US 11,999,495 B2
Degraded mode operation of hybrid electric propulsion systems
Jean Thomassin, Ste Julie (CA); Manuel Acuna, Machesney Park, IL (US); Andrew D. Smith, Rockford, IL (US); Marc Kirner, Kirkland (CA); Joseph Kehoe, Vernon, CT (US); and Tatjana Pekovic, Saint Lambert (CA)
Assigned to PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP., Longueuil (CA)
Filed by PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP., Longueuil (CA)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/708,058.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/812,668, filed on Mar. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0277064 A1, Sep. 3, 2020
Int. Cl. B64D 27/24 (2006.01); B64D 27/02 (2006.01); B64D 31/06 (2006.01); B64D 31/14 (2006.01); H02P 29/028 (2016.01)
CPC B64D 27/24 (2013.01) [B64D 31/06 (2013.01); B64D 31/14 (2013.01); H02P 29/028 (2013.01); B64D 27/026 (2024.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hybrid electric engine control system configured to be operatively connected to a hybrid electric aircraft powerplant having a heat engine system and an electric motor system to control a torque output from each of the heat engine system and the electric motor system, the heat engine system including a hybrid electric engine control module for controlling the heat engine system, the electric motor system including a motor control module for controlling an electric motor of the electric motor system, the hybrid electric engine control system being configured to:
determine that the electric motor system and the heat engine system are in a normal mode such that the electric motor system and the heat engine system can provide respective first and second predetermined amounts of torque;
when the electric motor system and the heat engine system are in the normal mode, receive a raw power lever angle (PLA) indicative of a torque command from a power lever and split output power between the electric motor system and the heat engine system as a function of the torque command;
switch to a degraded mode when the electric motor system cannot provide the first predetermined amount of torque;
switch to the degraded mode when the heat engine system cannot provide the second predefined amount of torque based on a health verification of the hybrid electric engine control module by the motor control module using a comparison of the raw PLA received at the motor control module from the power lever and a communicated PLA received at the motor control module from the hybrid electric engine control module;
in the degraded mode:
when the electric motor system cannot provide the first predefined amount of torque, eliminate a use of the electric motor system and control the heat engine system using a heat engine PLA torque schedule defining a relationship between the PLA and the torque output from the heat engine system; and
when the heat engine system cannot provide the second predefined amount of torque, eliminate a use of the heat engine system and control the electric motor system using an electric motor PLA torque schedule defining a relationship between the PLA and the torque output from the electric motor system.