Aircraft Hybrid Battery Charging via Power Bus Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft hybrid electrical systems with high-performance batteries face weight and volume penalties due to large dedicated battery chargers, which increase overall aircraft weight and reduce fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft hybrid electrical system that employs a system controller to selectively operate in current and voltage charge modes, eliminating the need for a dedicated battery charger by using a power bus to manage battery charging directly from an electric power generating system and secondary power system, thereby reducing weight and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated battery charging system is implemented to provide current and voltage charging profiles for high-performance batteries, then battery charging capability is improved, but aircraft weight and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The electric power generating system is designed to perform multiple functions: it generates electrical power for aircraft systems and simultaneously charges the high-performance battery through controlled current and voltage modes. This eliminates the need for a separate dedicated battery charger, reducing aircraft weight while maintaining full battery charging capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the battery charging function with the electric power generating system by integrating the charging control logic into the existing power generation infrastructure. The system controller manages both power generation and battery charging operations through a unified control architecture, merging previously separate functions into a single integrated system
2Reliability
If a dedicated battery charging system is implemented with tailored current and voltage profiles, then battery charging performance is improved, but system complexity and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electric power generating system provides multiple functions including power generation for aircraft systems and battery charging with tailored current and voltage profiles. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated charging equipment, reducing system complexity while maintaining optimized battery charging performance
Solution Approach 2:
The system controller dynamically adjusts charging parameters (current and voltage levels) based on battery state of charge and requirements. By changing operational parameters rather than adding dedicated hardware, the system achieves tailored charging profiles with minimal additional complexity
3Reliability
If a high capacity battery is added to provide backup power, then power backup capability is improved, but weight and thermal losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using the battery solely for backup power, the system continuously charges the battery through the electric power generating system during normal operation. This continuous useful action maximizes the utilization of the battery's energy storage capacity, reducing the required battery size for backup purposes while maintaining reliability
4Reliability
If a dedicated battery charging system is implemented, then battery charging control is improved, but fuel efficiency decreases due to increased weight
Solution Approach 1:
The electric power generating system performs dual functions of power generation and battery charging control. This eliminates dedicated charging hardware and reduces aircraft weight, directly improving fuel efficiency while maintaining sophisticated battery charging control through the system controller
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft hybrid electrical system includes an electric power generating system (50) in signal communication with a thermal combustion engine (14), a secondary power system (60) in signal communication with the electric power generating system (50), and a battery (70) in signal communication with the electric power generating system (50) and the secondary power system (60). The aircraft hybrid electrical system further comprises a system controller (80) in signal communication with the electric power generating system (50), secondary power system (60), and the battery (70). The system controller (80) is configured to monitor a charge capacity of the battery (70) and selectively operate in a current charge mode and a voltage charge mode to charge the battery (70). The system controller (80) invokes the current charge mode in response to detecting the charge capacity falls below a charge capacity threshold, and invokes the voltage charge mode in response to detecting the charge capacity reaches a target value.