Auxiliary power units (APUs) and methods and systems for activation and deactivation of a load compressor therein
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F02C-006/08
F02C-009/18
F04D-017/10
F01D-015/08
F04D-025/02
F04D-027/02
출원번호
US-0781239
(2013-02-28)
등록번호
US-9382910
(2016-07-05)
발명자
/ 주소
Jan, David K.
Zollars, Christopher
출원인 / 주소
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
대리인 / 주소
Ingrassia Fisher & Lorenz, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
13
초록▼
Auxiliary power units and methods and systems for activation and deactivation of a load compressor therein are provided. Auxiliary power unit includes the load compressor having an impeller, APU engine, coupling member, pre-spinning means, and APU controller. APU engine is adapted to be mechanically
Auxiliary power units and methods and systems for activation and deactivation of a load compressor therein are provided. Auxiliary power unit includes the load compressor having an impeller, APU engine, coupling member, pre-spinning means, and APU controller. APU engine is adapted to be mechanically engaged to load compressor to drive load compressor to provide pneumatic power and to be disengaged when the need for pneumatic power ceases. Coupling member couples load compressor and APU engine and is configured to be controllably moved between an engaged position in which the APU engine is mechanically engaged with the load compressor, and a disengaged position, in which the APU engine is disengaged from the load compressor. APU controller is operably coupled to load compressor, APU engine, coupling member, and pre-spinning means and adapted to receive and be responsive to rotational speed signals for controlling movement of coupling member between engaged and disengaged positions.
대표청구항▼
1. An auxiliary power unit comprising:a load compressor having an impeller;an auxiliary power unit engine adapted to be mechanically engaged to the load compressor to drive the load compressor to provide pneumatic power and to be disengaged therefrom when the need for pneumatic power ceases;a coupli
1. An auxiliary power unit comprising:a load compressor having an impeller;an auxiliary power unit engine adapted to be mechanically engaged to the load compressor to drive the load compressor to provide pneumatic power and to be disengaged therefrom when the need for pneumatic power ceases;a coupling member coupled between the load compressor and auxiliary power unit engine and configured to be controllably moved between an engaged position, in which the auxiliary power unit engine is mechanically engaged with the load compressor, and a disengaged position, in which the auxiliary power unit engine is disengaged from the load compressor;pre-spinning means coupled to the load compressor and configured to selectively pre-spin the impeller; andan auxiliary power unit controller operably coupled to the load compressor, the auxiliary power unit engine, the coupling member, and the pre-spinning means, the auxiliary power unit controller adapted to receive rotational speed signals and configured, in response thereto, to (i) selectively cause the pre-spinning means to pre-spin the impeller to a rotational speed setpoint; and (ii) selectively move the coupling member between the engaged and disengaged positions,wherein the pre-spinning means comprises a bleed air circuit adapted to supply compressor discharge bleed air to pre-spin the impeller to the rotational speed setpoint. 2. The auxiliary power unit of Claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises a clutchless coupling member or a friction clutch. 3. The auxiliary power unit of Claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power unit controller automatically activates an actuator to move the coupling member. 4. The auxiliary power unit of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary power unit controller receives the rotational speed signals comprising a first speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the impeller of the load compressor and a second speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the auxiliary power unit engine, the auxiliary power unit controller responsive to the first and second speed signals to activate the actuator to move the coupling member to the engaged position upon the rotational speed of the impeller reaching the rotational speed setpoint. 5. The auxiliary power unit of Claim 1, wherein the load compressor further comprises a plurality of inlet guide vanes at an inlet thereof and movable between positions substantially opening and substantially closing the inlet. 6. The auxiliary power unit of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary power unit controller is further responsive, if the rotational speed setpoint is reached, to: modulate the plurality of inlet guide vanes substantially open; andopen a load compressor bleed valve. 7. The auxiliary power unit of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power unit engine comprises a gas generator compressor, a combustor, and a gas generator turbine, the gas generator compressor adapted to provide the compressor discharge bleed air in the bleed air circuit causing the impeller to pre-spin to the rotational speed setpoint. 8. The auxiliary power unit of claim 7, wherein the rotational speed setpoint comprises the rotational speed at which the impeller rotational speed matches a predetermined percentage of the rotational speed of an auxiliary power unit engine output shaft or gearbox output shaft. 9. The auxiliary power unit of Claim 8, wherein the coupling member comprises a clutchless coupling member and the predetermined percentage is 100%. 