Patent Application
20250010756
This disclosure relates generally to battery assemblies for aircraft and aircraft propulsion systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft.
Propulsion systems for aircraft may include an electrical distribution system including one or more battery packs and an electric motor. Before conducting a flight operation with the aircraft, a particular charge level of the one or more battery packs may be obtained. Various systems and methods for controlling a charge level of battery packs for aircraft are known in the art. While these known systems and methods have various advantages, there is still room in the art for improvement.
It should be understood that any or all of the features or embodiments described herein can be used or combined in any combination with each and every other feature or embodiment described herein unless expressly noted otherwise.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly, a controller, and a battery transfer assembly. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing at least one stored battery pack. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft using flight information for the aircraft and to identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft using the energy storage prerequisite. The battery pack loadout plan identifies one or more of the at least one stored battery pack to be installed on the aircraft. The instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to receive the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack from the battery storage assembly and install the one or more of the at least one stored battery pack into the aircraft.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the battery pack loadout plan may further identify at least one installed battery pack installed on the aircraft to be removed from the aircraft.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may further cause the processor to control the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling the battery transfer assembly to receive the at least one installed battery pack from the aircraft and move the at least one installed battery pack to the battery storage assembly.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the controller may further include a user interface terminal on the vehicle. The instructions, when executed by the processor, may further cause the processor to receive the flight information from the user interface terminal.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the flight information may include one or more of a departure location, a landing location, a flight distance for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft model of the aircraft, a number of passengers for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft weight of the aircraft, or a weather condition.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the aircraft may have a battery pack capacity and the battery pack loadout plan may include a quantity of battery packs which is less than the battery pack capacity.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the battery storage assembly may include a plurality of rail assemblies. Each rail assembly of the plurality of rail assemblies may include a first rail and a second rail. Each stored battery pack of the at least one stored battery pack may be disposed on the first rail and the second rail of a respective one of the plurality of rail assemblies.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the battery storage assembly may further include at least one linear actuator. The at least one linear actuator may be configured to move the plurality of stored batteries from the plurality of rail assemblies to the battery transfer assembly.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the battery transfer assembly may include a battery transfer tray and an actuator. The battery transfer tray may include a transfer rail assembly including a first transfer rail and a second transfer rail. The battery transfer tray may be mounted to the actuator. The actuator may be configured to selectively position the transfer rail assembly at one of the rail assemblies of the plurality of rail assemblies.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the battery replacement system may further include the at least one stored battery pack. The at least one stored battery pack may include a battery rail assembly including a first battery rail and a second battery rail.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may further cause the processor to identify a state of charge for each of the at least one stored battery pack and to identify the battery pack loadout plan using the energy storage prerequisite and the identified state of charge for each of the at least one stored battery pack.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft includes receiving flight information for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft with a controller, identifying, with the controller, an energy storage prerequisite for the flight or series of flights of the aircraft using the flight information for the aircraft, and identifying, with the controller, a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft. The battery pack loadout plan identifies a plurality of battery packs for the aircraft. The plurality of battery packs have a combined state of charge which is equal to or greater than the energy storage prerequisite. The method further includes controlling the battery pack loadout for the aircraft by controlling a vehicle, with the controller, to remove a first battery pack from the aircraft and to install a second battery pack into the aircraft such that the aircraft includes the plurality of battery packs.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, receiving the flight information may include receiving the flight information from a user interface terminal disposed on the vehicle.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the flight information may include one or more of a departure location, a landing location, a flight distance for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft model of the aircraft, a number of passengers for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft weight of the aircraft, or a weather condition.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the aircraft may have a battery pack capacity and the battery pack loadout plan may include a quantity of battery packs which is less than the battery pack capacity.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, removing the first battery pack from the aircraft includes removing the first battery pack with a battery transfer assembly of the vehicle, moving the first battery pack from the battery transfer assembly to a battery storage assembly of the vehicle, and storing the first battery pack in the battery storage assembly.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery replacement system for controlling a battery pack loadout for an aircraft includes a vehicle including a battery storage assembly and a controller. The battery storage assembly is configured for storing a plurality of stored battery packs. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify a state of charge for each of the stored battery packs, identify an energy storage prerequisite for a flight or series of flights of the aircraft using flight information for the aircraft, and identify a battery pack loadout plan for the aircraft using the energy storage prerequisite and the identified state of charge for each of the plurality of stored battery packs. The battery pack loadout plan identifies a plurality of battery packs for the aircraft. The plurality of battery packs have a combined state of charge which is equal to or greater than the energy storage prerequisite. The plurality of battery packs includes at least one battery pack of the plurality of stored battery packs.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the controller may further include a user interface terminal on the vehicle. The instructions, when executed by the processor, may further cause the processor to receive the flight information from the user interface terminal.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the flight information may include one or more of a departure location, a landing location, a flight distance for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft model of the aircraft, a number of passengers for the flight or the series of flights, an aircraft weight of the aircraft, or a weather condition.
