CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM IN A HYBRID-ELECTRICAL AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEM

Abstract

A control method/system for a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system includes a generator, a propulsor, a controller and an electric storage unit. The generator including a gas turbine with blades separated from a casing by a clearance and driving an electric generator. An electric motor drives the propulsor. The controller controls the turbine and supply of electric power between the motor, the storage unit and the generator in response to a thrust demand and cooperates with a clearance controller: receives a command for a change in thrust demand; determines an operational profile that minimizes a function comprising a measure of fuel supplied to the turbine, transferring electric power from/to the storage unit, a difference between measures of current and demanded thrust and clearance over a time period; and operates the motor, turbine and storage unit according to the operational profile over the time period.

Claims

1. A control method operating with a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system comprising a generator system, a propulsor, a controller and an electric storage unit, the generator system comprising: a gas turbine having a plurality of rotor blades surrounded by a casing, the rotor blades separated from the casing by a tip clearance; and an electric generator arranged to be driven by the gas turbine, the propulsor, in particular a fan, with an electric motor arranged to drive the propulsor; the controller configured to operate the gas turbine and to control the supply of electric power between the electric motor, the electric storage unit and the electric generator in response to a demand for thrust, the method comprising the controller in cooperation with a tip clearance controller: receiving a command for a change in demand for thrust; determining an operational profile that minimizes a function comprising a measure of fuel supplied to the gas turbine, a transfer of electric power from or to the electric storage unit, a difference between measures of current and demanded thrust and the tip clearance over a time period; and operating the electric motor, the gas turbine and the electric storage unit according to the determined operational profile over the time period.

2. The control method according to claim 1, in which a step change in the operational profile is in part performed by power obtained from the electrical storage unit.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the gas turbine provides a ramp-up change in the operational profile, while the power obtained from the electrical storage unit makes up the difference to the required power to generate the step change in the operation profile.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein decrease in thrust is generated by a step change for the gas turbine, the rotational energy available due to the decrease in the thrust being used to charge the electrical storage unit.

5. The control method according to claim 1, where power obtained from the electrical storage unit is used to generate of gradual, quasi-steady increase in fuel flow, whilst the electrical system compensates for the difference in thrust by charging or discharging the electrical storage system.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the operational profile maintains the tip clearance at predetermined tolerance, in particular a time dependent tolerance.

7. The control method according to claim 1, comprising the controlling of the tip clearance between the rotor blades and the casing by controlling a supply of cooling and/or heating air to the casing and/or controlling movement of the casing relative to the rotor blades.

8. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system is part of a propulsion system of an aircraft or a helicopter.

9. A computer program for instructing a computer-implemented controller to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A control system for operating a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system comprising a generator system, a propulsor, a controller and an electric storage unit, the generator system comprising: a gas turbine having a plurality of rotor blades surrounded by a casing, the rotor blades separated from the casing by a tip clearance; and an electric generator arranged to be driven by the gas turbine, the propulsor, in particular a fan, with an electric motor arranged to drive the propulsor; the controller configured to operate the gas turbine and to control the supply of electric power between the electric motor, the electric storage unit and the electric generator in response to a demand for thrust, the controller being in cooperation with a tip clearance controller particularly arranged and designed for receiving a command for a change in demand for thrust; determining an operational profile that minimizes a function comprising a measure of fuel supplied to the gas turbine, a transfer of electric power from or to the electric storage unit, a difference between measures of current and demanded thrust and the tip clearance over a time period; and operating the electric motor, gas turbine and electric storage unit according to the determined operational profile over the time period.

Description

[0029] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the Figures, in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a gas turbine engine;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a control system arrangement for a turbofan engine;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft;

[0033] FIG. 4 is a comparison of the effect on tip clearance control on a conventional gas turbine engine and a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system;

[0034] FIG. 5 is a schematic thrust diagram for an operation profile of a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system known in the art;

[0035] FIG. 6 is a schematic thrust diagram for an operation profile of a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system in which operational changes are performed using power taken from an electrical storage unit;

[0036] FIG. 7 is a schematic tip clearance gap diagram for an operation profile of a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system in which operational changes are performed using power taken from an electrical storage unit;

[0037] FIG. 8 is a schematic tip clearance gap diagram for an operation profile of a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system in which operational changes are performed using power taken from an electrical storage unit, whilst the gas turbine operates at constant conditions

[0038] With reference to FIG. 1, a gas turbine enginehere a turbofan engineis generally indicated at 10, having a principal and rotational axis 11. The engine 10 comprises, in axial flow series, an air intake 12, a propulsive fan 13, an intermediate pressure compressor 14, a high-pressure compressor 15, combustion equipment 16, a high-pressure turbine 17, an intermediate pressure turbine 18, a low-pressure turbine 19 and an exhaust nozzle 20.

