Distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aircraft

By adopting a distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system with a hierarchical autonomous architecture and point-to-point power supply management, the problem of slow dynamic response under centralized control is solved, and fast and accurate multi-thruster collaborative control and fault isolation are achieved, thereby improving the system's response speed, accuracy and fault tolerance.

CN122431077APending Publication Date: 2026-07-21BEIJING ELECTRIC POWER TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
BEIJING ELECTRIC POWER TECH CO LTD
Filing Date
2026-02-28
Publication Date
2026-07-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing control architecture of hybrid electric propulsion systems for aviation relies on centralized management, which results in slow dynamic response and makes it difficult to meet the requirements of rapid and precise coordination of multiple thrusters. Furthermore, centralized control is difficult to achieve refined energy scheduling, thermal management, and fault isolation that match the distributed layout of power generation and energy storage units, thus restricting the system's flexibility, scalability, and survivability.

Method used

The system adopts a distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system. Through a hierarchical autonomous architecture of core management unit and multiple control units, it realizes point-to-point power supply management and distributed power distribution. Combined with fault autonomous isolation and system-level reconfiguration strategies, it improves the system's response speed, accuracy and fault tolerance.

Benefits of technology

It significantly shortens the control link, improves the response speed and accuracy of multi-thruster coordinated control, reduces energy transmission loss, enhances the system's fault tolerance and mission reliability, and supports modular expansion and global resource optimization scheduling.

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Abstract

The embodiment of the specification provides a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system, through constructing a distributed control system deeply matched with a full-order distributed physical architecture, adopting a layered autonomous architecture interconnected by a core management unit and multiple local control units through a high-speed network, sinking real-time control and decision functions to each functional unit, significantly shortening the control link, and improving the response speed and accuracy of the system for multi-propeller cooperative control and dynamic power demand; through point-to-point power supply management and power distribution based on distributed negotiation, the energy transmission loss and system complexity are reduced; through unit-level fault autonomous isolation and system-level dynamic reconstruction strategy, the localized suppression of faults and the rapid recovery of system functions are realized, greatly enhancing the fault tolerance and task reliability of the overall system; at the same time, the architecture naturally supports modular expansion and optimal scheduling of global resources, providing higher design flexibility and operation efficiency for the aircraft platform.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments in this specification relate to the field of aviation technology, and in particular to a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system. Background Technology

[0002] Existing hybrid electric propulsion system control architectures for aviation mainly rely on centralized management, with a central controller coordinating power generation, energy storage, and propulsion units. Under this architecture, the control command and status feedback paths are long, resulting in slow dynamic response of the system, making it difficult to meet the requirements of rapid and precise coordination of multiple thrusters. Furthermore, a single point of failure in the central controller can jeopardize the entire system's functionality. At the same time, with the increasing trend of physical architectures becoming more distributed, centralized control struggles to achieve refined energy scheduling, thermal management, and fault isolation that match the distributed layout of power generation and energy storage units, fundamentally restricting the system's flexibility, scalability, and survivability.

[0003] Therefore, a better solution is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of this specification provide a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system to address the technical deficiencies existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this specification, a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system is provided, applied to an aviation hybrid electric propulsion system comprising an open-winding multiphase generator, multiple independent energy storage battery packs, and multiple independent propulsion motors. The control system includes a core management unit and multiple control units, all of which are connected via a high-speed real-time communication network. The control units include multiple power generation control units connected to each independent three-phase winding of the open-winding multiphase generator, multiple energy storage control units connected to each independent energy storage battery pack, and multiple propulsion control units connected to each independent propulsion motor. Based on the principle of hierarchical autonomy, the control system operates as follows: the core management unit and all control units perform system initialization. The system includes self-checking; the core management unit calculates power deficit or surplus based on the received total power request and the determined optimal operating power of the turbine engine, and coordinates with the energy storage control unit and the power generation control unit to perform distributed power allocation; under normal operating conditions, each power generation channel supplies power to a corresponding energy storage-propulsion unit cluster through a point-to-point connection, the core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected; when any control unit detects a local serious fault, it performs autonomous fault isolation, and the core management unit executes a system-level reconfiguration strategy according to the fault type; the core management unit coordinates with each unit to perform distributed thermal management; when the core management unit determines that the system cannot maintain normal flight mission, it enters emergency return mode.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the multiphase windings of the open-winding multiphase generator are divided into several groups of completely electrically isolated three-phase windings, each group of three-phase windings forming an independent power generation channel and having independent power output.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the core management unit calculates power deficit or power surplus by: comparing the total power requests received with the benchmark value of the total generator power determined based on the optimal operating power point of the turbine engine; if a power deficit occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power deficit information and the current demand weights of each propulsion unit to all energy storage control units. Each energy storage control unit, based on its real-time state of charge, temperature, and health, as well as the received information, autonomously determines its discharge power according to a pre-set distributed negotiation algorithm and reports it. After the core management unit summarizes and confirms the information, it instructs the generator control unit to control the generator to output the benchmark power; if a power surplus occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power surplus information. Each energy storage control unit autonomously declares the charging power it can absorb based on its own charging acceptance capacity, and the core management unit coordinates and allocates the power.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected. This includes: the central mutual aid bus is normally disconnected from each unit cluster; when the core management unit detects a failure of a power generation channel or a failure of an energy storage unit that cannot support the corresponding propulsion unit, it closes a specific switch to temporarily connect the local bus of the affected propulsion unit to the local bus of one or more healthy unit clusters through the central mutual aid bus. The power transmission capacity of the central mutual aid bus is lower than that of the point-to-point main power supply path.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the fault autonomous isolation and system-level reconfiguration strategy includes: if a fault occurs in a power generation channel, the core management unit instructs the corresponding power generation control unit to isolate the channel and notifies the associated energy storage control unit to switch to pure battery drive mode to support its propulsion unit; if a fault occurs in an energy storage unit, the core management unit instructs the energy storage control unit to disconnect from the electrical connection, and its corresponding propulsion unit switches to direct power supply from the point-to-point connected power generation channel; if a fault occurs in a propulsion unit, the core management unit instructs the propulsion unit to shut down and adjust its propeller to the feathering position, redistributing the thrust demand of the faulty unit to the remaining healthy propulsion units.

