the second compartment is greater than or equal to the number of devices to be monitored, with at least one temperature sensor installed on each device, and multiple sensors are also allowed. It is understood that the number of temperature sensors installed in the second compartment needs to be determined based on the number of temperature monitoring points within the second compartment. These monitoring points may include several locations on several devices and / or the number of locations within the second compartment where ambient temperature monitoring is required.

[0035] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a thermal management method for a hybrid-electric aircraft in a specific embodiment is shown below. Figure 1 It is known that the thermal management method for hybrid-powered aircraft may include steps S110 to S130.

[0036] Step S110 involves obtaining the temperature detection values ​​from several temperature sensors inside the second cabin.

[0037] Step S120 is as follows: In response to any temperature detection value being less than a first preset threshold, heat exchange gas in the first chamber is introduced into the second chamber.

[0038] Step S130 is: in response to all temperature detection values ​​being greater than or equal to a first preset threshold, stop introducing heat exchange gas.

[0039] The first preset threshold can be set to a temperature value that is less than or equal to the lower limit of the suitable temperature range for equipment operation or storage in the second compartment, and is used to determine whether the second compartment needs to be heated. Those skilled in the art can set the first preset threshold themselves based on the lower limit of the suitable temperature range for equipment operation or storage in the second compartment.

[0040] When any temperature reading in the second compartment is lower than the first preset threshold, it indicates that at least one temperature monitoring point in the second compartment has a temperature below the suitable operating temperature range for the equipment, and heat exchange gas needs to be introduced into the second compartment to heat it. When all temperature readings in the second compartment are greater than or equal to the second preset threshold, it indicates that all temperature monitoring points in the second compartment no longer require heating, and the introduction of heat exchange gas can be stopped.

[0041] The heat exchange gas in the first compartment refers to the gaseous medium used for heat transfer and exchange with the heating devices in the first compartment. In some specific embodiments, the heat exchange gas in the first compartment can be the gas that exchanges heat with the radiator of the range extender, or it can be the gas that exchanges heat with other heating devices in the compartment (such as the heat dissipation components of the motor and battery pack). It can be understood that using the heat exchange gas in the first compartment to heat the second compartment can achieve the reuse of heat in the first compartment.

[0042] In some specific embodiments, the first compartment can be a range extender compartment, which is a compartment on a hybrid-electric aircraft where a range extender is installed. The range extender compartment is usually equipped with the range extender, heat dissipation equipment for cooling the range extender, and other equipment required for the range extender.

[0043] In embodiments of this application, the range extender compartment may be equipped with a range extender and a heat dissipation channel for cooling the range extender.

[0044] The heat dissipation channel refers to the pipe used to provide heat exchange gas to the range extender and collect the gas after heat exchange, which can achieve precise heat dissipation of the range extender and precise discharge of heat exchange gas.

[0045] To introduce heat exchange gas from the first compartment to the second compartment, a heating pipe can be installed between the first and second compartments.

[0046] In some specific embodiments, the air inlet of the heating pipe is connected to the downstream channel of the heat dissipation channel, and the air outlet of the heating pipe is connected to the second compartment, thereby introducing the heat exchange gas in the first compartment into the second compartment. The downstream of the heat dissipation channel refers to the pipe through which the gas, after heat exchange with the range extender, flows; the gas in this downstream channel has a relatively higher temperature than its upstream counterpart. The heat exchange gas in the downstream heat dissipation channel can serve as the heating medium for the second compartment, thus achieving energy reuse.

[0047] It should be noted that the connection between the air inlet of the heating pipe and the downstream flow channel of the heat dissipation channel, as well as the connection between the air outlet of the heating pipe and the second compartment, can be a direct connection between the two pipes (such as one-piece molding), an indirect connection through connectors (such as flanges or joints), or other common connection methods.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will understand that gas introduction can also be achieved by other means that achieve the same effect, such as blowing higher gas in the range extender compartment into the second compartment by a fan / blower. These means of gas introduction or a combination of multiple means of gas introduction should be regarded as implementations of introducing heat exchange gas from the first compartment into the second compartment and fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0049] For ease of control, in some specific embodiments, a heating damper may also be installed at the heating pipe.

