US-12623788-B2 - Overall aircraft system data collector for prognostics and health management

Abstract

A hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine configured to generate rotational power, and an electric propulsion system configured to generate at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft. The propulsion system includes a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor. A controller is in signal communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric propulsion system. The controller operates the gas turbine engine based on an on-board engine model (OEM), monitors electrical parameters of the electric propulsion system, and updates the OEM in response to changes to the electrical parameters.

Inventors

• Martin Amari
• Xin Wu
• Tyler W. Hayes

Assignees

• RTX CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230411

Claims (13)

1. 1 . A hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft, the HEP system comprising: a gas turbine engine configured to generate rotational power; an electric propulsion system configured to generate at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft, the electric propulsion system comprising a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor; a battery system having an initial battery capacity and configured to power the electric propulsion system; and a controller in signal communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric propulsion system, the controller configured to operate the gas turbine engine based on an on-board engine model (OEM), to operate the electric propulsion system based on an on-board propulsor model (OPM), to monitor electrical parameters of the electric propulsion system, and to update the OEM in response to changes to the electrical parameters, wherein the controller predicts a degradation of the electric propulsion system and updates the OEM based on the predicted degradation of the electric propulsion system, wherein the HEP controller predicts a depletion in the initial battery capacity based on recorded electrical parameters stored in an on-board long-term storage unit, and dynamically updates one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the depletion in the initial battery capacity.
2. 2 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the gas turbine engine based on the updated OEM.
3. 3 . The HEP system of claim 2 , wherein the HEP system includes the on-board long-term storage unit configured to store the electrical parameters recorded during a series of flight missions performed over a given time period.
4. 4 . The HEP system of claim 3 , wherein the controller updates the OEM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit.
5. 5 . The HEP system of claim 1 , wherein to the controller updates the OPM in response to changes to the electrical parameters.
6. 6 . The HEP system of claim 5 , wherein the controller updates the OPM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit.
7. 7 . The HEP system of claim 5 , wherein the controller predicts the degradation of the electric propulsion system the based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit, and updates one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the degradation of the electric propulsion system.
8. 8 . A method of controlling a hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft, the method comprising: generating, by a gas turbine engine, a rotational power; powering, by a battery system having an initial battery capacity, an electric propulsion system; generating, by the electric propulsion system including a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor, at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft; operating, by a controller, in the gas turbine engine based on an on-board engine model (OEM) and the electric propulsion system based on an on-board propulsor model (OPM); monitoring, by the controller, electrical parameters of the electric propulsion system; and recording the electrical parameters stored in an on-board long-term storage unit; and predicting, by the controller, a degradation of the propulsion system based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit; updating, by the controller, one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the degradation of the electric propulsion system; predicting, by wherein the controller, a depletion in the initial battery capacity based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit; and dynamically updating, by the controller, one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the depletion in the initial battery capacity.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising operating the gas turbine engine based on the updated OEM.
10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the recording of the electrical parameters is performed during a series of flight missions performed over a given time period; and storing the recorded electrical parameters in the long-term storage unit on board the aircraft.
11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising updating, by the controller, the OEM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit.
12. 12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising updating, by the controller, the OPM in response to changes to the electrical parameters.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising updating, by the controller, the OPM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit.

Description

BACKGROUND Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to the art of aircraft propulsion systems, and more particularly to an aircraft hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system. Recent advances in electrical motors, energy storage systems, and power electronics converters (PEC) are leading the aircraft propulsion to become increasingly electrical. Hybrid-electric propulsion (HEP) systems have been developed which implements electrical systems in place of one or more traditional aircraft mechanical systems. Fuel and battery sources, for example, may be implemented to allow more possibilities for managing of the propulsion system in the various stages of a mission, and reduce the energy consumption, compared with traditional. The increase in electrical systems increases the overall load of the aircraft, and produces greater complexity in the operation. In addition, proper management of the electrical components and combustion desirable to meet the environmental requirements and reduce the fuel consumption of the aircraft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION A hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine configured to generate rotational power, and an electric propulsion system configured to generate at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft. The propulsion system includes a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor. A controller is in signal communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric propulsion system. The controller operates the gas turbine engine based on an on-board engine model (OEM), monitors electrical parameters of the electric propulsion system, and updates the OEM in response to changes to the electrical parameters. In addition to one or more features described herein, the controller operates the gas turbine engine based on the updated OEM. In addition to one or more features described herein, the HEP system includes an on-board long-term storage unit configured to store the electrical parameters recorded during a series of flight missions performed over a given time period. In addition to one or more features described herein, the controller updates the OEM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit. In addition to one or more features described herein, the controller operates the electric propulsion system based on an on-board propulsor model (OPM). In addition to one or more features described herein, to the controller updates the OPM in response to changes to the electrical parameters. In addition to one or more features described herein, the controller updates the OPM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit. In addition to one or more features described herein, a battery system having an initial battery capacity and configured to power the electric propulsion system according to the battery capacity. In addition to one or more features described herein, the HEP controller predicts a depletion in the initial battery capacity based on the based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit, and updates one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the depletion in the initial battery capacity. In addition to one or more features described herein, the controller predicts a degradation of the propulsion system the based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit, and updates one or both of the OEM and the OPM based on the degradation of the propulsion system. According to another non-limiting embodiment, a method is provided for controlling a hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system of an aircraft. The method comprises generating, by a gas turbine engine, a rotational power; generating, by an electric propulsion system including a propulsor and an electric motor configured to drive the propulsor, at least one of thrust or lift for operation of the aircraft; operating, by a controller, in the gas turbine engine based on an on-board engine model (OEM); monitoring, by the controller, electrical parameters of the electric propulsion system; and updating the OEM in response to changes to the electrical parameters. In addition to one or more features described herein, the method includes operating the gas turbine engine based on the updated OEM. In addition to one or more features described herein, the method further comprises recording the electrical parameters recorded during a series of flight missions performed over a given time period, and storing the recorded electrical parameters in a long-term storage unit on board the aircraft. In addition to one or more features described herein, the method further comprises updating, by n the controller, the OEM based on the recorded electrical parameters stored in the on-board long-term storage unit. In addition to one or more features described herein, the method further comprises operating the elect