[0010] In one possible implementation, distributed thermal management includes: each energy storage control unit and propulsion control unit continuously monitors the local temperature field; the core management unit collects all temperature information and combines it with flight phase and environmental conditions to generate a system-level heat dissipation demand map, and issues heat dissipation priority instructions and available cooling resource allocation information to each unit; each unit controller autonomously adjusts the intensity of its local cooling system according to its own thermal state and the received instructions.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the emergency return-to-base mode includes: the core management unit fixing the turbine engine in a safe, constant power output state and instructing all remaining healthy energy storage units to discharge at a controlled rate, concentrating all available energy to prioritize the operation of the minimum number of propulsion units necessary to maintain flight attitude, while automatically unloading all non-critical loads.

[0012] In one possible implementation, each energy storage control unit is integrated into a corresponding independent battery pack to form a smart battery module, which is responsible for estimating the state of charge of the battery pack, managing the charging and discharging process, balancing individual cells, monitoring the thermal state, and diagnosing and isolating local faults.

[0013] In one possible implementation, each propulsion control unit is integrated into the corresponding propulsion motor driver and is responsible for receiving thrust commands, driving the motor, monitoring the status of the motor and propeller, and performing local closed-loop control.

[0014] In one possible implementation, system initialization and self-test include: the core management unit is powered on and wakes up all power generation control units, energy storage control units, and propulsion control units through the communication network; each control unit performs a local hardware self-test and reports the self-test results to the core management unit; the core management unit integrates all reports to evaluate the overall system readiness status, initializes global energy management parameters, and sets an initial state of charge target range for each energy storage unit according to the flight plan.

[0015] This specification provides a distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system. By constructing a distributed control system deeply matched with a full-order distributed physical architecture, it adopts a hierarchical autonomous architecture with a core management unit and multiple local control units interconnected via a high-speed network. This architecture decentralizes real-time control and decision-making functions to each functional unit, significantly shortening the control link and improving the system's response speed and accuracy to multi-thruster coordinated control and dynamic power demands. Point-to-point power supply management and power allocation based on distributed negotiation reduce energy transmission losses and system complexity. Through unit-level fault autonomous isolation and system-level dynamic reconfiguration strategies, it achieves localized fault suppression and rapid system function recovery, greatly enhancing the overall system's fault tolerance and mission reliability. At the same time, this architecture naturally supports modular expansion and optimized scheduling of global resources, providing the aircraft platform with greater design flexibility and operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system provided in one embodiment of this specification; Figure 2This is a system architecture diagram of a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system provided in one embodiment of this specification. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this specification. However, this specification can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this specification. Therefore, this specification is not limited to the specific implementations disclosed below.

[0018] The terminology used in one or more embodiments of this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the one or more embodiments of this specification. The singular forms “a” and “the” as used in one or more embodiments of this specification and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in one or more embodiments of this specification refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0019] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of this specification, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first may also be referred to as second without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this specification, and similarly, second may also be referred to as first. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to a determination."

[0020] This specification provides a distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system, which will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0021] See Figure 1 , Figure 1This diagram illustrates a distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to an embodiment of this specification. It is applied to an aerospace hybrid electric propulsion system comprising an open-winding multiphase generator, multiple independent energy storage battery packs, and multiple independent propulsion motors. The control system includes a core management unit and multiple control units, all connected via a high-speed real-time communication network. The control units include multiple power generation control units connected to each independent three-phase winding of the open-winding multiphase generator, multiple energy storage control units connected to each independent energy storage battery pack, and multiple propulsion control units connected to each independent propulsion motor. Based on a hierarchical autonomy principle, the control system operates as follows: the core management unit and all control units execute the initial system... Initialization and self-testing; the core management unit calculates power deficit or surplus based on the received total power request and the determined optimal operating power of the turbine engine, and coordinates with the energy storage control unit and the power generation control unit to perform distributed power allocation; under normal operating conditions, each power generation channel supplies power to a corresponding energy storage-propulsion unit cluster through point-to-point connection, the core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected; when any control unit detects a local serious fault, it performs autonomous fault isolation, and the core management unit executes a system-level reconfiguration strategy according to the fault type; the core management unit coordinates with each unit to perform distributed thermal management; when the core management unit determines that the system cannot maintain normal flight mission, it enters emergency return mode.

[0022] The core management unit (CMU) can refer to the central coordination and decision-making unit located in the aircraft's avionics system, responsible for executing advanced energy management algorithms, flight mission adaptation logic, and global fault reconfiguration strategies. Control units can refer to embedded controllers distributed within various physical modules (generators, battery packs, propulsion motors), responsible for real-time monitoring, local control, and communication with the CMU. A high-speed real-time communication network can refer to an airborne data bus that meets strict time determinism requirements, such as a network built on time-triggered Ethernet or ARINC 664 protocols, ensuring information synchronization and low-latency command transmission between all units. An open-winding multiphase generator can refer to a multiphase motor with an open-connected stator winding, where the multiphase windings are physically divided into multiple independent three-phase groups, each capable of independently outputting electrical energy. Each power generation channel can refer to a complete power generation branch consisting of a set of independent three-phase windings of an open-winding multiphase generator, its corresponding power generation control unit, and power converter. An energy storage-propulsion unit cluster can refer to a functional unit consisting of an independent battery pack managed by an energy storage control unit, a motor driver and propulsion motor managed by a propulsion control unit, and a local DC bus connecting them. It is the smallest combination of energy storage and thrust generation. A central backup bus can refer to a backup electrical connection line with a power level lower than the main power supply line, controlled by the core management unit, used to transfer limited emergency power between different unit clusters in the event of a fault. A system-level reconfiguration strategy can refer to a set of logic and actions by which the core management unit, based on the status and capabilities of the remaining healthy units, replans energy flow paths, adjusts power allocation, and modifies flight control commands when a fault occurs. An emergency return-to-base mode can refer to a set of degraded operation procedures initiated by the core management unit in the event of severe system damage, aimed at maximizing the probability of a safe landing.

[0023] See Figure 2 In one embodiment, the core management unit can be an integrated energy management unit, the control unit can be a distributed generation system, the energy storage control unit can be an independent electric nacelle, the power generation control unit can be an OEW power generation control unit, and the propulsion control unit can be a full-stage distributed electric propulsion unit.