[0050] A heating damper is a control component used to control the connection between the heat exchange gas in the heating pipe and the second chamber. When the heating damper is open, the heating pipe is unobstructed, allowing the heat exchange gas to be smoothly introduced from the first chamber into the second chamber; when the heating damper is closed, the heating pipe is blocked, preventing the heat exchange gas from entering the second chamber, thus controlling the introduction of the heat exchange gas. Specifically, the heating damper can be installed at the connection between the air inlet of the heating pipe and the downstream flow channel of the heat dissipation channel, at the air outlet of the heating pipe, or at any position within the heating pipe.

[0051] For example, the heating damper can be a flap damper, a butterfly damper, a gate damper, a louver damper, or other valves that enable the opening and closing of the pipeline.

[0052] In an embodiment where the heating pipe is opened or closed via a heating damper, introducing heat exchange gas from the first chamber into the second chamber can be further refined as: controlling the heating damper to open so as to introduce heat exchange gas from the first chamber into the second chamber; correspondingly, stopping the introduction of heat exchange gas can be further refined as: controlling the heating damper to close so as to stop the introduction of heat exchange gas.

[0053] Preferably, the opening degree of the heating damper can be adjusted according to the low temperature of the temperature detection value in the second compartment, so that the amount of heat exchange gas entering the second compartment matches the low temperature in the second compartment, that is, the lower the temperature in the second compartment, the greater the opening degree of the heating damper.

[0054] For example, the way to control the opening or closing of the heating damper can be electric drive, pneumatic drive, electromagnetic drive, hydraulic drive or other common damper drive methods.

[0055] When a hybrid-powered aircraft is operating, the cabin temperature may exceed the optimal operating temperature range. In such cases, to maintain the cabin temperature within the optimal operating range, in one specific embodiment, the outer surface of the second cabin may be provided with several air inlets and several air outlets to allow for the inflow and outflow of external airflow. It can be understood that when the hybrid-powered aircraft moves in space, changes in air pressure can be used to control the flow of external or internal airflow at the air inlets or outlets.

[0056] Preferably, the air inlet can be located on the side surface of the second compartment closer to the nose, and the air outlet can be located on the side surface of the second compartment away from the nose, so that the hybrid-electric aircraft can achieve passive cooling of the second compartment by allowing external airflow to enter the second compartment through the air inlet during cruise conditions and then be discharged from the air outlet after flowing through the second compartment.

[0057] Furthermore, to achieve controllable passive heat dissipation, heat dissipation dampers can be installed at several air inlets on the surface of the second compartment.

[0058] Correspondingly, the thermal management method may also include steps for controlling the heat dissipation dampers. Figure 2 A flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown below. Figure 2 In contrast Figure 1 The embodiment shown, Figure 2 The thermal management method shown also includes steps S210 to S220.

[0059] Step S210 is: in response to any temperature detection value being greater than or equal to a second preset threshold, the heat dissipation damper is opened.

[0060] Step S220 is: in response to all temperature detection values ​​being less than the second preset threshold, the heat dissipation damper is closed.

[0061] The second preset threshold can be set to a temperature value greater than or equal to the upper limit of the suitable temperature range for equipment operation or storage in the second compartment, and is used to determine whether the second compartment needs heat dissipation. Those skilled in the art can set the second preset threshold themselves based on the upper limit of the suitable temperature range for equipment operation or storage in the second compartment, and obviously the second preset threshold is greater than the first preset threshold.

[0062] When any temperature reading in the second compartment exceeds the second preset threshold, it indicates that at least one temperature monitoring point in the second compartment has a temperature higher than the suitable operating temperature range for the equipment, and heat dissipation of the second compartment is required; when all temperature readings are lower than the second preset threshold, it indicates that heat dissipation is no longer required for any of the temperature monitoring points in the second compartment, and heat dissipation of the second compartment is stopped.

[0063] A cooling damper is a control component used to control the communication between the gas inside the second compartment and the outside air. For example, a cooling damper can also be a flap damper, a butterfly damper, a gate damper, a louver damper, or other valves that can open and close the air vent, and its opening and closing can be controlled by electric drive, pneumatic drive, electromagnetic drive, hydraulic drive, or other common damper drive methods.