[0039] A nacelle 21 generally surrounds the engine 10 and defines both the intake 12 and the exhaust nozzle 20.

[0040] The gas turbine engine 10 works in the conventional manner so that air entering the intake 12 is accelerated by the fan 13 to produce two air flows: a first air flow into the intermediate pressure compressor 14 and a second air flow which passes through a bypass duct 22 to provide propulsive thrust. The intermediate pressure compressor 14 compresses the air flow directed into it before delivering that air to the high-pressure compressor 15 where further compression takes place.

[0041] The compressed air exhausted from the high-pressure compressor 15 is directed into the combustion equipment 16 where it is mixed with fuel and the mixture combusted. The resultant hot combustion products then expand through, and thereby drive the high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines 17, 18, 19 before being exhausted through the nozzle 20 to provide additional propulsive thrust. The high 17, intermediate 18 and low 19 pressure turbines drive respectively the high-pressure compressor 15, intermediate pressure compressor 14 and fan 13, each by suitable interconnecting shaft.

[0042] Other gas turbine engines, such as turbojet, turboprop or turboshaft engines, to which the present disclosure may be applied, may have alternative configurations.

[0043] By way of example, such engines may have an alternative number of interconnecting shafts (e.g. two) and/or an alternative number of compressors and/or turbines. Further, the engine may comprise a gearbox provided in the drive train from a turbine to a compressor and/or fan.

[0044] FIG. 2 illustrates an example control and monitoring system 200 for a conventional civil turbofan engine 201. The engine 201 is controlled by an engine electronic control (EEC) 202 and engine monitoring unit (EMU) 203. The EMU 203 takes inputs from monitoring sensors 204 and the EEC 202 from control sensors 205.

[0045] The EEC 202 controls operation of engine effectors 206 to control operation of the engine 201. The EMU 203 and EEC 202 are also connected to airframe avionics 207, having other controls, effectors and sensors for monitoring and control of other parts of the aircraft and for providing a demand for thrust to the engine 201.

[0046] In a control system for a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system, three aspects of control need to be addressed. Firstly, the hybrid-electric power train needs to be controlled in a way that takes into account operability constraints of the gas turbine engine. Secondly, control of the aircraft flight control system, particularly relating to control of thrust, needs to be integrated with the hybrid-electric power train. Thirdly, the flight management system needs to be integrated with the hybrid-electric power train.

[0047] A schematic diagram of a basic hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 is shown in FIG. 3. An electric propulsion unit or engine 301 comprises a fan 302 connected to an electric motor 303 by a central shaft 304. As with a conventional gas turbine engine, the engine 301 comprises a nacelle 305 surrounding the fan 302 and motor 303. The engine 303 is provided with electric power via power electronics in a controller 306, which is connected to an electric storage unit 307, which may include a battery, a fuel-cell system, a supercapacitor or a combination of the units.

[0048] The controller 306 is also connected to a generator 308 and a gas turbine engine 309. The gas turbine engine 309 drives the generator 308 to generate electric power, which the controller 306 distributes between the electric storage unit 307 and the electric motor 303. Under some conditions, the electric motor 303 may also act as a generator, for example, when a reduction in thrust is demanded and the forward movement of the engine 301 drives the fan 302 until a required fan speed is reached.

[0049] Energy may then be taken from the motor 303 and stored in the electric storage unit 307.

[0050] The controller 306 takes inputs from the aircraft control system (not shown), which provides a thrust or fan speed demand. The controller 306 then manages how the demand is achieved, by balancing use of the gas turbine engine 309 and generator 308 with the electric storage unit 307. For example, when a step increase in demand is received, the controller 306 may use the electric storage unit 307 to provide an immediate increase in electric power to the motor 303, while the gas turbine engine 309 is powered up more slowly to accommodate for the different behavior of the gas turbine 309. Once the gas turbine engine 309 has reached a required power output level, the balance of power taken from the generator 308 and electric storage unit 307 can be shifted so that all of the electric power comes from the generator 308, and an additional amount can be used to recharge the electric storage unit 307.

[0051] The ways in which the controller 306 can balance operation of the gas turbine engine 309 with the electric storage unit 307 depends on the particular characteristics of the gas turbine engine 309.