In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the aircraft may have a battery pack capacity and the plurality of battery packs of the battery pack loadout plan includes a quantity of battery packs which is less than the battery pack capacity.
The present disclosure, and all its aspects, embodiments and advantages associated therewith will become more readily apparent in view of the detailed description provided below, including the accompanying drawings.
The engine 22 of
The engine 22 of
Components of the engine 22 of
The first rotational assembly 44 includes a first shaft 48, a bladed first compressor rotor 50 for the high-pressure compressor 30B, and a bladed first turbine rotor 52 for the high-pressure turbine 34A. The first shaft 48 interconnects the bladed first compressor rotor 50 and the bladed first turbine rotor 52.
The second rotational assembly 46 includes a second shaft 54, a bladed second compressor rotor 56 for the low-pressure compressor 30A, and a bladed second turbine rotor 58 for the low-pressure turbine 34B. The second rotational assembly 46 may further include an electric motor 60. The second shaft 54 interconnects the bladed second compressor rotor 56 and the bladed second turbine rotor 58. The second shaft 54 is directly or indirectly connected to one or more rotational loads (not shown in
The battery assembly 24 of
The controller 26 includes a processor 70 connected in signal communication with memory 72. The processor 70 may include any type of computing device, computational circuit, processor(s), CPU, computer, or the like capable of executing a series of instructions that are stored in the memory 72. Instructions can be directly executable or can be used to develop executable instructions. For example, instructions can be realized as executable or non-executable machine code or as instructions in a high-level language that can be compiled to produce executable or non-executable machine code. Further, instructions also can be realized as or can include data. Computer-executable instructions also can be organized in any format, including routines, subroutines, programs, data structures, objects, modules, applications, applets, functions, etc. The instructions may include an operating system, and/or executable software modules such as program files, system data, buffers, drivers, utilities, and the like. The executable instructions may apply to any functionality described herein to enable the propulsion system 20 and its battery assembly 24 to accomplish the same algorithmically and/or by coordination of their respective components. The memory 72 may include a single memory device or a plurality of memory devices; e.g., a computer-readable storage device that can be read, written, or otherwise accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computing device, including any processing electronics and/or processing circuitry capable of executing instructions. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of memory device, which may be non-transitory, and may include read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory, optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, magnetic tape, other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of storing one or more instructions, and/or any device that stores digital information. The memory device(s) may be directly or indirectly coupled to the controller 26. The controller 26 may include, or may be in communication with, an input device that enables a user to enter data and/or instructions, and may include, or be in communication with, an output device configured, for example to display information (e.g., a visual display or a printer), or to transfer data, etc. Communications between the controller 26 and other electrical and/or electronic components (e.g., controllers, sensors, etc.) may be via a hardwire connection or via a wireless connection. A person of skill in the art will recognize that portions of the controller 26 may assume various forms (e.g., digital signal processor, analog device, etc.) capable of performing the functions described herein.
