A system for determining and/or controlling motor thrust and engine thrust in a parallel hybrid aircraft. One or more sensors may be configured to monitor one or more flight parameters to generate sensor information. User input including one or more pilot estimates may be received. The sensor information may be obtained. A performance thrust ratio may be calculated based on the user input, the sensor information, an aerodynamic model, a propeller model, and a battery model. The performance thrust ratio may be used to control the motor thrust and engine thrust to improve utilization of electric energy throughout a flight. A first thrust setting for the motor and/or a second thrust setting for the engine may be determined based on the performance thrust ratio.

The flying object control device 1 includes a generator 2, a drive source 3, a battery 4, an electric motor 5, a battery status determination unit 8, and a state-of-charge control unit 11. The battery status determination unit 8 determines a first amount of charge power, which is a current state of charge of the battery. After a flying object starts cruising, the state-of-charge control unit 11 calculates a second amount of charge power, which is a state of charge of the battery 4 required for takeoff during the next flight, based on flight plans 53 and 54 of the flying object, predicts timing of supplying electric power from the generator 2 to the battery 4 based on the first amount of charge power and the second amount of charge power, and starts power supply from the generator 2 to the battery 4 at this timing.

A hybrid propulsion system can include a turbomachine having a compressor, a combustion chamber, and a compressor turbine. The compressor can be connected to the compressor turbine via a first shaft. The system can include a hybrid drive assembly which can include a power turbine in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor turbine to be driven by compressor turbine exhaust to drive a second shaft that is disconnected from the first shaft. The hybrid drive assembly can also include an electrical machine mechanically coupled to the second shaft either to convert rotational energy to electrical energy or to convert electrical energy to rotational energy of the second shaft.

A system is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft system includes a propulsion system, and the propulsion system includes a first thermal engine, a second thermal engine and a first electric machine. The propulsion system is configured to operate the first thermal engine and the second thermal engine, without operating the first electric machine, during a first mode of operation to provide aircraft thrust. The propulsion system is configured to operate the first electric machine and the second thermal engine, without operating the first thermal engine, during a second mode of operation to provide the aircraft thrust.

An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, and electrical distribution system, and a controller. The propulsor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis. The engine includes a rotor coupled with the propulsor. The electrical distribution system includes an electric motor. The electric motor is coupled with the propulsor. The electric motor and the rotor are configured to cooperatively control rotation of the propulsor about the rotational axis by applying a total torque to the propulsor. The total torque includes a motor torque of the electric motor and an engine torque of the rotor. The controller is configured to: identify a target rotation speed for the propulsor, identify a deviation of an actual rotation speed of the propulsor from the identified target rotation speed, change a target total torque for the propulsor, control the engine to change an actual engine torque of the rotor to the target total torque, and while controlling the engine to change the actual engine torque of the rotor to the target total torque, identify a torque difference between the actual engine torque and the target total torque and control the electric motor to apply a target motor torque to the propulsor based on the torque difference.

Systems and techniques for controlling a power distribution of a hybrid powertrain system using magnetorheological (MR) clutches. In embodiments, MR clutches may be used to control the power transfer from a mechanical power source to a plurality of loads. For example, mechanical power produced by a mechanical power source (e.g., an internal combustion engine (ICE)) may be transferred to each load of the plurality of loads using an MR clutch respectively connected to each load. In this example, the amount of mechanical power transferred from the mechanical power source to each of the loads of the plurality of loads may be controlled and/or managed using the MR clutch connected to each respective load. In embodiments, a load may be engaged or disengaged from the mechanical power source gradually, such as by ramping up or ramping down the amount of mechanical power transferred via the MR clutch to the load.

A hybrid electric propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine having at least one compressor section and at least one turbine section operably coupled to a shaft. The hybrid electric propulsion system includes an electric motor configured to augment rotational power of the shaft of the gas turbine engine. A controller is operable to determine hybrid electric propulsion system parameters based on a composite system model and sensor data, determine a prediction based on the hybrid electric propulsion system parameters and the composite system model, determine a model predictive control optimization for a plurality of hybrid electric system control effectors based on the prediction using a plurality of reduced-order partitions of the composite system model, and actuate the hybrid electric system control effectors based on the model predictive control optimization.

A hybrid engine including features to meet aircraft thrust, passenger airflow, and fuel cell requirements. The engine includes a combustor burning the same fuel as the fuel cell. The engine has electric motors to utilize the power output of the fuel cell. The engine shafts have sprags to allow motors to drive the compressors and over run the turbines. The engine has variable flowpath geometry to bypass the combustor.

An aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft having a nacelle that includes a pylon structure is provided. The system includes compressor and turbine sections, an IC engine, a fan, and an IC engine cooling system. The compressor section is powered by a first electric motor. The turbine section is configured to power a first electric generator configured to produce electrical power. The first fan is rotationally driven by a second electric motor. The fan has a hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outward from the hub. The hub is disposed in the pylon interior region and the fan blades are configured to extend outside of the pylon structure. The fan is positioned downstream of the compressor section. The IC engine cooling system has a heat exchanger and a pump configured to provide coolant communication between the IC engine and the heat exchanger.

A method is provided for operating a system of an aircraft. During this method, rotation of a propulsor rotor is driven using mechanical power output by a powerplant. The powerplant includes a first drive device and a second drive device. The first drive device generates a first portion of the mechanical power. The second drive device generates a second portion of the mechanical power. A ratio between the first portion of the mechanical power and the second portion of the mechanical power is adjusted to control vibrations of the powerplant.