A switched reluctance generator and devices and methods for its control are concerned with generators and controls which can operate in an aerospace environment. The generator may have: a rotor having rotor poles; a stator having stator poles; and a controller. Either the rotor or stator poles each have windings to which current can be supplied to energise the poles and from which current can be drawn to a load; and the controller is arranged to: periodically excite each of the windings in turn to a pre-determined level of current; measure the current generated in each winding; cease the excitation when the current generated in each winding exceeds the excitation current; and direct the generated current in each winding to the load. The generator may thereby avoid the need to determine the position of the rotor poles relative to the stator poles to provide the commutation of the generator.

A current supply system configured to receive a rotational driving force and supply a current for driving an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The current supply system includes a rotor, including a permanent magnet, configured to receive the rotational driving force, and a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, the rotational driving force causing the rotor and the stator to generate the current. The current supply system further includes a supply current adjustment device configured to change magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding in accordance with the current requirement, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the generated current.

A current supply system configured to receive a rotational driving force and supply a current for driving an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The current supply system includes a rotor, including a permanent magnet, configured to receive the rotational driving force, and a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, the rotational driving force causing the rotor and the stator to generate the current. The current supply system further includes a supply current adjustment device configured to change magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding in accordance with the current requirement, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the generated current.

A generator or motor system for converting mechanical power into electrical power or vice versa, comprises: a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator with a number of phase windings, the phase windings being partitioned in groups, each group comprising at least two phase windings connected in series to form a ring structure; a power electronics circuit comprising: for each ring structure, an independently controllable means for generating a circulating current in said ring structure; a number of legs, each of the legs comprising at least two diodes or switches connected in series between a first and a second voltage rail, each leg having an intermediate node located between the two diodes or switches, and connected to a corresponding intermediate node between two phase windings of a ring structure.

A generator or motor system for converting mechanical power into electrical power or vice versa, comprises: a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator with a number of phase windings, the phase windings being partitioned in groups, each group comprising at least two phase windings connected in series to form a ring structure; a power electronics circuit comprising: for each ring structure, an independently controllable means for generating a circulating current in said ring structure; a number of legs, each of the legs comprising at least two diodes or switches connected in series between a first and a second voltage rail, each leg having an intermediate node located between the two diodes or switches, and connected to a corresponding intermediate node between two phase windings of a ring structure.

A transmission for outputting a rotational torque in accordance with a torque requirement. The transmission includes a generator, a motor and a control device. The generator includes a rotor configured to receive first rotational power from an engine, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust a current outputted by the generator. The motor is driven by the current outputted from the generator, to thereby output second rotational power. The control device controls the supply current adjustment device to change the inductance of the winding, in accordance with the torque requirement.

A transmission for outputting a rotational torque in accordance with a torque requirement. The transmission includes a generator, a motor and a control device. The generator includes a rotor configured to receive first rotational power from an engine, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust a current outputted by the generator. The motor is driven by the current outputted from the generator, to thereby output second rotational power. The control device controls the supply current adjustment device to change the inductance of the winding, in accordance with the torque requirement.

An electric power supply system configured to supply electric power to an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The electric power supply system includes an engine configured to output rotational power, a generator configured to receive the rotational power and to supply a current to the electrical load device. The generator includes a rotor, and a stator including a winding and a stator core with the winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the supplied current. The electric power supply system further includes a control device configured to control the engine to adjust the output rotational power and to control the supply current adjustment device to adjust the inductance of the winding.

An electric power supply system configured to supply electric power to an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The electric power supply system includes an engine configured to output rotational power, a generator configured to receive the rotational power and to supply a current to the electrical load device. The generator includes a rotor, and a stator including a winding and a stator core with the winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the supplied current. The electric power supply system further includes a control device configured to control the engine to adjust the output rotational power and to control the supply current adjustment device to adjust the inductance of the winding.

A vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electromotive driving unit mounted on the vehicle body, an engine operable with a liquid fuel, a generator that generates electric power, and a control device including a power generation control unit and an electric power output unit. The power generation control unit outputs a signal for controlling the engine and the generator, the electric power output unit outputting electric power generated by the generator to the electromotive driving unit. The control device in combination with the engine and the generator constitutes a physically integrated unit that is mountable to and dismountable from the vehicle body. The control device is configured to output a store visit promotion signal to an informing device while the physically integrated unit is mounted on the vehicle body, to prompt a visit to a store where the physically integrated unit is replaceable.