[0064] In some embodiments, to achieve more precise temperature regulation Figure 3 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown to control the opening degree of the heat dissipation damper. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The thermal management method may also include steps S310 to S330.

[0065] Step S310 involves calculating the maximum difference between several temperature detection values ​​and a second preset threshold.

[0066] Step S320 is: determine the opening degree of the heat dissipation damper based on the maximum difference.

[0067] Step S330 is: control the cooling damper to open to the degree corresponding to the maximum difference.

[0068] The maximum difference refers to the largest difference between each of several temperature detection values ​​in the second compartment and a second preset threshold. These differences can be positive or negative. Specifically, for each of the multiple temperature detection values ​​in the second compartment, the difference between each temperature detection value and the second preset threshold is calculated. If the temperature detection value is higher than the second preset threshold, the difference is positive; if the detection value is lower than the second preset threshold, the difference is negative. The largest of these positive or negative values ​​is the maximum difference. It can be understood that the cooling damper will only open when any temperature detection value is greater than or equal to the second preset threshold. Therefore, it is possible to omit the difference calculation for temperature detection values ​​lower than the second preset threshold, or ignore negative differences when determining the maximum difference, to simplify the calculation process.

[0069] It is understandable that the maximum difference is used to quantify the degree to which the temperature of the second compartment exceeds the second preset threshold, thus providing a basis for determining the opening degree of the cooling damper. The larger the maximum difference, the more the temperature of the temperature monitoring point in the second compartment exceeds the suitable temperature range, requiring the cooling damper to be opened to a greater extent to introduce more external airflow, thereby enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

[0070] Specifically, methods such as proportional control, hierarchical control, linear segmented control, feedback closed-loop correction, and PID control can be used to determine the degree of opening of the cooling damper.

[0071] Preferably, the air inlet may also be provided with waterproof components, including a first grille, a second grille and a sedimentation zone. The first grille, the sedimentation zone and the second grille are arranged sequentially from the surface of the second compartment into the compartment. The second grille is positioned higher than the first grille relative to the second compartment. The sedimentation zone connects at least the bottom of the second grille and the bottom of the first grille.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first compartment is an extension compartment and is located at the nose of the hybrid-electric aircraft, with an air intake on the windward side of the nose to introduce external airflow.

[0073] The nose section of a hybrid-electric aircraft refers to the area at the very front of the aircraft that points in the direction of flight when the aircraft is level. The windward surface of the nose section refers to the surface area of ​​the nose that first comes into contact with the airflow when the aircraft is level.

[0074] Specifically, the range extender compartment is also equipped with a fan, a radiator to dissipate heat from the range extender, and several temperature sensors. The air inlet is opposite to the fan's air inlet, and the fan's air outlet is opposite to the windward side of the radiator's cooling fins.

[0075] The fan is an active air supply device located between the air intake and the radiator, used to accelerate the gas entering the range extender compartment in order to improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0076] A radiator is a device used to exchange heat with the water cooling system or oil cooling system of the range extender. The flow channels of the radiator are connected to the pipes of the water cooling system or oil cooling system of the range extender to achieve heat exchange with the range extender through the circulation of cooling medium.

[0077] The core heat dissipation component of a radiator is the heat dissipation fins. Heat dissipation fins are sheet-like structures that accelerate the transfer of heat from a heat source to the surrounding environment by increasing the heat dissipation area and enhancing air convection or thermal radiation. In this application, the surface of the heat dissipation fin facing the airflow direction is the windward side of the heat dissipation fin, and the surface of the heat dissipation fin facing away from the airflow direction is the leeward side of the heat dissipation fin. The leeward side and the windward side of the heat dissipation fin are relative concepts.

[0078] Furthermore, the extended-range compartment is also equipped with a first duct, with the leeward side of the heat dissipation fins facing the air inlet of the first duct, and the air outlet of the first duct located on the side surface of the nose section.

[0079] The first duct is used to collect the gas that has exchanged heat with the radiator. The side surface of the nose section refers to the surface other than the nose section's frontal surface when the aircraft is in level flight, such as the left side surface, right side surface, upper side surface, or lower side surface.

[0080] The air intake, through the fan and radiator, leads to the first duct, forming the heat dissipation channel of the range extender. Outside air enters the range extender compartment from the air intake, is accelerated by the fan, and then exchanges heat with the radiator. Subsequently, the gas that has exchanged heat with the radiator is collected by the first duct and discharged through the air outlet of the first duct or sent into the second compartment to heat the second compartment.