[0024] The present invention will be further described below through a detailed embodiment:

[0025] In one specific application of the invention, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft employing full-order distributed hybrid electric propulsion is equipped with the aforementioned control system. The aircraft is equipped with an open-winding 24-phase turbine generator, whose windings are configured as eight fully electrically isolated three-phase windings, each corresponding to an independent power generation channel. Eight identical propulsion pods are distributed across the aircraft's wings and fuselage. Each pod constitutes an energy storage-propulsion unit cluster, containing a high-voltage lithium battery pack, a motor driver, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and a variable-pitch propeller.

[0026] After the system powers on, it first performs initialization and self-test. The core management unit sends wake-up commands to all eight power generation control units, eight energy storage control units, and eight propulsion control units via a high-speed real-time communication network. Each unit then performs a local self-test: the power generation control unit checks the winding insulation resistance and power device status; the energy storage control unit checks the battery pack voltage, temperature, and relay status, and estimates the initial state of charge; the propulsion control unit checks the motor windings, position sensors, and driver circuits. All self-test results are summarized by the core management unit. After comprehensive evaluation, if all units report normal operation, the core management unit sends a "system ready" signal to the flight control system and sets an initial target state of charge range for each battery pack based on the current flight mission (e.g., short takeoff and landing).

[0027] As the aircraft enters the vertical takeoff phase, the flight control system sends a high-power request command to the core management unit. Based on the current flight altitude and environmental parameters, the core management unit determines the power output value that will allow the turbine engines to operate at their highest fuel efficiency point, and accordingly sets a baseline value for the total electrical power that the open-winding generators should output. The core management unit compares the received total power request with the baseline value and finds that the requested power is significantly higher than the baseline value, indicating a power deficit. Instead of directly commanding any specific battery pack to discharge, the core management unit broadcasts the power deficit value, along with the power demand weights for each propulsion unit calculated based on attitude control requirements, to all eight energy storage control units via the communication network. Each energy storage control unit, based on its own battery pack's real-time state of charge, temperature, and health status, combined with the received global information, runs a pre-set distributed negotiation algorithm to autonomously calculate the discharge power that its unit is willing and able to provide in the current cycle, and reports its commitment value. The core management unit aggregates all reported discharge power, confirms that the total meets the power deficit requirement, and then issues commands to the eight generator control units, instructing them to control their respective generator windings to stably output the baseline power. At the same time, each energy storage control unit is allowed to supply power to its corresponding propulsion control unit through the local DC bus according to its committed power, so as to jointly meet the high thrust requirements.

[0028] During normal cruise phases, power requests decrease, potentially resulting in a power surplus. At this time, the core management unit broadcasts this power surplus information. Each energy storage control unit autonomously declares its absorbable charging power based on its own charging permissions (e.g., temperature, maximum state of charge) and maximum acceptable charging current. The core management unit coordinates the allocation, ensuring that excess energy generated by the generator is proportionally stored in the declared battery packs.

[0029] Throughout the flight, each power generation channel supplies power directly to its corresponding energy storage-propulsion unit cluster via a dedicated cable, forming a point-to-point main power supply path. Under normal circumstances, the central interconnection bus remains disconnected from the local buses of all unit clusters.

[0030] During flight, the No. 3 energy storage control unit, located in the center of the right wing, detected an abnormal temperature rise in a cell within its managed battery pack, reaching the thermal runaway warning threshold. This unit immediately activated local protection, disconnecting its battery pack from the local DC bus and sending an emergency fault message containing a "thermal runaway warning" and the unit number to the core management unit via the communication network. Upon receiving the message, the core management unit immediately implemented a fault autonomous isolation and system reconfiguration strategy. First, it instructed the No. 3 power generation control unit to temporarily isolate the corresponding power generation channel output (even though the channel itself might be functioning normally) to prevent energy from having nowhere to be released. Next, it instructed the flight control system to adjust the propeller pitch of the No. 3 pod to a feathering position to reduce drag. Then, based on the power generation and storage capabilities of the remaining seven healthy unit clusters, the core management unit recalculated the overall power distribution, allocating the thrust originally borne by the No. 3 unit to the other units using an optimized algorithm. Simultaneously, to maintain flight balance after the complete failure of the No. 3 propulsion motor, the core management unit also coordinated with the flight control system to adjust other control surfaces.

[0031] In another failure scenario, such as the complete failure of generator channel 5 due to a winding short circuit, its corresponding energy storage-propulsion unit cluster will lose its main power supply. In this case, the core management unit will activate the mutual aid logic. It controls the connection of the switch between the local bus of unit cluster 5 and the central mutual aid bus, while simultaneously selecting one or more healthy unit clusters (e.g., adjacent clusters 4 and 6) and connecting their local buses to the central mutual aid bus. In this way, the surplus generator power or battery energy of unit clusters 4 and 6 can be supplied to the propulsion motor of unit 5 through the central mutual aid bus in a limited manner, providing it with the power to maintain basic flight and return, rather than full-performance output.

[0032] In terms of thermal management, each energy storage control unit and propulsion control unit continuously monitors the temperature of key local heat points. The core management unit aggregates this temperature data and combines it with the current flight phase (such as high-power climb) and external ram air conditions to form a global thermal status view. Instead of directly controlling the speed of each cooling fan, it issues cooling priorities (e.g., battery packs with low state of charge or undergoing high-rate discharge have higher cooling priorities) and total available cooling resource quotas to each unit. Based on this, each unit controller autonomously adjusts the intensity of its local air-cooling or liquid-cooling system.

[0033] If the system encounters multiple failures and the core management unit assesses that the remaining power and thrust are insufficient to complete the original mission, it automatically enters emergency return-to-base mode. In this mode, the core management unit instructs the turbine engines to maintain a safe, long-term, constant power output and instructs all remaining healthy battery packs to discharge at a protective, controlled rate. The system concentrates energy on the few propulsion units (e.g., the four corner units) necessary to maintain a minimum safe flight attitude and automatically cuts off power to non-critical loads such as the cabin entertainment system to maximize endurance and fly to the nearest alternate landing site.

[0034] The beneficial effects of this embodiment lie in achieving a shift from centralized command response to group collaborative autonomy by constructing a distributed intelligent control system that matches the physically deep distributed architecture. This system decentralizes decision-making and control functions to the smallest functional units, significantly shortening the control chain and improving the dynamic response speed and accuracy of multi-thruster collaboration. Point-to-point power supply and power allocation based on distributed negotiation reduce energy transmission losses and the weight of complex cabling. Autonomous isolation and system reconfiguration capabilities in fault conditions strictly limit the failure of single or a few units to a localized area, allowing the system to automatically reconfigure to maintain basic functions, greatly enhancing the fault tolerance and survivability of the entire propulsion system. Hierarchical thermal management and emergency modes further ensure the system's safe operating boundaries under various extreme conditions.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the multiphase windings of the open-winding multiphase generator are divided into several groups of completely electrically isolated three-phase windings, each group of three-phase windings forming an independent power generation channel and having independent power output.

