US-20260128651-A1 - ELECTRICAL MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING ELECTRICAL MACHINE

US20260128651A1US 20260128651 A1US20260128651 A1US 20260128651A1US-20260128651-A1

Abstract

An electrical machine comprising a rotatable shaft; an induction generator mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and defining a power output connectable with an electrical load, wherein the power output defines a desired constant voltage output; a converter electrically connected with the power output; and a controller connected to the converter, the controller configured to at least one of provide supplemental power at the power output or absorb excess power at the power output.

Inventors

Suresh Babu Kamparaju
Balamurugan Sridharan
Shubham Sharma
Xiaochuan Jia

Assignees

GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . An electrical machine, comprising: a rotatable shaft; an induction generator mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and defining a power output connectable with an electrical load, wherein the power output defines a desired constant voltage output; a converter electrically connected with the power output; a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and electrically connected to the induction generator and the convertor; and a controller connected to the converter, the controller configured to cause the convertor to use the PMG as a power source to provide an initial excitation current to the induction generator during an initial phase of operating the induction generator.
2 . The electrical machine of claim 1 , further comprising a power storage device electrically connected to the converter and the PMG, the power storage device including a battery, a capacitor, or a battery and a capacitor.
3 . The electrical machine of claim 2 , wherein causing the convertor to use the PMG as a power source to provide an initial excitation current to the induction generator during an initial phase of operating the induction generator comprises using the PMG to provide the initial excitation current at least indirectly via the power storage device.
4 . The electrical machine of claim 2 , wherein the initial phase ends in response to a determination, by the controller, that at least one of the induction generator, the convertor, or the power storage device has reached an operational threshold.
5 . The electrical machine of claim 4 , wherein the operational threshold comprises at least one of a steady-state condition or a DC voltage set point of the power storage device.
6 . The electrical machine of claim 5 , wherein: the electrical machine further comprises one or more sensors coupled to the power storage device; and the controller is further configured to use the one or more sensors to sense the DC voltage of the power storage device.
7 . The electrical machine of claim 1 , further comprising a rotor speed sensor configured to sense a rotor speed of the induction generator; wherein the controller is connected to the rotor speed sensor and is configured to modify an output frequency of the induction generator according, at least in part, to changes in the rotor speed.
8 . An electrical machine, comprising: a rotatable shaft; an induction generator mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and defining a power output connectable with an electrical load, wherein the power output defines a desired constant voltage output; a converter electrically connected with the power output; a power storage device electrically connected to the converter, the power storage device including a battery, a capacitor, or a battery and a capacitor; a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and electrically connected to the induction generator and the power storage device; and a controller connected to the converter, the controller configured to cause the PMG, at least indirectly via the power storage device, to provide an initial excitation current to the induction generator during an initial phase of operating the induction generator.
9 . The electrical machine of claim 8 , wherein: the PMG comprises a PMG rotor and a PMG stator; the PMG rotor is mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and genets a PMG output on the PMG stator; and the PMG output is provided to at least one of the convertor or the power storage device.
10 . The electrical machine of claim 9 , wherein the PMG is electrically connected to the power storage device via a diode bridge.
11 . The electrical machine of claim 10 , wherein the diode bridge is configured to convert an AC output of the PMG output to DC current and provide the DC current to at least one of the power storage device or the convertor.
12 . The electrical machine of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the desired constant output voltage via operating the converter in (i) a first mode to provide, from the power storage device, supplemental power at the power output, and (ii) a second mode to absorb excess power at the power output.
13 . The electrical machine of claim 8 , wherein the convertor is further configured to: determine that at least one of the induction generator, the convertor, or the power storage device has reached an operational threshold; and determine that the initial phase has ended in response to the determination that at least one of the induction generator, the convertor, or the power storage device has reached the operational threshold.
14 . The electrical machine of claim 13 , wherein the operational threshold comprises at least one of a steady-state condition or a DC voltage set point of the power storage device.
15 . The electrical machine of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configure to at least temporarily cease causing the PMG to provide the initial excitation current to the induction generator.