[0081] It should be noted that the "relative" mentioned above can be an indirect or misaligned relative, such as directional deflection relative or spatial misalignment relative. Even if there is an offset or misalignment, it can still be called relative, and it is not limited to a strict alignment.

[0082] In order to introduce the gas that has undergone heat exchange with the radiator into the second compartment, in some specific embodiments, the air inlet of the heating pipe is connected to the first pipe to introduce the heat exchange gas in the first pipe.

[0083] The connection between the air inlet port of the heating pipe and the first pipe can be a direct connection between the two pipes (such as one-piece molding), an indirect connection through a connector (such as a flange or joint), or other methods that enable pipe connection.

[0084] To reduce the heat dissipation power consumption of the range extender, the fans can be flexibly started and stopped according to the different operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft, thereby increasing the range of the hybrid-electric aircraft.

[0085] Figure 4 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method for a hybrid-powered aircraft in a specific embodiment is shown to achieve temperature control of the range extender module. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The thermal management method in this embodiment may further include steps S410 to S430.

[0086] Step S410 involves acquiring the temperature readings from several temperature sensors within the extended-range cabin and the operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft.

[0087] Step S420 is as follows: In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in a non-cruise operating condition and any temperature detection value in the range extender cabin being greater than or equal to a third preset threshold, the fan is turned on.

[0088] Step S430 is as follows: In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in cruise mode, the cruise speed of the hybrid-electric aircraft is obtained; in response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and all temperature detection values ​​in the extended range cabin being less than a third preset threshold, the fan is turned off.

[0089] The operating conditions of a hybrid-electric aircraft typically include takeoff, climb, cruise, gliding, and hovering. Cruise refers to the phase after the aircraft completes its climb, during which it maintains a stable altitude, speed, and attitude for long-distance flight. During cruise, parameters such as altitude, speed, and heading remain constant within a certain range, and the aerodynamic environment (such as air density and wind speed) is relatively stable. Non-cruise conditions refer to all other operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft besides cruise.

[0090] Cruise speed refers to the stable flight speed maintained by a hybrid-electric aircraft under cruise conditions, that is, the speed at which the aircraft flies a long distance at a constant altitude and attitude after completing its climb.

[0091] The third preset threshold is the temperature threshold at which the range extender compartment needs to activate active cooling. This temperature threshold can be limited based on the overheating temperature threshold of the equipment in the hybrid-electric aircraft, such as setting it slightly lower than the overheating temperature threshold of the equipment. When the range extender-related equipment in the hybrid-electric aircraft overheats, the range extender may experience decreased efficiency, shortened lifespan, or even malfunction (e.g., overheating of the internal combustion engine may cause knocking, and overheating of the battery may trigger protection mechanisms), so it should be avoided as much as possible.

[0092] In non-cruise conditions (such as takeoff, climb, hovering, etc.), the range extender operates at full load or high load, which can easily lead to overheating. Therefore, if any temperature sensor in the range extender compartment detects a temperature value greater than or equal to the third preset threshold, the fan will be turned on for forced cooling to prevent overheating. In cruise conditions, if the aircraft has reached the preset cruise speed, the range extender's load is stable and will remain stable. If all temperature values ​​are less than the third preset threshold, it indicates that the probability of the range extender overheating is low. Therefore, the fan can be turned off, and passive cooling can be achieved solely through the incoming airflow.

[0093] The preset speed threshold is a flight speed value used to determine the heat dissipation capacity of the incoming airflow during the cruise phase. This preset speed threshold can be determined based on the aircraft's maximum speed during cruise and the required cooling efficiency of the range extender during cruise.

[0094] When the aircraft's cruising speed is greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold, it means that the incoming airflow velocity and volume are sufficiently high, and natural convection can meet the cooling needs of the extended-range cabin. If all temperature readings within the extended-range cabin are below the third preset threshold, it indicates that the equipment within the cabin is at a suitable temperature, and active cooling is unnecessary; the fans can be turned off. Passive cooling via the incoming airflow also saves fan energy and improves the range of the hybrid-electric aircraft. Conversely, if the cruising speed is less than the preset speed threshold, the cooling capacity of the incoming airflow is insufficient. Even if the temperature does not exceed the third preset threshold, auxiliary cooling with fans is still required to prevent temperature accumulation.