[0036] Among them, an open-winding multiphase generator can refer to an AC generator whose rotor is driven by a turbine engine and whose stator uses a specially designed winding. Complete electrical isolation means that the three-phase windings are isolated from each other in terms of physical structure (such as slot arrangement), magnetic circuit, and electrical circuit; a fault in one winding (such as a short circuit or open circuit) will not directly affect the electrical performance of other windings. An independent power generation path can refer to a complete power generation and conversion path starting from the AC output terminal of one set of three-phase windings, including its independent rectifier, filter, and DC bus interface.

[0037] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system, a specific implementation of the open-winding multiphase generator is a 24-phase permanent magnet synchronous generator coaxially driven by a turbine engine. The generator's stator core is wound with 24 sets of coils. In design, every three sets of coils are symmetrically distributed in space and connected in series or parallel, ultimately forming eight sets of three-phase windings. These eight sets of windings are physically separated within the stator slots and use independent insulation systems. The three output terminals (U, V, W) of each winding are individually led out and connected to eight independent electrical ports on the generator housing, each port corresponding to a power generation channel. Each port is subsequently connected to an independent power generation control unit and a three-phase full-bridge rectifier power module. Therefore, these eight power generation channels are electrically independent of each other. If an inter-turn short-circuit fault occurs in any winding within a channel, the resulting fault current and magnetic field changes will be confined within that channel and will not affect the other seven windings, thus achieving physical isolation of electrical faults and providing a natural redundancy basis for the system.

[0038] The beneficial effect of this embodiment is that by adopting an open-winding multiphase design and dividing it into multiple independent three-phase power generation channels, the risk of a traditional single three-phase generator acting as a "single point of failure" is fundamentally eliminated. This structure provides a physical basis for realizing a point-to-point power supply architecture of "one set to one unit," allowing faults on the power generation side to be isolated within the smallest unit, just like faults on the energy storage and propulsion sides, significantly improving the reliability and safety of the system's power generation process.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the core management unit calculates power deficit or power surplus by: comparing the total power requests received with the benchmark value of the total generator power determined based on the optimal operating power point of the turbine engine; if a power deficit occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power deficit information and the current demand weights of each propulsion unit to all energy storage control units. Each energy storage control unit, based on its real-time state of charge, temperature, and health, as well as the received information, autonomously determines its discharge power according to a pre-set distributed negotiation algorithm and reports it. After the core management unit summarizes and confirms the information, it instructs the generator control unit to control the generator to output the benchmark power; if a power surplus occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power surplus information. Each energy storage control unit autonomously declares the charging power it can absorb based on its own charging acceptance capacity, and the core management unit coordinates and allocates the power.

[0040] The total power request can refer to the total electrical power command from the flight control computer required to drive all propulsion motors. The optimal operating power point for the turbine engine can refer to the specific power output value that minimizes engine fuel consumption or places it in its high-efficiency range at the current flight altitude and speed. Power deficit refers to the portion of the total power request exceeding the generator's total power baseline, which needs to be provided by the energy storage batteries. Power surplus refers to the portion of the generator's total power baseline exceeding the total power request, which can be used to charge the batteries. Demand weighting refers to the power demand ratio coefficient allocated to each propulsion unit by the core management unit based on flight attitude control requirements (such as roll and pitch compensation). The distributed negotiation algorithm refers to a set of rules pre-written into the firmware of each energy storage control unit, enabling each unit to autonomously and rationally determine its share in the global power allocation based on local information and limited global information.

[0041] Based on the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aviation, the specific implementation of this step is illustrated using a power deficit scenario as an example: The aircraft is in a high-maneuver climb phase, and the flight control system sends a high total power request. The core management unit queries the pre-stored engine characteristic MAP and, based on the current flight state parameters, determines the optimal efficiency power point of the turbine engine at this time as P_opt. Assume the baseline value of the total electric power output of the open-winding generator at this power point is P_gen. Comparison shows that the total power request P_req > P_gen, indicating a power deficit ΔP = P_req - P_gen.

[0042] The core management unit does not directly specify the discharge amount for each battery pack. Instead, it constructs a broadcast message containing the ΔP value and the current demand weight of each propulsion unit (e.g., to compensate for turning, the weight of the left unit is slightly higher than that of the right unit) and sends it to the communication network. Upon receiving the broadcast, each energy storage control unit (e.g., unit i) invokes its internal distributed negotiation algorithm. This algorithm first reads the local state: battery state of charge (SOC_i), maximum temperature (T_i), and state of health (SOH_i). Then, based on these states, the algorithm calculates a "discharge willingness coefficient" W_i (e.g., a high W_i value for a battery with high SOC, moderate temperature, and good SOH). Simultaneously, based on the received demand weights of each propulsion unit, the algorithm calculates the proportion of demand weight R_i of the propulsion units it serves. Finally, the unit autonomously decides on the proposed discharge power P_discharge_i = k W_i R_i ΔP, where k is a normalization coefficient. All eight energy storage control units complete the calculation almost simultaneously and report their respective P_discharge_i.

[0043] The core management unit collects all reported values ​​and sums them to obtain the total proposed discharge power. If the sum meets the ΔP requirement (usually with a certain margin), the core management unit sends instructions to all generation control units, enabling them to coordinate the control of the open-winding generator to ensure a stable output of a total of P_gen of electrical energy from its eight channels. Simultaneously, the core management unit approves the proposed values ​​from each energy storage control unit, authorizing them to discharge to their propulsion motors at this power through local drives. This broadcast-based and autonomous decision-making approach avoids the complex real-time optimization calculations of the central node, offers fast response times, and naturally considers the individual differences and states of each battery cell.