[0052] Typical gas turbine dynamics can be simplified into a set of two distinct groups that are relevant for fuel burn and a resulting cost of operation: shaft power dynamics and tip clearance dynamics (see e.g. FIG. 4).

[0053] Shaft power dynamics relate to the relationship between fuel supplied and the resulting shaft speed. Time constants of the order of 1 to 10 seconds may be involved in this relationship, leading to working line excursions and operability driven constraints.

[0054] Tip clearance dynamics are short-term changes in clearance between compressor and/or turbine blade tips and the surrounding casing. Changes in engine power level occurring at more than around 1 percent per second of the fan speed typically cannot be accurately tracked using current active tip clearance systems, which can result in either contact between the blade tips and the casing or a sub-optimum clearance between the tips and the casing. Increasing the tolerance between the blade tips and the casing can reduce this, but at the cost of significantly reduced efficiency. It would therefore be advantageous to be able to maintain tip clearance within a reduced tolerance while allowing for rapid changes in engine power.

[0055] Generally, tip clearance dynamics can be broken down in four time constants: segment growth, blade growth, casing growth and disc growth, all of which depend on the engine power level, with blade and disc growth also having centrifugal components proportional to the square of rotational speed. These dynamics are described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 9,546,564 to Lewis, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0056] As described in Lewis, when the engine is switched on it begins to heat up and the disc and blades begin to rotate, which causes all of the rotating components to grow radially. Due to the rotation of the blades and their relatively small mass, the rotor blades tend to grow more quickly, and substantially instantaneously, by a small amount.

[0057] The disc grows radially outwardly by a relatively large amount, for example three times as much as the rotor blades, and with a longer time constant of for example around 100 seconds.

[0058] The casing, which is relatively massive and does not rotate, grows by a relatively large amount, for example around three times as much as the rotor blades, but with a long time constant of for example around 50 seconds.

[0059] A segment assembly may define an inner surface of the casing, being composed of a plurality of discontinuous segments in a circumferential array. The segment assembly may actively or passively be controlled to move radially inwardly or outwardly to change the clearance between the blade tips and the segment assembly. The segment assembly grows by a small amount, for example, a third of the growth experienced by the rotor blades, but with a moderate time constant of for example around 15 seconds.

[0060] On heating, the segment assembly grows radially inwards, whereas the casing and disc grow radially outwards and the rotor blades grow radially outwards. The clearance therefore reduces during rapid acceleration and deceleration phases. To reduce the change in clearance it is known to provide active or passive tip clearance control arrangements, for example by providing cooling air to the casing to reduce its diameter or retard its growth. The segment assembly may alternatively be moved mechanically to alter the clearance. A method of actively controlling tip clearance is described in Lewis.

[0061] Hence, there are two separate power sources (electric storage unit 307, gas turbine engine 309) in a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 with, for example, batteries or fuel-cells and shaft power-off take through a generator 308 or other electric devices.

[0062] A known concept for controlling a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 is a design of the gas turbine engine 309 for the use in (relatively) steady state operations (such as e.g. cruise flight) and manage different thrust levels by using the electric energy stored in the electric storage unit 307 (e.g. batteries or fuel cells) to provide an additional power needed during MTO, or to re-charge the batteries during descent or idle thrust requirements.

[0063] In the following, methods and device are discussed in which a control of the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion engine 300 is considered together with a tip clearance control system 400 coupled with the gas turbine engine 309, as schematically shown in FIG. 3. The controller 306 sends TCC control signals to the secondary airflow system in the gas turbine 390 to control the tip clearance 400 (not shown here) by e.g. adjusting cold or hot air flows in the relevant regions.

[0064] The overall objective function to operate the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 can be stated as a dynamic optimization problem:

.sub.t0.sup.t1(P(t).sub.electric+P(t).sub.gasturbineP(t).sub.demand)dt.fwdarw.min

[0065] Over a time interval [t0, t1] the difference between the available power (P.sub.electric, P.sub.gasturbine) and the power demand (P.sub.demand) is to be minimized. The hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 is supposed to generate just enough power to meet the power demand.

[0066] As the power terms in the optimization statement are time dependent, the result of the minimization problem is a control profile over time which enables the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 to operate according to the objective function of the dynamic optimization problem.

[0067] An embodiment of a method discussed in the following, takes into account the following more specific optimization problem:

.sub.t0.sup.t1(P(t).sub.electric+P(t,tip clearance).sub.gasturbineP(t).sub.demand)dt.fwdarw.min

[0068] This means that the power output of the gas turbine 309 of the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 is controlled by the controller 306 using the tip clearance control system 400 to adjust the tip clearance 401 so that the overall operational profile is optimal. The management of the tip clearance is a combination of an air flow control in the secondary air system and quasi-stationary fuel flow changes enabled by a thrust change through taking into account the batteries and/or fuel cells.

