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A novel system and methodology of electrical power regulation, conditioning and distribution on an aircraft is disclosed. The system comprises an alternator adapted to directly connect to an engine on the aircraft and generate variable frequency AC power, a variable frequency AC bus coupled directly

A novel system and methodology of electrical power regulation, conditioning and distribution on an aircraft is disclosed. The system comprises an alternator adapted to directly connect to an engine on the aircraft and generate variable frequency AC power, a variable frequency AC bus coupled directly to the alternator, and at least one variable frequency AC load at low performance, coupled to the variable frequency AC bus. At least one bi-directional power converter may be coupled directly to the variable frequency AC bus and adapted to convert the variable frequency AC raw power to a fully regulated adjustable-frequency and adjustable-voltage power to control AC motors and other high performance variable frequency AC loads. A bi-directional power converter is coupled directly to the variable frequency AC bus and adapted to convert the variable frequency AC power generated by the alternator into constant frequency AC power. At least one constant frequency AC load is coupled to a constant frequency AC bus which is in turn coupled between the constant frequency AC load and the bi-directional power converter. A first bi-directional power bus controller is coupled between the bi-directional power converter and the constant frequency AC bus. The system further comprises an AC/DC bi-directional power converter coupled to a DC bus and at least one DC load coupled thereto. A second bi-directional power bus controller is coupled between the AC/DC power converter and the DC bus. The first and second bi-directional controllers provide for the selective and automatic reconfiguration of the flow of power through the system. A novel high-level subsystem interconnection architecture is also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for regulating electrical power distribution on an aircraft, comprising:an alternator adapted to directly connect to an engine on the aircraft and generate variable frequency AC power;a variable frequency AC bus coupled directly to the alternator;at least one variable frequency AC load c

1. A system for regulating electrical power distribution on an aircraft, comprising:an alternator adapted to directly connect to an engine on the aircraft and generate variable frequency AC power;a variable frequency AC bus coupled directly to the alternator;at least one variable frequency AC load coupled directly to the variable frequency AC bus;a power converter coupled directly to the alternator and adapted to convert the variable frequency AC power generated by the alternator into constant frequency AC power;at least one constant frequency AC load;a constant frequency AC bus coupled between the at least one constant frequency AC load and the power converter; anda first power bus controller coupled between the power converter and the constant frequency AC bus and adapted to control a flow of power therethrough. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power converter is bi-directional such that it can also convert constant frequency AC power to variable frequency AC power. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power converter is pulse width modulated. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first power bus controller is bi-directional and adapted to selectively and automatically reconfigure the direction of the first flow of power therethrough. 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:at least one high-voltage DC load;a high-voltage DC bus coupled to the at least one high-voltage DC load; andan AC/DC power converter coupled between the constant frequency AC bus and the DC bus and adapted to convert the constant frequency AC power to high-voltage DC power. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the AC/DC power converter is bi-directional and adapted to convert DC power to constant frequency AC power. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a second power bus controller coupled between the AC/DC converter and the DC bus and adapted to control a second flow of power therethrough. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second power bus controller is bi-directional and adapted to selectively and automatically reconfigure the direction of the second flow of power therethrough. 9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:at least low voltage DC load; andat least one DC/DC power converter coupled between the DC bus and the low voltage DC load and adapted to convert DC power to low-voltage DC power. 10. The system of claim 5, further comprising:a first power conditioner coupled to the constant frequency AC bus; anda second power conditioner coupled to the DC bus. 11. The system of claim 7, further comprising an emergency power source coupled to the second controller. 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one variable frequency high performance AC load; andan AC to AC power converter coupled between the at least one variable frequency high performance AC load and the alternator. 13. A system for regulating and distributing electrical power to a plurality of loads on an aircraft, each load having a load type, comprising:a first electrical power subsystem adapted to connect to a first engine on the aircraft;a second power subsystem in parallel with the first electrical power subsystem and adapted to connect to a second engine on the aircraft; andat least one first power bus controller coupled between the first electrical power subsystem and the second electrical power subsystem and adapted to selectively and automatically reconfigure the distribution of electrical power to the loads based on the load type. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first power bus controller is bi-directional. 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:a third electrical power subsystem adapted to connect to a third engine on the aircraft;a fourth electrical power subsystem adapted to connect to a fourth engine on the aircraft; andat least one second power bus controller coupled between the third and fourth electrical power subsystems and adapted to selectively and automatically reconfigure the distribution of electrical power through the system. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second power bus controller is bi-directional. 17. A method of regulating and distributing electrical power on an aircraft, comprising the steps of:generating variable frequency AC power from an alternator adapted to connect to an engine on the aircraft;distributing the variable frequency AC power to at least one variable frequency AC load coupled to an output of the alternatorconverting the variable frequency AC power to a constant frequency AC power with a bi-directional power converter; anddistributing the constant frequency AC power to at least one constant frequency AC load coupled to the bi-directional power converter. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising;converting the constant frequency AC power to DC power with a bi-directional AC/DC power converter; anddistributing the DC power to at least one DC load coupled to the bi-directional AC/DC power converter. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising selectively and automatically reconfiguring the direction of a flow of power through the system. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising distributing the variable frequency AC power to at least one variable frequency high performance load. 21. A method of regulating the distribution of a flow of electrical power to loads on an aircraft, each load having a load type, comprising:converting a first flow of electrical power through a first bi-directional power converter;converting a second flow of electrical power through a second bi-directional power converter; andselectively and automatically reconfiguring the direction of the first and second flows of power through the first and second bi-directional power converters, respectively, based on the load type.