[0044] The beneficial effect of this embodiment lies in proposing a distributed power collaborative allocation mechanism. The core management unit is only responsible for publishing global goals and coordination, while the specific power allocation decision-making power is delegated to each energy storage control unit. This approach makes full use of the local information of each unit (such as accurate battery status), making power allocation more in line with actual physical constraints and helping to extend battery life. At the same time, this mechanism responds quickly, and the decentralized decision-making process avoids single-point bottlenecks, enhancing the system's adaptability and robustness under dynamic demands.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected. This includes: the central mutual aid bus is normally disconnected from each unit cluster; when the core management unit detects a failure of a power generation channel or a failure of an energy storage unit that cannot support the corresponding propulsion unit, it closes a specific switch to temporarily connect the local bus of the affected propulsion unit to the local bus of one or more healthy unit clusters through the central mutual aid bus. The power transmission capacity of the central mutual aid bus is lower than that of the point-to-point main power supply path.

[0046] Specifically, a specific switch can refer to a power semiconductor switch (such as a contactor or solid-state power controller) whose on / off state is controlled by the core management unit via digital signals. An affected propulsion unit can refer to a propulsion motor that loses its normal power supply due to a failure in the power generation or energy storage section of its unit cluster. A temporary connection can refer to an electrical connection established only during a fault emergency and disconnected after fault clearance or the end of the flight phase.

[0047] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aviation, one implementation of the central mutual aid bus is a main DC cable running through the wing and fuselage, with a cross-sectional area and current carrying capacity smaller than the main power supply cable connecting the generator and the unit cluster. At the local DC bus of each energy storage-propulsion unit cluster, a bidirectional DC contactor controlled by the core management unit is installed to connect or disconnect the local bus from the central mutual aid bus.

[0048] During normal flight, all these contactors are in the open state, the central mutual aid bus is not energized, and it is in a "cold backup" state.

[0049] When the core management unit confirms, through fault messages or status monitoring, that the No. 2 power generation channel has permanently failed due to rectifier breakdown, it determines that the propulsion motor of the No. 2 unit cluster has lost its main power supply. At this point, the core management unit initiates the mutual aid logic. It first adjusts the No. 2 propeller to feathering position via the flight control system. Then, it issues a command: closes the connection switch K2 between the No. 2 unit cluster's local bus and the central mutual aid bus; simultaneously, based on the current status of each unit, it selects the better-performing No. 1 and No. 3 unit clusters as support sources, closing switches K1 and K3. In this way, the local buses of No. 1 and No. 3 unit clusters (which are powered by normal power generation channels and may carry available battery energy) are connected in parallel through the central mutual aid bus and supply power to the driver of the No. 2 propulsion motor via K2. Due to the small cross-section of the central mutual aid bus, its allowed power transmission is limited to a low level (e.g., only 30% of the main channel power), which is sufficient to drive the No. 2 motor to generate thrust for maintaining balance and basic navigation, but insufficient to provide full thrust. This design balances redundancy with system complexity and increased weight.

[0050] The beneficial effect of this embodiment is that it provides an economical and effective limited redundancy scheme. By using a low-power-level backup mutual support bus, emergency power supply to the affected propulsion unit is achieved in the event of a failure of the power generation or energy storage unit, without significantly increasing the system weight and complexity. This avoids the risk of the entire propulsion surface losing thrust due to the failure of a single unit, and significantly improves the system's mission completion capability and safety margin.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the fault autonomous isolation and system-level reconfiguration strategy includes: if a fault occurs in a power generation channel, the core management unit instructs the corresponding power generation control unit to isolate the channel and notifies the associated energy storage control unit to switch to pure battery drive mode to support its propulsion unit; if a fault occurs in an energy storage unit, the core management unit instructs the energy storage control unit to disconnect from the electrical connection, and its corresponding propulsion unit switches to direct power supply from the point-to-point connected power generation channel; if a fault occurs in a propulsion unit, the core management unit instructs the propulsion unit to shut down and adjust its propeller to the feathering position, redistributing the thrust demand of the faulty unit to the remaining healthy propulsion units.

[0052] Isolating the channel can refer to the power generation control unit stopping its power converter and disconnecting the circuit breaker at the output of the power generation channel, completely isolating it from the system. Pure battery drive mode means the propulsion motor of the unit cluster relies entirely on its local battery pack for power, no longer drawing power from the associated power generation channel. Disconnecting from electrical connection means the energy storage control unit disconnects the main contactor within its battery pack, physically detaching the battery pack from the local DC bus. Switching to direct power supply from a point-to-point connected power generation channel means the propulsion motor driver of the unit cluster draws power directly from its connected, still-healthy power generation channel; in this case, the battery pack of the unit cluster does not participate in operation.

[0053] Combining the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system and the management logic of the mutual aid bus, the implementation of the system-level reconfiguration strategy is comprehensive. For example, in the scenario of a failure in the No. 2 power generation channel, the reconfiguration strategy not only includes activating the mutual aid logic, but also includes the core management unit instructing the No. 2 power generation control unit to isolate its faulty channel (shut down the rectifier and disconnect the output), and notifying the No. 2 energy storage control unit that, due to the failure of its power generation channel, while obtaining external support power through the mutual aid bus, the local battery pack should also be activated as a supplement (i.e., partially switching to pure battery drive mode) to jointly support the No. 2 propulsion motor.

[0054] In the event of an energy storage unit failure (such as an internal short circuit in the battery pack), upon receiving a fault alarm, the core management unit first instructs the energy storage control unit to immediately disconnect the main contactor of the battery pack, achieving complete disconnection. Subsequently, the core management unit assesses the health of the power generation channel belonging to the same cell cluster as the faulty battery pack. If healthy, it instructs the power generation channel to continue operating, directly supplying the propulsion motors of the cell cluster with the generated electricity. At this point, the unit switches to a pure power generation drive mode without energy storage backup. The core management unit adjusts the power generation setting of this channel to match flight requirements.

[0055] In the event of a propulsion unit malfunction (such as motor overheating or driver overcurrent), the core management unit instructs the corresponding propulsion control unit to immediately shut down all power devices and stop motor operation. Simultaneously, the flight control system adjusts the propeller pitch of the malfunctioning unit to the feathering position, minimizing drag. Next, the core management unit recalculates the thrust distribution matrix based on the positions and thrust capabilities of the remaining healthy propulsion units, optimally allocating the thrust demand borne by the malfunctioning unit to the other units. The new thrust commands are then transmitted to each healthy propulsion control unit via the communication network to maintain overall thrust and torque balance.

