Abstract:
An electric power generating system comprises a switched reluctance machine (10), an inverter (18) having a dc input/output coupled to a dc bus (24), switches responsive to switching control signals for coupling each of the machine's phase windings to the dc bus (24). A controller (22) having a number of control inputs and outputs coupled to the inverter (18) monitors the current flowing in the phase windings and voltage level on the dc bus (24) and calculates a maximum and a minimum phase current control signal. The controller (22) modulates the switching control signals to regulate the phase current within a range defined by these control signals to maintain the voltage level at a desired level. Upon calculating a positive phase current control signal, the controller (22) generates switching control signals to enable switches at a fixed angle prior to alignment, and generates switching control signals to disable the switches at a fixed angle after alignment. In this way, the machine generates sufficient electric power to maintain the voltage level at the desired level. Upon calculating a negative phase current control signal, the controller (22) generates switching control signals to enable the switches at a fixed angle prior to alignment, and generates switching control signals to disable one switch at a fixed angle prior to alignment. In this way, the machine (10) dissipates sufficient electric power to maintain the voltage at the desired level.
Abstract:
A control for an inverter having a switch (Q1-Q6) which is operated in accordance with a PMW waveform having spaced rising and falling edges includes circuitry (66) which detects the magnitude (76) and polarity (78) of a DC component in the AC output power produced by the inverter and an adder (64)/substractor which adjusts at least one of a rising and falling edge of the waveform to reduce the magnitude of the DC component.
Abstract:
A power/generator system controls a turbine engine (14) in a start mode, and converts mechanical energy from the turbine engine (14) to electrical energy in a generate mode. The system comprises a switched reluctance machine (10), an inverter (18) having a dc input/output coupled to the dc distribution bus (20) and coupled to each of the machines (10) phase windings, and a controller (22) to monitor rotor position (30) and generate switching control signals (26) to the inverter (18) for each of the phase windings at a fixed angle prior to alignment of the rotor pole with the associated stator pole, which couples the phase winding to the dc bus (20) and allows dc phase current to energize the winding. At a fixed angle prior to alignment the inverter (18) is controlled to decouple the phase winding from the dc bus (20) and forcing dc current to flow back through diodes to allow the switched reluctance machine to operate as a generator.
Abstract:
Cavitation in axial piston motors (20) caused to act as a pump by an aiding load (28), and the related difficulty of loss of hydrostatic film (52), and tipping or hammering of motor slippers (64), can be reduced by a method which includes the step of recirculating hydraulic fluid from the supply port (18) of the motor (20) to the return port (30) of the motor (20) upon the occurrence of an aiding load (28).
Abstract:
A motor driven fan (10) capable of operating continuously in a dead-headed mode resulting from complete blockage of airflow from an outlet of the fan is provided in a fan including a housing (12) defining both a primary passage (52) for directing a flow of air from an inlet (36) to an outlet (28) of the fan, and a secondary passage for directing a flow of air between the inlet of the fan and ambient air surrounding the housing opposite the primary passage. The secondary passage includes a motor compartment (48) having an inlet passage (90) in fluid communication with the primary passage and an outlet passage (92) in fluid communication with the ambient air surrounding the housing. Impeller means (14), mounted within the housing, providing the flow of air in the primary and the secondary passages. A motor (20), mounted within the motor compartment and operatively connected to drive the impeller means is continuously cooled by the flow of air through the secondary passage even when the flow of air through the primary passage is reduced to zero by a complete blockage of the outlet (28) of the fan.
Abstract:
An electrical power generating system (1) for generating alternating current includes a main generator (14) having a stator (22) and a rotor (24) and an excitor (12) having a stator (16) and a rotor (18) with the rotors being coaxial and driven by an input shaft (36); a cylindrical non-electrically conductive containment sleeve (70) mounted with the coaxial rotors so that the rotors fit within the sleeve to provide support for the rotors against centrifugal acceleration and for containing coolant liquid; and a coolant circuit (50) for cooling the windings (30) of the generator rotor and the excitor rotor windings (42) the coolant circuit including a first portion (52) for receiving a coolant input (50) through the windings of the generator rotor and a second portion (56) comes into contact with the windings of the excitor rotor with the containment sleeve preventing coolant from flowing into an air gap between both rotors and both stators.
Abstract:
The cost and bulk of a speed reducing transmission required to provide low speed rotational power from a gas turbine engine is avoided by employing bearings (16, 18) journalling a high speed shaft (12) of the engine with a power takeoff in the form of a tubular shaft (62) having bearing receiving and retaining openings (82) to act as a bearing cage for bearing elements (64, 66) disposed between inner and outer bearing races (68, 70). Upon rotation of the high speed shaft (12), the bearing elements (64, 66) will move in an epicyclic fashion thereby driving the tubular shaft (62) at a reduced rotational rate allowing it to drive loads such as a dynamoelectric machine (90) or a ducted fan (48) at rotational speeds less than the rotational speed of the high speed shaft (12).
Abstract:
An undesirably long axial length of a ram air turbine may be reduced in a construction including a hub (110) mounted for rotation about a rotational axis (112), at least one turbine blade (114) rotatably mounted on the hub (110) for rotation between coarse and fine pitch positions about a blade pitch axis (116) which is different from the rotational axis (112) and a counterweight assembly (120) for each turbine blade (114) and mounted on the hub (110) for rotation between coarse and fine pitch positions about the blade pitch axis (116) in spaced relation to the rotational axis (114) and disposed when rotated about the rotational axis (112) to bias the turbine blade (114) towards its coarse pitch position. A limited lost motion connection (143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150) is located between the turbine blade (114) and the counterweight assembly (120). The main governor spring (130) biases the counterweight (120) toward a fine pitch position and a spring (142 ) acts across the lost motion connection (143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150) and biases the blade (114) toward the coarse pitch position.
Abstract:
A sensor (10) is disclosed for measuring the acceleration and angular rotation rate of a moving body and is micromachined from a silicon substrate (16). First and second accelerometers (32a and b) are micromachined from the silicon substrate (16), each having a force sensing axis (38) and producing an output signal of the acceleration of the moving body along its force sensing axis (38). The first and second accelerometers (32a and b) are mounted within the substrate (16) to be moved along a vibration axis (41). The first and second accelerometers (32a and b) are vibrated or dithered to increase the Coriolis component of the output signals from the first and second accelerometers (32a and b). A sinusoidal drive signal of a predetermined frequency is applied to a conductive path (92) disposed on each of the accelerometers. A link (72) is formed within the silicon substrate (16) and connected to each of the accelerometers (32a and b), whereby motion imparted to one results in a like, but opposite motion applied to the other accelerometer (32).
Abstract:
A circuit in a power system for suppressing an AC ripple superimposed on a bus signal (70) on a bus (18a and 18b) includes a first circuit (60) for producing first and second signals (62a and 62b) having a frequency substantially equal to the AC ripple frequency wherein the second signal (62b) is a phase quadrature of the first signal (62a), a second circuit (64, 66, 76, 78, 84 and 86) for combining these signals with a signal representing the bus signal (70) having the AC ripple superimposed thereon so as to derive a control signal (88 and 90) having substantially the same frequency and phase as the AC ripple, and third circuit (92) responsive to this control signal (88 and 90) so as to substantially suppress the AC ripple on the bus (18a and 18b).