10. A method for activating and deactivating a load compressor in an operating auxiliary power unit comprising auxiliary power unit engine and a load compressor, the method comprising: selectively engaging the load compressor with the auxiliary power unit engine to activate the load compressor by: pre-spinning an impeller of the load compressor to a rotational speed setpoint with compressor discharge bleed air provided by a source in fluid flow communication with the load compressor; andmechanically engaging the load compressor with the auxiliary power unit engine when a rotational speed of the impeller reaches the rotational speed setpoint; andselectively disengaging the load compressor from the operating auxiliary power unit engine to deactivate the load compressor. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary power unit engine comprises a gas generator compressor, the step of selectively engaging the load compressor with the auxiliary power unit engine further comprises opening a bleed air valve disposed between the gas generator compressor and the load compressor and a pre-spin inlet manifold such that compressor discharge bleed air flows into the impeller. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein pre-spinning of the impeller to the rotational speed setpoint comprises contacting a circumferential surface of the load compressor impeller with high pressure compressor discharge bleed air. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein a coupling member is coupled between the load compressor auxiliary power unit engine, the coupling member comprising a clutchless coupling member or a friction clutch, and the step of mechanically engaging the load compressor with the operating auxiliary power unit engine comprises activating an actuator to move the coupling member to an engaged position. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein pre-spinning of the impeller to the rotational speed setpoint comprises pre-spinning the impeller to a rotational speed that is 100% of the rotational speed of the auxiliary power unit engine, when the coupling member comprises the clutchless coupling member. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of disengaging the load compressor from the operating auxiliary power unit engine comprises: modulating the plurality of inlet guide vanes substantially closed to discontinue the flow of compressor discharge bleed air through the impeller; andproviding a momentary gas generator power reduction. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of mechanically engaging the load compressor with auxiliary power unit engine when a rotational speed of the impeller reaches the rotational speed setpoint comprises: determining the speed signal value of the impeller;determining the speed signal value of the auxiliary power unit engine;comparing the speed signal value of the impeller against the speed signal value of the auxiliary power unit engine; andactivating the actuator to move the clutchless coupling member to the engaged position when the speed signal value of the impeller matches auxiliary power unit engine speed signal value such that the operating auxiliary power unit engine is engaged with and drives the load compressor to provide pneumatic power. 17. A system for activating and deactivating a load compressor in an operating auxiliary power unit including an auxiliary power unit engine, the system comprising: the load compressor in fluid flow communication with a source of compressor discharge bleed air and adapted to be mechanically engaged with the auxiliary power unit engine when the demand for load compressor exists and disengaged therefrom when demand therefor ceases;a coupling member coupled between the load compressor and the auxiliary power unit engine and configured to be controllably moved between an engaged position, in which the load compressor is mechanically engaged with the auxiliary power unit engine, and a disengaged position, in which the auxiliary power unit engine is disengaged from the load compressor;a bleed control circuit for supplying the compressor discharge bleed air to an impeller of the load compressor to pre-spin the impeller to a rotational speed setpoint;an auxiliary power unit controller operably coupled to the load compressor, the bleed control circuit, a coupling member actuator, and the auxiliary power unit engine and adapted to receive a first speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the impeller of the load compressor and a second speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the auxiliary power unit engine and configured, in response thereto, to selectively (i) cause the compressor discharge bleed air to pre-spin the impeller; and (ii) move the coupling member between the engaged and disengaged positions, the coupling member actuator moving the coupling member to the engaged position when the impeller rotational speed matches the rotational speed setpoint. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the bleed air circuit has a bleed air circuit inlet and an outlet, the bleed air circuit inlet adapted to receive the compressor discharge bleed air and the outlet adapted to supply the compressor discharge bleed air to pre-spin the impeller, the bleed air circuit including a bleed control valve operably disposed in the bleed air circuit upstream of the load compressor for modulating or shutting off and turning on the flow of compressor discharge bleed air to the load compressor. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the auxiliary power unit controller is configured to activate the coupling member actuator based on a comparison of the first and second speed signals, the coupling member actuator activated if the rotational speed setpoint is reached.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (13)
Moulebhar, Djamal, Aircraft with disengageable engine and auxiliary power unit components.
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