[0056] The beneficial effect of this embodiment lies in the formulation of clear, specific, and differentiated reconstruction strategies for different types of faults at different locations. This strategy not only achieves rapid fault isolation and prevents fault propagation, but more importantly, it can proactively utilize remaining healthy resources to rebuild a working system architecture, maximizing the preservation of the overall system functionality. It embodies the core advantage of distributed architecture—"sacrificing the part to preserve the whole"—enabling the system to maintain controllable flight even when facing multiple faults.

[0057] In one possible implementation, distributed thermal management includes: each energy storage control unit and propulsion control unit continuously monitors the local temperature field; the core management unit collects all temperature information and combines it with flight phase and environmental conditions to generate a system-level heat dissipation demand map, and issues heat dissipation priority instructions and available cooling resource allocation information to each unit; each unit controller autonomously adjusts the intensity of its local cooling system according to its own thermal state and the received instructions.

[0058] The temperature field can refer to the set of temperature data obtained by multiple temperature sensors arranged inside the battery pack, motor windings, and power device heat sinks. The system-level heat dissipation demand map can refer to a global view generated by the core management unit based on global temperature data, current power load, flight altitude (affecting air density and cooling efficiency), and other parameters, reflecting the urgency of heat dissipation in each area. The heat dissipation priority command can refer to a level signal (e.g., high, medium, low) sent by the core management unit to each unit, characterizing the urgency of its heat dissipation demand. Available cooling resource allocation information can refer to the quota or baseline value allocated to each unit by the core management unit based on the available cooling media (e.g., ram airflow, total liquid pump power) for the entire aircraft.

[0059] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system, the ram air intakes provide cooling airflow to each pod during high-speed cruise. Each energy storage control unit monitors the temperature at multiple points within its battery pack and calculates a characteristic value T_batt representing the thermal state of the battery pack. Each propulsion control unit monitors the motor winding temperature T_motor and the driver radiator temperature T_drive.

[0060] The core management unit periodically collects all this temperature data, while also reading the current flight speed, altitude, and ambient temperature. It runs a thermal management algorithm that determines: the aircraft is currently in a high-power cruise phase, with high overall heat dissipation requirements; pods located on the inner wing have relatively poor airflow and are marked as having "high" heat dissipation priority; battery packs undergoing high-rate discharge are also marked as having "high" heat dissipation priority. The algorithm also calculates the baseline damper opening allocated to each pod based on the total ram airflow.

[0061] Subsequently, the core management unit sends two pieces of information to each unit: its respective heat dissipation priority (high / medium / low) and the assigned baseline damper opening. Upon receiving the instructions, the controllers of each unit do not simply open the damper to the baseline opening. For example, a battery pack marked as "high" priority with a high T_batt might have its energy storage control unit further increase the damper opening beyond the baseline, or activate an additional liquid-cooled circulation pump. Conversely, a unit with "low" priority and a normal operating temperature might have its controller slightly reduce the damper opening to lower the baseline value to reduce air resistance. In this way, within a globally coordinated framework, each unit achieves autonomous and refined adjustment based on its actual thermal state.

[0062] The beneficial effect of this embodiment lies in realizing a thermal management mode that combines centralized coordination with distributed execution. The core management unit optimizes the allocation of cooling resources from a global perspective, avoiding local overheating or resource waste; each unit makes fine adjustments based on its own precise local thermal state, resulting in a more timely and accurate response. This mode effectively solves the management challenges of distributed heat sources, improving overall thermal safety and energy utilization efficiency.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the emergency return-to-base mode includes: the core management unit fixing the turbine engine in a safe, constant power output state and instructing all remaining healthy energy storage units to discharge at a controlled rate, concentrating all available energy to prioritize the operation of the minimum number of propulsion units necessary to maintain flight attitude, while automatically unloading all non-critical loads.

[0064] Among these, a safe constant power output state can refer to a power setpoint below the rated power that ensures the turbine engine can operate stably for a long period without causing new malfunctions. Controlled rate discharge refers to discharging at a preset conservative current value lower than the battery's maximum allowable discharge current to protect the battery and extend its power supply time. The minimum number of propulsion units necessary to maintain flight attitude refers to the minimum number of propellers and their locations required to maintain basic stable flight (such as level flight and gentle descent), calculated based on the aircraft's aerodynamic layout and control laws. Non-critical loads refer to electrical equipment unrelated to flight safety, such as cabin lighting, entertainment systems, and some avionics auxiliary equipment.

[0065] Based on the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aviation, assuming that multiple unit failures occur consecutively during a mission, the core management unit's comprehensive health assessment algorithm determines that the remaining available power is insufficient to maintain the original flight path. At this point, the core management unit automatically triggers the emergency return-to-base mode.

[0066] First, it sends a command to the engine control system to lock the power output of the turbine engine at a predefined safety value (e.g., 70% of the rated power). This power value ensures that the generator can continuously and stably generate electricity, providing a basic energy input for the system.

[0067] Secondly, it sends instructions to all remaining healthy energy storage control units, requiring them to switch to the "emergency discharge protocol." Under this protocol, the battery pack no longer responds to dynamic power requests but discharges at a preset, low, constant current (C-rate) to maximize the overall range of the battery pack.

[0068] Next, the core management unit, in coordination with the flight control system, calculates the minimum propulsion unit combination required to maintain aircraft stability based on the current location distribution of the remaining healthy propulsion units (for example, for an eight-unit configuration, perhaps only the four diagonal units are needed). The core management unit then automatically cuts off power to non-essential propulsion units and all non-critical loads (such as galley power and some cabin lighting) via the power distribution system, concentrating precious electrical energy to the selected critical propulsion units to ensure their continued operation.

[0069] In this mode, the aircraft's performance decreases, but the core management unit ensures that all energy and thrust resources are used for one goal: to safely fly to the nearest alternate airport. The flight control system will also adjust the flight path accordingly, descenting at the most economical speed.

[0070] The beneficial effect of this embodiment lies in defining an extreme system degradation operation strategy. When the system is severely damaged, this mode abandons the pursuit of efficiency and performance, and instead prioritizes "aircraft preservation." By fixing engine operating conditions, limiting battery discharge, and concentrating energy supply to critical loads, it maximizes the utilization of the remaining system's capabilities, providing a final safety guarantee for pilots and passengers. This represents the ultimate embodiment of high survivability design for distributed systems.

[0071] In one possible implementation, each energy storage control unit is integrated into a corresponding independent battery pack to form a smart battery module, which is responsible for estimating the state of charge of the battery pack, managing the charging and discharging process, balancing individual cells, monitoring the thermal state, and diagnosing and isolating local faults.