The controller 26 may form or otherwise be part of a battery monitoring system (BMS) for the battery 64. The BMS may be configured to monitor battery 64 health and/or other operating conditions of the battery 64 and its battery packs 68 such as, but not limited to, temperature, current, voltage, and state of charge (SoC). The SoC for the battery 64 and/or the battery packs 68 refers to a measured or estimated stored energy of the battery 64 and/or the battery packs 68 relative to a maximum energy storage capacity of the battery 64 and/or the battery packs 68, respectively. The SoC may be expressed, for example, as a percentage value of a stored energy relative to a maximum energy storage capacity. The controller 26 may additionally or alternatively form or otherwise be part of an electronic engine controller (EEC) for the engine 22. The EEC may control operating parameters of the engine 22 including, but not limited to, fuel flow, stator vane position (e.g., variable compressor inlet guide vane (IGV) position), compressor air bleed valve position, shaft (e.g., first shaft 48 and/or second shaft 54) torque and/or rotation speed, etc. so as to control an engine power or performance of the engine 22. The EEC may modulate fuel flow to the combustor 42 to obtain a desired output power of the engine 22. For example, the EEC may modulate the fuel flow using a closed-loop process in which an output power or other operating parameter of the engine 22 is measured and fuel flow is increased or decreased as a function of the measured output power or operational parameter. In some embodiments, the EEC may be part of a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system for the propulsion system 20.
During operation of the propulsion system 20 of
The propulsion assembly 80 may include a vehicle battery 88 and an electric motor 90. The vehicle battery 88 is configured to supply electrical power to the electric motor 90 to facilitate propulsion of the vehicle 76 (e.g., using one or more wheels coupled with the electric motor 90). The vehicle battery 88 may additionally supply electrical power for operation of one or more other assemblies or components of the vehicle such as, but not limited to, the battery storage assembly 82, the battery transfer assembly 84, and the battery replacement controller 86. The vehicle battery 88 may be configured as a rechargeable battery having a battery chemistry such as, but not limited to, lead acid, nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni—MH), lithium-ion (Li-ion), lithium-polymer (Li-poly), lithium metal, and the like. The vehicle battery 88 and the electric motor 90 may be disposed within the vehicle body 78, for example, as schematically illustrated in
The battery storage assembly 82 of
The connection interface 106 of
The rail assembly 108 of
Referring to
The battery transfer assembly 84 is configured to facilitate transfer of the battery packs 68 from the battery assembly 24 (see
The battery transfer tray 150 of
The actuator 152 interconnects the battery transfer tray 150 and the vehicle body 78. The actuator 152 of
The battery replacement controller 86 includes a processor 170 connected in signal communication with memory 172. The processor 170 may include any type of computing device, computational circuit, processor(s), CPU, computer, or the like capable of executing a series of instructions that are stored in the memory 172. Instructions can be directly executable or can be used to develop executable instructions. For example, instructions can be realized as executable or non-executable machine code or as instructions in a high-level language that can be compiled to produce executable or non-executable machine code. Further, instructions also can be realized as or can include data. Computer-executable instructions also can be organized in any format, including routines, subroutines, programs, data structures, objects, modules, applications, applets, functions, etc. The instructions may include an operating system, and/or executable software modules such as program files, system data, buffers, drivers, utilities, and the like. The executable instructions may apply to any functionality described herein to enable the vehicle 76 to accomplish the same algorithmically and/or by coordination of vehicle 76 components. For example, the battery replacement controller 86 may be connected in signal communication with the electric motor 90, the steering equipment, and/or the sensors of the propulsion assembly 80 to autonomously control movement of the vehicle 76. The battery replacement controller 86 may be further connected in signal communication with one or more of the battery packs 68 (e.g., stored by the battery storage assembly 82) to identify temperature, current, voltage, and state of charge (SoC) of the battery packs 68. The memory 172 may include a single memory device or a plurality of memory devices; e.g., a computer-readable storage device that can be read, written, or otherwise accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computing device, including any processing electronics and/or processing circuitry capable of executing instructions. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of memory device, which may be non-transitory, and may include read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory, optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, magnetic tape, other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of storing one or more instructions, and/or any device that stores digital information. The memory device(s) may be directly or indirectly coupled to the battery replacement controller 86. The battery replacement controller 86 may include, or may be in communication with, an input device that enables a user to enter data and/or instructions, and may include, or be in communication with, an output device configured, for example to display information (e.g., a visual display or a printer), or to transfer data, etc. Communications between the controller 86 and other electrical and/or electronic components (e.g., controllers, sensors, etc.) may be via a hardwire connection or via a wireless connection. A person of skill in the art will recognize that portions of the controller 86 may assume various forms (e.g., digital signal processor, analog device, etc.) capable of performing the functions described herein.