[0069] This means the effect of the tip clearance 401 of the compressor stages 14, 17 and/or the turbine stages 17, 18, 19 (see FIG. 1) is considered in the balancing of the power output of the gas turbine 309 and the electric motor 307.

[0070] As mentioned above, tip clearance control (TCC) using e.g. air flows from the engine's secondary air system is known in the art. This means that the active control of the air flows in the TCC is a part of the optimization problem solved.

[0071] In FIG. 4, the effect of different engine designs and the TCC are shown on tip clearance 401.

[0072] A gas turbine only engine (upper row) and a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 (lower row) are compared for the alternatives no TCC (left column) and with TCC (right column) and the different outcomes for the tip clearances 401 is shown.

[0073] In a hot re-slam maneuver (i.e. sudden increase of acceleration starting from a hot disc condition) in a conventional gas turbine engine (e.g. a turbo-fan engine or a geared turbo fan engine) the minimum achievable tip clearance is set. The tip clearance 401 is the sum of the tip clearance for the cruise to MTO range and the tip clearance for the re-slam range: A+C. If a TCC is used with a conventional gas turbine, the casing can be moved radially outward from the hot rotors, reducing the achievable tip clearance to B.

[0074] In a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system without a TCC, the electric part now covers the step change in a sudden acceleration such as a re-slam. There is no impact of the re-slam. The tip clearance 401 in FIG. 4 is reduced to A.

[0075] If a hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 has a TCC, the optimum tip clearance 401 can be achieved through combined action of the electric system and the TCC (being part of the gas turbine system, see FIG. 3) as both transients and effect due to different time constants or rotor and casing expansion/contraction can be taken into account. The resulting tip clearance 401 is D, which is smaller than B. Using the terminology in FIG. 4, the following holds (A+C)>A>BD.

[0076] In one embodiment, the gas turbine 309 is designed for several operating points. The electrical propulsion system 301 manages the step changes in thrust by a gradual (quasi-steady) change in shaft speed to minimize, if not avoid, the transient movements between static and rotating parts, compensating the missing thrust at MTO or the excessive thrust during decent or idle with the energy storage within the electric system.

[0077] In this embodiment, a step change or any other rapid change in thrust or power can be provided by relying on the electric storage unit 307 (battery, supercapacitor, fuel cell system,) whilst keeping the gas turbine 306 operation nearly constant and then gradually adopting it to a new speed required for a new thrust setting. This can be achieved by means of a gradual (quasi-steady) increase in fuel flow, whilst the electrical system compensates for the difference in thrust by charging or discharging the electric storage unit 307. Thereby, the transient movements caused by centrifugal and thermal effects can be minimized, if not entirely avoided.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows an operation profile known in the art using constant operation of the gas turbine at a constant working point (rotational speed NH, fuel consumption Wfuel, Temperature T). At the beginning, in idle, the electric storage unit 307 is charged. During the MTO phase, extra power is provided to generate more thrust. Once in cruise mode, the gas turbine 306 is generating all the required thrust. When again in idle mode, the gas turbine 306 operation charges the electric storage unit 307.

[0079] FIG. 6 shows an operation profile of an embodiment described herein. The diagram shows the thrust level over time. Delivering the step change in thrust demanded, the thrust is built up by using the gas turbine 306 and the electrical storage unit 307 to achieve the demand thrust profile. That means here, that at before the step change, the thrust is solely delivered by the gas turbine engine 306 and then increasingly delivered by the electric storage unit 306. At all times in this phase the total thrust is achieved by balancing the two power sources, until the demanded thrust level for the idle mode is reached. The ramping-up and the thrusting of is performed under tip clearance control 400 (see FIG. 3), as the increasing rotational speed generally narrows the tip clearance 401. The gradual increase in rotational speed instead of a step change (see FIG. 5) allows a matching of the thermal expansion difference between casing and rotors through the tip clearance control system 400, which can e.g. adjust targeted cold or warm air streams.

[0080] The same ramping-up is present in the change from idle mode to MTO mode. Again, the electrical power from the electrical storage unit 307 is augmenting the ramping up through the gas turbine 306.

[0081] The reverse takes place when the thrust level is reduced, e.g. from MTO level to cruise level. In this case, some rotational energy is used to charge the electric storage unit 401.