[0072] Among these, a smart battery module can refer to a standardized, replaceable unit that integrates battery cells, a battery management system, a thermal management interface, a communication interface, and a structural housing. State of charge estimation (SCE) refers to the process of calculating the percentage of remaining usable charge in a battery pack in real time using the ampere-hour integral method combined with a battery model and open-circuit voltage calibration. Charge / discharge process management refers to the real-time calculation and execution of optimal charging or discharging current / power commands based on battery characteristics, temperature, and control commands. Cell balancing refers to adjusting the charge of each series-connected cell within the battery pack through active or passive circuits to make them more uniform, thereby improving overall capacity and lifespan. Local fault diagnosis and isolation refers to detecting battery faults such as overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent, overtemperature, and internal short circuits, and immediately taking measures such as disconnecting contactors for local protection.

[0073] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aviation, each independent battery pack is an encapsulated intelligent battery module. Its internal energy storage control unit is a high-performance battery management system master controller. This controller continuously collects the total voltage and current of the battery pack, as well as the voltage and temperature of each individual battery cell, through high-precision sensors.

[0074] It runs sophisticated algorithms to estimate the precise state of charge and state of health of the entire battery pack in real time. During charging and discharging, it dynamically calculates and executes optimal current commands based on the power request (or charge allocation) from the core management unit, the battery temperature, and the state of charge (SOC) to protect the battery while meeting power requirements.

[0075] The controller also manages the active balancing circuit within the battery pack. When it detects that the voltage difference between individual cells exceeds a threshold, it automatically initiates the balancing process, transferring power from the higher-voltage cells to the lower-voltage cells.

[0076] All temperature data is used for local thermal status monitoring. If any abnormal temperature rise is detected, the controller will reduce charging and discharging power or activate auxiliary cooling. Once a serious local fault is diagnosed (such as a sharp drop in cell voltage suspected to be an internal short circuit), the energy storage control unit will immediately disconnect the main contactor of the battery pack within milliseconds to achieve electrical isolation and report the fault information immediately, without waiting for instructions from the core management unit. This "local autonomy" capability is key to the system's rapid fault isolation.

[0077] The beneficial effect of this embodiment is that by deeply integrating the energy storage control unit into the battery pack to form an intelligent module, each energy storage unit is endowed with a high degree of self-management and self-protection capabilities. This design makes battery management more refined and response faster, greatly improving the safety and lifespan of battery use. At the same time, it allows each energy storage unit to participate in the global coordination of the system as an independent and reliable "black box" module.

[0078] In one possible implementation, each propulsion control unit is integrated into the corresponding propulsion motor driver and is responsible for receiving thrust commands, driving the motor, monitoring the status of the motor and propeller, and performing local closed-loop control.

[0079] The propulsion motor driver can refer to a power converter and its control circuit board that converts direct current into multiphase alternating current to drive a permanent magnet synchronous motor or induction motor. The thrust command can refer to a target thrust value or an equivalent target torque / speed value from the core management unit or flight control system, requiring the propulsion unit to generate this value. Monitoring the motor and propeller status can refer to acquiring data such as the current, voltage, rotor position, and temperature of the motor windings, as well as the propeller pitch angle and vibration signals. Local closed-loop control can refer to the current loop, speed loop, or position loop control implemented within the driver, which adjusts the switching states of power devices in real time based on the thrust command and sensor feedback to precisely control the motor output.

[0080] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system for aviation, a propulsion control unit is embedded within the motor drive of each propulsion pod. This unit receives thrust commands (typically converted into target speed or torque) from the core management unit via a communication network. It continuously collects data on the motor's three-phase current, bus voltage, the rotor's precise position and speed fed back from the resolver, and temperature sensor data mounted on the motor housing.

[0081] Based on this information, the propulsion control unit executes advanced motor control algorithms such as field-oriented control to achieve high-precision and high-efficiency torque output. It independently performs current and speed closed-loop control, rapidly responding to changes in thrust commands. Simultaneously, it monitors the motor's operating status, such as whether there is overcurrent or overtemperature. For variable-pitch propellers, it also receives and executes pitch angle commands from the flight control system via a serial bus and feeds back the actual pitch angle position. Any local anomalies, such as motor stall or driver overheating, will be detected by this unit immediately, and protective measures (such as current limiting) will be taken, while simultaneously reporting to the core management unit.

[0082] The beneficial effect of this embodiment is that by embedding control functions into the driver, each propulsion unit becomes an intelligent actuator with complete servo control capabilities. This shortens the control chain from thrust command to motor response, improving dynamic response speed and control accuracy. Local closed-loop control also enhances the real-time protection capability for the motor's own operating status.

[0083] In one possible implementation, system initialization and self-test include: the core management unit is powered on and wakes up all power generation control units, energy storage control units, and propulsion control units through the communication network; each control unit performs a local hardware self-test and reports the self-test results to the core management unit; the core management unit integrates all reports to evaluate the overall system readiness status, initializes global energy management parameters, and sets an initial state of charge target range for each energy storage unit according to the flight plan.

[0084] Wake-up can refer to the core management unit sending a specific network management frame to activate other control units in low-power standby mode and put them into operation. Local hardware self-test refers to each control unit performing power-on tests and functional checks on its managed power circuits, sensors, memory, communication interfaces, and other critical hardware. Overall readiness status refers to a Boolean state flag generated by the core management unit, indicating whether all critical components of the system have passed self-tests and are safe to operate. Global energy management parameters refer to the control algorithm parameters, power limit thresholds, optimization weights, etc., used in this flight mission. Initial state of charge (SOC) target range refers to the range of SOC planned by the core management unit for each battery pack to be maintained at different stages of flight, guiding subsequent charging and discharging strategies.

[0085] In conjunction with the aforementioned distributed hybrid electric propulsion control system, the pilot activates the avionics system during the pre-flight preparation phase. The core management unit powers on first and, after completing its own startup, immediately sends a series of network management frames via time-triggered Ethernet, sequentially waking up the eight power generation control units, eight energy storage control units, and eight propulsion control units on the network.

