Motor Controller Closed-Loop Cooling for Emergency Turbine Restarts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine starters are inadequate for quickly and reliably restarting engines during emergency in-flight scenarios, particularly when one or both engines fail, due to limitations in energy sources and thermal management during rapid startup.
Innovation Solution
A combined use of an air-turbine starter and electric starter, along with a modified ignition sequence and closed-loop cooling system, to rapidly rotate the spool and manage thermal energy during emergency in-flight restarts, utilizing multiple energy sources and minimizing weight and thermal stress on the motor controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a single starter type (air-turbine or electric) is used for engine starting, then the system is simpler and more reliable under normal conditions, but the engine cannot be restarted quickly enough during emergency in-flight scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an air-turbine starter and an electric starter into a single integrated starting system. The air-turbine starter provides high-power initial rotation, while the electric starter maintains rotation speed during the ignition sequence. This merging of two different starter types enables rapid emergency in-flight restarts by utilizing both starters simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between restart speed and system complexity.
2Reliability
If the electric starter is used alone during emergency restart, then the system remains simple, but thermal stress on the motor controller exceeds safe operating limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an air-turbine starter and an electric starter into a single integrated starting system. The air-turbine starter provides high-power initial rotation, while the electric starter maintains rotation speed during the ignition sequence. This merging of two different starter types enables rapid emergency in-flight restarts by utilizing both starters simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between restart speed and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-turbine starter acts as an intermediary that shares the thermal burden with the electric starter. By routing bleed air through the air-turbine starter during emergency restarts, the system reduces the electrical load and associated thermal stress on the motor controller, keeping temperatures within safe operating limits while still achieving rapid restart.
3Productivity
If multiple energy sources are used simultaneously for emergency restart, then the restart is faster and more reliable, but the energy efficiency and battery life are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the starting system based on operational context. During normal ground operations, only the electric starter is used to preserve battery life. During emergency in-flight restarts, both the air-turbine starter and electric starter are activated simultaneously to maximize restart speed and reliability. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between productivity and energy loss by adapting the energy sources used to the specific operational scenario.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and reliable restart of gas turbine engines in emergency situations, ensuring safe landing of the aircraft by utilizing multiple energy sources and efficient thermal management, without significant weight penalty.
Implementation Method 1
a closed-loop cooling system configured to cool the motor controller during an emergency in-flight restart operation of the gas turbine engine
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a gas turbine engine configured to provide propulsion to an aircraft and a starter system configured to start the gas turbine engine. The starter system comprises a motor controller and a closed-loop cooling system configured to cool the motor controller during an emergency in-flight restart operation of the gas turbine engine. The closed-loop cooling system includes a cooling fluid reservoir containing cooling fluid. The cooling fluid is configured to receive thermal energy from the motor controller during the emergency in-flight restart operation of the gas turbine engine.