Ram Air Turbine Emergency Power with Supercapacitor Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency power systems in aircraft, particularly ram air turbines (RATs), face challenges in generating sufficient power at low airspeeds due to air degradation factors (ADFs) and design inaccuracies, leading to potential power shortages and the need for significant redesign during flight testing.
Innovation Solution
An electrical power storage device, such as supercapacitors or batteries, is integrated into the RAT system, along with a generator control unit (GCU) that manages power distribution between the main generator, RAT power generation unit, and aircraft buses using switches and converters, ensuring power supplementation from storage when the RAT fails to generate sufficient power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the RAT is designed based on estimated ADFs, then the design process can proceed early, but the accuracy of power production estimation deteriorates leading to potential power shortages at low airspeeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating an energy storage device into the RAT system before flight testing, allowing the system to compensate for potential power deficiencies that would only be discovered during testing. This advance preparation prevents power shortages without requiring accurate pre-test estimation of ADFs.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage device serves as a cushion against potential power deficiencies. By storing energy in advance, the system creates a buffer that compensates for inaccurate ADF estimations and ensures sufficient power availability during emergency operations, eliminating the need for redesign during flight testing.
2Length of moving object
If the aircraft is made longer in derivative designs, then the aircraft capacity increases, but the accuracy of ADF estimations deteriorates resulting in inadequate RAT power at low airspeeds
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage device is incorporated into the RAT system design template that can be applied to derivative aircraft. This preliminary inclusion ensures that even when ADF estimations become less accurate in longer derivative designs, the stored energy compensates for the reduced RAT output at low airspeeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the system configuration by adding an energy storage component, transforming the RAT from a single-source power system to a hybrid system. This parameter change allows the system to maintain reliability across different aircraft lengths without requiring re-estimation of ADFs for each derivative design.
3Reliability
If the RAT is designed for low airspeed power production, then emergency power availability improves, but the system complexity increases due to energy storage integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the energy storage device with the RAT system, combining two separate functions (power generation and power storage) into a unified emergency power system. This integration improves reliability by ensuring power availability while managing complexity through combined rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage device serves multiple functions: it supplements RAT power output, provides backup power during transient loads, and compensates for ADF estimation inaccuracies. This multi-functionality improves emergency power reliability while justifying the added complexity through versatile utility.
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
This configuration enhances the RAT system's ability to provide emergency power at lower airspeeds, reduces the risk of redesign due to ADF variances, and allows for flexible power management, accommodating transient loads and longer aircraft designs.
Implementation Method 1
An electrical power storage device, such as supercapacitors or batteries, is integrated into the RAT system
Implementation Method 2
The RAT can be used as a power source and can generate power from the airstream flowing along the aircraft
Data Source
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AI summary
A ram air turbine (RAT) system (10) is provided. The RAT system (10) includes a main generator (20), a RAT power generation unit (30), first circuitry (40), a storage device (50) and second circuitry (60). The main generator (20) and the RAT power generation unit (30) are connectable to an aircraft bus by the first circuitry (40). The first circuitry (40) includes a first switch (45) which is controllable such that power is selectively provided to the aircraft bus from one of the main generator (20) and the RAT power generation unit (30). The storage device (50) is connectable to the aircraft bus by the second circuitry (60). The second circuitry (60) includes a second switch (62) which is controllable such that power is selectively provided to the aircraft bus from the storage device (50).