[0086] Upon activation, each control unit begins executing a pre-defined self-test procedure: the power generation control unit checks its rectifier bridge IGBT drive circuit and voltage / current sampling circuit; the energy storage control unit checks its battery pack internal contactors, voltage sampling chip, and equalization circuit; and the propulsion control unit checks its driver bus capacitor pre-charge circuit and motor position decoding circuit. Each unit completes its self-test within tens of milliseconds and packages the results ("pass" or "fail," along with possible error codes) into a message, sending it back to the core management unit.

[0087] The core management unit collects feedback from all 24 units within a predetermined time window. If all reports are "pass," the core management unit sets the "system overall readiness" flag to true and displays a normal system status in the cockpit. Subsequently, the core management unit loads the mission profile for this flight (e.g., short-haul transport, including vertical takeoff and landing), calculates the energy requirements for the entire flight segment based on the profile, and initializes key parameters in the energy management strategy. For example, to maintain sufficient reserve power during the landing phase, it might set a target SOC range of 85%-90% for all battery packs before takeoff. This target range is then distributed to each energy storage control unit as a reference for their initial charging behavior.

[0088] The beneficial effects of this embodiment are that, through a systematic and distributed initialization and self-check process, the integrity and health of the entire system before it is put into operation are ensured. Rapid and comprehensive self-checks can detect potential faults in advance, avoiding flights with defects. The core management unit's global initialization based on the flight plan ensures that the system operates on an optimal or near-optimal energy strategy from the outset, laying a solid foundation for the safe and efficient completion of the entire flight mission.

[0089] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments in this specification are not limited to the described order of actions, because according to the embodiments in this specification, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in this specification are all preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to the embodiments in this specification.

[0090] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0091] The preferred embodiments disclosed above are merely illustrative of this specification. The optional embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are selected and specifically described in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the embodiments, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize this specification. This specification is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A distributed aviation hybrid electric propulsion control system, applied to an aviation hybrid electric propulsion system comprising an open-winding multiphase generator, multiple independent energy storage battery packs, and multiple independent propulsion motors, wherein the control system comprises a core management unit and multiple control units; the control units comprise multiple power generation control units connected to each independent three-phase winding of the open-winding multiphase generator, multiple energy storage control units connected to each independent energy storage battery pack, and multiple propulsion control units connected to each independent propulsion motor; The control system operates as follows: the core management unit and all control units perform system initialization and self-test; the core management unit calculates power deficit or surplus based on the received total power request and the determined optimal operating power of the turbine engine, and coordinates with the energy storage control unit and the power generation control unit to perform distributed power allocation; under normal operating conditions, each power generation channel supplies power to a corresponding energy storage-propulsion unit cluster through a point-to-point connection; the core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected; when any control unit detects a local serious fault, it performs autonomous fault isolation; the core management unit executes a system-level reconfiguration strategy according to the fault type; the core management unit coordinates with each unit to perform distributed thermal management; when the core management unit determines that the system cannot maintain normal flight mission, it enters emergency return mode.

2. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiphase winding of the open-winding multiphase generator is divided into several groups of electrically isolated three-phase windings. Each group of three-phase windings constitutes an independent power generation channel and has independent power output.

3. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core management unit calculates power deficit or power surplus by: comparing the total power requests received with the benchmark value of the total generator power determined based on the optimal operating power point of the turbine engine; if a power deficit occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power deficit information and the current demand weights of each propulsion unit to all energy storage control units. Each energy storage control unit determines its discharge power and reports it based on its real-time state of charge, temperature, health, and the received information, according to a preset distributed negotiation algorithm. After the core management unit summarizes and confirms the information, it instructs the generator control unit to control the generator to output the benchmark power; if a power surplus occurs, the core management unit broadcasts the power surplus information. Each energy storage control unit declares the charging power it can absorb based on its own charging acceptance capacity, and the core management unit coordinates and allocates the power.

4. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core management unit manages a backup central mutual aid bus and initiates mutual aid logic when a fault is detected, including: the central mutual aid bus is normally disconnected from each unit cluster; when the core management unit detects that a power generation channel has failed or a power storage unit has failed and cannot support the corresponding propulsion unit, it closes a specific switch and temporarily connects the local bus of the affected propulsion unit to the local bus of one or more healthy unit clusters through the central mutual aid bus, and the power transmission capacity of the central mutual aid bus is lower than that of the point-to-point main power supply path.

5. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fault autonomous isolation and system-level reconfiguration strategy includes: if a fault occurs in a power generation channel, the core management unit instructs the corresponding power generation control unit to isolate the channel and notifies the associated energy storage control unit to switch to pure battery drive mode to support its propulsion unit; if a fault occurs in an energy storage unit, the core management unit instructs the energy storage control unit to disconnect from the electrical connection, and its corresponding propulsion unit switches to direct power supply from the point-to-point connected power generation channel; if a fault occurs in a propulsion unit, the core management unit instructs the propulsion unit to shut down and adjust its propeller to the feathering position, redistributing the thrust demand of the faulty unit to the remaining healthy propulsion units.

6. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distributed thermal management includes: each energy storage control unit and propulsion control unit continuously monitors the local temperature field; the core management unit collects all temperature information and generates a system-level heat dissipation demand map by combining the flight phase and environmental conditions, and issues heat dissipation priority instructions and available cooling resource allocation information to each unit; each unit controller autonomously adjusts the intensity of its local cooling system according to its own thermal state and the received instructions.

7. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The emergency return mode includes: the core management unit fixes the turbine engine in a constant power output state, and instructs all remaining healthy energy storage units to discharge at a controlled rate, concentrating all available energy to prioritize the operation of the minimum number of propulsion units necessary to maintain flight attitude, while automatically unloading all non-critical loads.

8. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each energy storage control unit is integrated into its corresponding independent battery pack, forming an intelligent battery module, and is responsible for the battery pack's state of charge estimation, charge and discharge process management, cell balancing, thermal status monitoring, and local fault diagnosis and isolation.

9. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each propulsion control unit is integrated into the corresponding propulsion motor driver and is responsible for receiving thrust commands, driving the motor, monitoring the status of the motor and propeller, and performing local closed-loop control.

10. The distributed aerospace hybrid electric propulsion control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system initialization and self-test include: the core management unit is powered on and wakes up all power generation control units, energy storage control units and propulsion control units through the communication network; each control unit performs a local hardware self-test and reports the self-test results to the core management unit; the core management unit integrates all reports to evaluate the overall system readiness status, initializes global energy management parameters, and sets an initial state of charge target range for each energy storage unit according to the flight plan.