[0095] In some embodiments, to achieve more precise temperature regulation Figure 5 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown to achieve control of fan speed. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The thermal management method may also include steps S510 to S530.

[0096] Step S510 involves calculating the maximum difference between several temperature detection values ​​inside the extended-range cabin and a third preset threshold.

[0097] Step S520 is: Determine the fan speed based on the maximum difference in the range extender compartment.

[0098] Step S530 is to adjust the fan speed to the speed corresponding to the maximum difference in the range extender compartment.

[0099] The maximum difference within the range extender compartment refers to the largest of several temperature detection values ​​within the compartment relative to a third preset threshold. These differences can be positive or negative. Specifically, for each of the multiple temperature detection values ​​within the range extender compartment, the difference between each value and the third preset threshold is calculated. If the temperature detection value is higher than the third preset threshold, the difference is positive; if the temperature detection value is lower than the third preset threshold, the difference is negative. The largest of these positive or negative values ​​is the maximum difference within the range extender compartment. In essence, the maximum difference within the range extender compartment is used to quantify the degree to which the temperature in the second compartment exceeds the third preset threshold, thus providing a basis for adjusting the fan speed.

[0100] Specifically, methods such as proportional control, hierarchical control, linear segmented control, feedback closed-loop correction, and PID control, which can achieve stepless speed regulation, can be used to determine the fan speed.

[0101] Specifically, the fan can be started and stopped by a fan controller. The fan can be a continuously variable speed (CVT) fan, and the fan controller can be a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) CVT, a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller, an analog voltage CVT, or a variable frequency CVT, etc.

[0102] In some embodiments, the cooling system of the range extender may include a first circulation path, a second circulation path, and a thermostat.

[0103] The circulation path refers to the path of the coolant flowing inside the range extender and in the associated heat dissipation components when the range extender is working. Its core function is to transfer the heat generated by the range extender to the heat dissipation components (such as radiators) through the circulation of coolant, thereby achieving temperature control of the range extender.

[0104] The opening and closing of the thermostat correspond to the first and second circulation paths of the range extender, respectively, and at least one flow path of the radiator is connected to the first circulation path. That is, the thermostat enables switching between the first and second circulation paths of the cooling system, with the first circulation path passing through the radiator. The first circulation path can be understood as the large circulation path of a radiator commonly used in this field, and the second circulation path can be understood as the small circulation path of a radiator commonly used in this field.

[0105] In the first circulation path, the coolant (water + ethylene glycol) in the range extender's cooling system circulates in the circulation path driven by the water pump. After absorbing heat from the engine, it flows through the radiator, where it exchanges heat with the air on the cooling fins to achieve cooling before flowing back to the engine.

[0106] In the second circulation path, the coolant in the range extender's cooling system circulates within the engine. Those skilled in the art will understand that the small circulation path is generally used to shorten engine warm-up time. However, in some extremely low-temperature environments, hybrid-electric aircraft can also use the second circulation path to maintain engine temperature.

[0107] A thermostat is a component that controls the switching of coolant circulation paths. Its "on" or "off" state directly determines the different paths the coolant flows through. Thermostats can be existing or future thermostats that enable coolant path switching, such as wax-type thermostats, motor-type thermostats, electronic thermostats, or bellows-type thermostats.

[0108] Correspondingly, Figure 6 A partial flowchart of a thermal management method in a specific embodiment is shown to achieve control of the thermostat. (Refer to...) Figure 6 The thermal management method in this embodiment may further include steps S610 to S630.

[0109] Step S610 involves acquiring the temperature readings from several temperature sensors within the extended-range cabin and the operating conditions of the hybrid-electric aircraft.

[0110] Step S620 is: in response to the hybrid-powered aircraft being in a non-cruise operating condition, the thermostat is activated.

[0111] Step S630 is as follows: In response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and several temperature detection values ​​in the extended-range cabin being less than or equal to a fourth preset threshold, the thermostat is closed.