[0082] This shows that the embodiment can balance the two power sources 307, 309 of the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system 300 to provide an overall optimal flight profile while taking into account the influence of the tip clearance 401.

[0083] In FIG. 7, a profile analogue to the one shown in FIG. 6 is depicted with a diagram showing the negative closure of the tip clearance 401 over time. This means that increasing values in negative closure represent larger tip clearances 400 whilst negative closure below zero imply rubs into the segment, leading to permanent opening of the tip clearances due to material wear off. Again, the profile goes from an idle state, a MTO phase, a cruise phase back to an idle state.

[0084] At the start, the hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion unit 300 is in idle mode, with the tip clearance 401 a little above the cold built mode. The startup leads to a first transient overshoot in the negative closure, i.e. the tip clearance 401 gets smaller. Similar overshoots or undershoots occur whenever there is a drastic change in the operation regime, e.g. a switch from MTO to Cruise.

[0085] In FIG. 8, the profile as in FIGS. 6 and 7 is depicted, showing the negative closure over time as in FIG. 7. Here, the tip clearance under the demanded thrust profile (solid line) is compared against the tip clearance due to the gas turbine engine (dashed line, NH). The difference of the tip clearance 401 is delivered by the electrical system in the cases in which the thrust is ramped-up (e.g. idle to MTO).

[0086] Here, it is proposed to implement a control logic in the hybrid-electrical aircraft propulsion system covering thrust increments or decrements arising from the quasi-steady gas turbine operation and the thrust requirement from the aircraft (see FIG. 6) by means of a quasi-steady fuel flow change and a corresponding utilization of the electrical storage system.

[0087] This implementation of an embodiment might have at least one of the following potential benefits: [0088] a) It would reduce, if not avoid, the transient effects on the tip clearance 401 due to centrifugal and thermal loads and thereby reduce the achievable tip clearance by up to 75%, increasing compressor and turbine efficiencies by several percent points. [0089] b) Moreover, a positive spill-over effect is predicted on the deterioration as the hot gas exposure of the turbine blade tips as well as transient TGT overshoots are reduced and also. [0090] c) The requirement for a tip clearance control system 400 might be reduced in complexity due to smaller relative movements between casing and rotating parts to be controlled. [0091] d) The option of an alternative electric storage unit 307 from outside the gas turbine 306 can also be exploited to improve the wind-mill relight capability of a gas turbine engine as there is no dependency from another gas turbine, as an APU. [0092] e) Even for a turbo-shaft application with a more electric approach, an electric customer attached to one of the shafts could offer a means to control the transients, ideally by storing the power produced in a generator mode such that it can be re-used during the motor mode of operation. [0093] f) Lastly, for a two-shaft engine with an electric motor 303 on each shaft, power can be transferred from one shaft to the other to control the speed change and tip clearance without any energy storage. For example: If HP is most critical for tip clearance 401, then for an acceleration increase the fuel flow while drawing power from the HP shaft electric machine and injecting the power to the FPT electric machine is used to boost the output. The HP spool would thus not speed up as rapidly and the tip closure would be limited. Conversely, on a deceleration as the fuel flow is decreased power from the FPT attached generator could be injected back into the HP attached generator to retain the RPM and tip closure 401. As the casing cools, the power injection would be reduced to maintain the tip clearance. Alternatively, a control logic accelerating or decelerating the power turbine shaft down with the generator working as motor or brake could be envisaged.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0094] 10 gas turbine engine [0095] 11 principal and rotational axis [0096] 12 air intake [0097] 13 propulsive fan [0098] 14 intermediate pressure compressor [0099] 15 high-pressure compressor [0100] 16 combustion equipment [0101] 17 high-pressure turbine [0102] 18 intermediate pressure turbine [0103] 19 low-pressure turbine [0104] 20 exhaust nozzle [0105] 21 nacelle [0106] 22 bypass duct [0107] 200 control and monitoring system [0108] 201 turbofan engine [0109] 202 engine electronic control (EEC) [0110] 203 engine monitoring unit (EMU) [0111] 204 monitoring sensors [0112] 205 control sensors [0113] 206 engine effectors [0114] 207 airframe avionics [0115] 300 hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion system [0116] 301 electric propulsion unit [0117] 302 fan, propulsor [0118] 303 electric motor [0119] 304 central shaft [0120] 305 nacelle [0121] 306 controller [0122] 307 electric storage unit [0123] 308 generator [0124] 309 gas turbine engine [0125] 400 tip clearance control system [0126] 401 tip clearance