16 . An electrical machine, comprising: a rotatable shaft; an induction generator mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft; a converter electrically connected with the power output; a power storage device electrically connected to the converter; a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft and electrically connected to the induction generator, the convertor, and the battery; and a controller configured to cause the PMG to provide a PMG output to at least one of the convertor or the power storage device during an initial phase of operating the induction generator.
17 . The electrical machine of claim 16 , wherein causing the PMG to provide the PMG output to at least one of the convertor or the power storage device during the initial phase of operating the induction generator comprises using the PMG output, at least indirectly via the power storage device, as a power source to provide an initial excitation current to the induction generator.
18 . The electrical machine of claim 16 , wherein the convertor is further configured to: determine that at least one of the induction generator, the convertor, or the power storage device has reached an operational threshold; and determine that the initial phase has ended in response to the determination that at least one of the induction generator, the convertor, or the power storage device has reached the operational threshold.
19 . The electrical machine of claim 18 , wherein the operational threshold comprises at least one of a steady-state condition or a DC voltage set point of the power storage device.
20 . The electrical machine of claim 19 , wherein: the electrical machine further comprises one or more sensors coupled to the power storage device; the controller is further configured to use the one or more sensors to sense the DC voltage of the power storage device; and the operational threshold comprises the DC voltage of the power storage device, as sensed by the one or more sensors, reaching the DC set point.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/364,841, filed Aug. 3, 2023, entitled “ELECTRICAL MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING ELECTRICAL MACHINE”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for operating an electrical machine and more specifically to operating the electrical machine in response to receiving a varying power demand. BACKGROUND Electrical machines, which can include electrical generators, are used in energy conversion. In the aircraft industry, an electrical machine can be mechanically coupled to a source of rotation, such as a mechanical or electrical machine, which for some aircraft may include a gas turbine engine. The generator can convert the mechanical energy of rotation into electrical energy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an aircraft including an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of operating an electrical machine, in accordance with various aspects described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein in the context of a power generation source for an aircraft, including an alternating current (AC) power generation source, which enables production of electrical power from an energy source such as a turbine engine, jet fuel, hydrogen, batteries, etc. However, it will be understood that the disclosure is not so limited and has general applicability to power distribution systems or power generation systems (collectively, “power distribution systems” hereafter) in non-aircraft applications, including other mobile applications and non-mobile industrial, commercial, and residential applications. For example, applicable mobile environments can include an aircraft, spacecraft, space-launch vehicle, satellite, locomotive, automobile, etc. Commercial environments can include manufacturing facilities or power generation and distribution facilities or infrastructure. Electrical machines can be designed, sized, or otherwise controllably to generate an estimated, determined, predicted, or otherwise expected amount or quantity of electrical power to provide to a set of electrical loads. Over a period of time, a set of electrical loads can have varying power demands, which can include existing loads turning on or off, new loads being added, and existing loads being removed. In some instances, the modified expected amount of quantity of electrical power to be generated to meet the modified power demand of the updated set of electrical loads can result in an overall higher or lower power demand for an electrical machine. Aspects of the disclosure can be included wherein, while the set of electrical loads and modified power demand can vary over a period of time for the power distribution system, the power generation capabilities of the electrical machine can controllably and quickly accommodate the modified power demanded. Additionally, in the presence of modified or altered power demands from a set of electrical loads, it is understood that the modified or altered power demands can result in voltage transients that are desired to be managed by the electrical machine. Compensating for a voltage transient is desirable, but can be difficult to quickly accomplish based on the operational response of a generator. As used herein, the term “set” or a “set” of elements can be any number of elements, including only one. Also as used herein, while sensors can be described as “sensing” or “measuring” a respective value, sensing or measuring can include determining a value indicative of or related to the respective value, rather than directly sensing or measuring the value itself. The sensed or measured values can further be provided to additional components. For instance, the value can be provided to a controller module or processor, and the controller module or processor can perform processing on the value to determine a representative value or an electrical characteristic representative of said value. Additionally, while terms representative of electrical characteristics such as “voltage”, “current”, and “power” can be used herein, it will be evident to one skilled in the art that “electrical characteristic” terms can be interrelated when describing aspects of the electrical circuit, or circuit operations. All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, uppe