[0112] The fourth preset threshold can be set according to the lower limit of the suitable operating temperature range of the range extender, such as setting it to be equal to or slightly lower than the lower limit of the suitable operating temperature range. Obviously, the fourth preset threshold is less than the third preset threshold.

[0113] After the thermostat is closed, the coolant in the range extender's cooling system circulates inside the engine to maintain its temperature.

[0114] When the hybrid-electric aircraft is in cruise mode and the cruise speed is greater than or equal to the preset speed threshold, the heat dissipation capacity of the incoming gas is sufficient. At this time, if all temperature detection values ​​in the range extender compartment are less than or equal to the fourth preset threshold, the range extender temperature is in a low and safe range. There is no need for strong heat dissipation. The thermostat is closed and the coolant is switched to the second circulation path. The coolant does not need to flow through the radiator. It can maintain a stable temperature by circulating internally. This avoids the range extender temperature being too low due to excessive heat dissipation and reduces the energy loss caused by radiator heat dissipation. This can improve the range of the hybrid-electric aircraft to a certain extent.

[0115] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0116] To facilitate understanding of the thermal management method in any of the above embodiments, Figure 7 A perspective view of the nose section of a hybrid-electric aircraft to which the thermal management method is applied in a specific embodiment is shown, with reference to... Figure 7 The first duct can branch into two branches, a first air outlet port 71 and a second air outlet port 72, at the air outlet. The first air outlet port 71 and the second air outlet port 72 can be respectively located on both sides of the head section to simplify the duct layout while achieving better exhaust. This is understandable. Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the head section; in other embodiments, the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 may also be located on the upper and lower sides of the head section or on other surfaces of the body. It is understood that setting the first pipe to a "Y" shape helps to distribute the exhaust symmetrically to both sides of the head section, reducing airflow separation or vortex generation caused by a single exhaust outlet, thus better integrating the exhaust into the streamlines around the body. Simultaneously, in actual use, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the two branch pipes is usually set slightly smaller than that of the main pipe, as the reduced total flow area leads to increased flow velocity, thereby accelerating exhaust.

[0117] In some embodiments, the range extender compartment is equipped with several cooling systems, including one or any combination of generator water cooling system, engine water cooling system, and oil cooling system. The number of flow channels in the radiator corresponds one-to-one with the number of flow channels in the cooling systems within the range extender compartment, so as to communicate with the several cooling systems within the range extender compartment to achieve heat exchange with each cooling system.

[0118] In some embodiments, the range extender may also be provided with multiple heat dissipation components, and a second pipe may be provided inside the range extender compartment. The air inlet of the second pipe is opposite to the air inlet or the air outlet of the fan. The second pipe also has multiple air outlets that correspond one-to-one with the multiple heat dissipation components. The multiple air outlets are respectively positioned opposite to the multiple heat dissipation components.

[0119] In some embodiments, the outlet port of the second duct further includes an engine branch port, which is connected to the engine's air intake to provide power to the engine.

[0120] In some embodiments, the exhaust pipe of the engine on the range extender compartment is connected to the outside through an exhaust port, wherein the area of ​​the exhaust port can be set larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust pipe in order to discharge the heat exchange gas that enters the range extender compartment through the second pipe.

[0121] According to another aspect of the present invention, a thermal management system for a hybrid-electric aircraft is also provided. The hybrid-electric aircraft includes a first compartment and a second compartment. A plurality of temperature sensors are disposed in the second compartment. The thermal management system of the hybrid-electric aircraft includes a fuselage controller, which is communicatively connected to the plurality of temperature sensors. The fuselage controller is configured to implement the steps of the thermal management method described in any of the above embodiments or a combination of several embodiments.

[0122] According to another aspect of the invention, a hybrid-powered aircraft is also provided, including the thermal management system described in any of the above embodiments or a combination of several embodiments.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of the invention.

[0124] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.

[0125] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. However, it should be understood that the scope of protection of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and should not be limited to the specific structures and components of the embodiments described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of this invention, and these changes and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management method for a hybrid-electric aircraft, the hybrid-electric aircraft comprising a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment being a range extender compartment located at the nose of the hybrid-electric aircraft, the range extender compartment also containing a fan and several temperature sensors, and the second compartment containing several temperature sensors, characterized in that... The thermal management method includes: Acquire the temperature detection values ​​of the plurality of temperature sensors and the operating conditions of the hybrid-powered aircraft; In response to any temperature detection value in the second chamber being less than a first preset threshold, heat exchange gas from the first chamber is introduced into the second chamber, wherein the heat exchange gas is a gas that has undergone heat exchange with the first chamber; or In response to all temperature readings in the second compartment being greater than or equal to the first preset threshold, the introduction of the heat exchange gas is stopped; and In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in a non-cruise operating condition and any temperature detection value within the range extender cabin being greater than or equal to a third preset threshold, the fan is activated; or In response to the hybrid-electric aircraft being in cruise mode, the cruise speed of the hybrid-electric aircraft is obtained. In response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and all temperature detection values ​​in the extended-range cabin being less than the third preset threshold, the fan is turned off.

2. The thermal management method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the second compartment is provided with a plurality of air inlets and a plurality of air outlets, and the plurality of air inlets are provided with heat dissipation dampers. The thermal management method further includes: In response to any temperature detection value being greater than or equal to a second preset threshold, the heat dissipation damper is opened, where the second preset threshold is greater than the first preset threshold; or In response to all temperature detection values ​​being less than the second preset threshold, the heat dissipation damper is closed.

3. The thermal management method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Opening the heat dissipation vent includes: Calculate the maximum difference between the plurality of temperature detection values ​​and the second preset threshold; The opening degree of the heat dissipation damper is determined based on the maximum difference; and Control the opening of the heat dissipation damper to the opening degree corresponding to the maximum difference.

4. The thermal management method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The range extender compartment is equipped with a range extender and a heat dissipation channel for cooling the range extender. A heating pipe is provided between the first compartment and the second compartment. The air inlet of the heating pipe is connected to the downstream channel of the heat dissipation channel, and the air outlet of the heating pipe is connected to the second compartment. The heating pipe is equipped with a heating damper. Introducing heat exchange gas from the first compartment into the second compartment includes: Control the opening of the heating damper to introduce heat exchange gas from the first compartment into the second compartment; or Stopping the introduction of the heat exchange gas includes: The heating damper is closed to stop the introduction of the heat exchange gas.

5. The thermal management method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, An air inlet is provided on the windward side of the engine head. The range extender compartment is also provided with a first pipe and a radiator for cooling the range extender. The air inlet is opposite to the air inlet of the fan. The air outlet of the fan is opposite to the windward side of the heat dissipation fins of the radiator. The leeward side of the heat dissipation fins is opposite to the air inlet of the first pipe. The air outlet of the first pipe is located on the side surface of the engine head. The air inlet, through the fan and the radiator to the first pipe, forms the heat dissipation channel of the range extender. The air inlet of the heating pipe is connected to the first pipe to introduce gas in the first pipe that exchanges heat with the heat dissipation fins.

6. The thermal management method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Turning on the fan includes: Calculate the maximum difference between any temperature detection value inside the extended-range cabin and the third preset threshold. The fan speed is determined based on the maximum difference; and Adjust the fan speed to the speed corresponding to the maximum difference.

7. The thermal management method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The cooling system of the range extender includes a first circulation path, a second circulation path, and a thermostat. The opening and closing of the thermostat correspond to the first and second circulation paths of the cooling system, respectively. At least one flow channel of the radiator is connected to the first circulation path. The thermal management method further includes: In response to the hybrid-powered aircraft being in a non-cruise operating condition, the thermostat is activated; and In response to the cruise speed being greater than or equal to a preset speed threshold and several temperature detection values ​​in the extended-range cabin being less than or equal to a fourth preset threshold, the thermostat is shut off, wherein the fourth preset threshold is less than the third preset threshold.

8. The thermal management method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second compartment is one or more of the equipment compartment or the cargo compartment.

9. A thermal management system for a hybrid-powered aircraft, the hybrid-powered aircraft comprising a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a plurality of temperature sensors are disposed in the second compartment, characterized in that, The thermal management system of the hybrid-electric aircraft includes a fuselage controller, which is communicatively connected to the plurality of temperature sensors, and the fuselage controller is configured to implement the thermal management method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A hybrid-powered aircraft, characterized in that, Includes the thermal management system as described in claim 9.

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