The battery replacement controller 86 of
Referring to
Step 702 includes identifying an energy storage prerequisite for the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24. The energy storage prerequisite refers to a minimum amount of energy (e.g., an energy storage threshold) stored by all of the battery packs 68 installed in the battery assembly 24 combined, which may be required for an immediately subsequent flight or series of flights of the aircraft 1000. The battery replacement controller 86 may identify the energy storage prerequisite for the aircraft 1000 using information received from a pilot or other operator (e.g., from the user interface terminal 174) and/or from the controller 26. For example, a pilot for the aircraft 1000 may enter flight plan information for the immediately subsequent flight or series of flights of the aircraft 1000 into the user interface terminal 174, and the battery replacement controller 86 may use the flight plan information to identify the energy storage prerequisite for the aircraft 1000. The flight plan information may include information such as, but not limited to, a departure location, a landing location, a flight distance, an aircraft model for the aircraft 1000, a number of passengers (e.g., “souls on board”), aircraft 1000 weight, anticipated weather conditions, additional backup power requirements, and the like. The battery replacement controller 86 may apply the flight plan information to one or more databases or look-up tables (e.g., stored in the memory 172) to identify the energy storage prerequisite for the immediately subsequent flight or series of flights of the aircraft 1000. Identifying the energy storage prerequisite may additionally include applying a safety margin to the energy storage prerequisite to account for additional, unplanned energy demand for the battery packs 68.
Step 704 may optionally be performed to identify a current state of charge (SoC) for the battery packs 68 installed in the battery assembly 24. For example, the controller 26 may identify a SoC for each of the battery packs 68 installed in the battery assembly 24 and provide the SoC for each of the battery packs to the battery replacement controller 86. Identifying the current SoC for the battery packs 68 installed in the battery assembly 24 may include identifying a SoC hierarchy for the battery packs 68. For example, the controller 26 and/or the battery replacement controller 86 may identify the one of the battery packs 68 having the lowest SoC, the one of the battery packs 68 having the second lowest SoC, etc., such that all of the battery packs 68 are classified in order of their relative SoC.
Step 706 includes identifying a battery pack 68 loadout plan for the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24. The battery replacement controller 86 may identify the battery pack 68 loadout plan for the aircraft 1000 using the identified energy storage prerequisite (see Step 702), the identified current SoC for the battery packs 68 installed in the battery assembly 24, the battery packs 68 stored in the battery storage assembly 82 (e.g., via the connection interface 106), and/or the battery packs 68 stored outside the battery storage assembly 82 but otherwise stored and/or maintained by the battery replacement system 74 (e.g., on a separate vehicle 76, fixed battery pack storage assembly, etc.). The battery pack 68 loadout plan includes the specific battery packs 68 which will be installed on the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24 in preparation for the immediately subsequent flight or series of flights of the aircraft 1000 to satisfy the identified energy storage prerequisite. The specific battery packs 68 identified in the battery pack 68 loadout plan may include battery packs 68 currently installed on the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24, battery packs 68 stored in the battery storage assembly 82, battery packs 68 stored outside the battery storage assembly 82 but otherwise stored and/or maintained by the battery replacement system 74, and/or combinations thereof. The battery replacement controller 86 selects the specific battery packs 68 of the battery pack 68 loadout plan such that the total SoC of the battery packs 68 identified by the battery pack 68 loadout plan is greater than or equal to the identified energy storage prerequisite. Of course, in some cases, the battery replacement controller 86 may identify that the battery packs 68 currently installed on the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24 have a sufficient combined SoC for the immediately subsequent flight or series of flights of the aircraft 1000. In this case, the vehicle 76 may take no further action to control the battery pack 68 loadout for the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24.
The battery replacement controller 86 may identify the battery pack 68 loadout plan using the SoC hierarchy to minimize a number of battery pack 68 replacements which may be performed to execute the battery pack 68 loadout plan. For example, the battery pack 68 loadout plan may include instructions for replacing the lowest SoC battery pack 68 installed on the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24 with another of the battery packs 68 stored in the battery storage assembly 82, which another of the battery packs 68 may be fully or substantially fully charged or may have a SoC which is greater than the lowest SoC battery pack 68.
The battery replacement controller 86 may identify the battery pack 68 loadout plan to include a quantity of the battery packs 68 which is less than a capacity of the battery packs 68 (e.g., a maximum quantity of installed battery packs 68) provided by the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24. For example, the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24 may have a capacity for five battery packs 68 and the battery replacement controller 86 may identify the battery pack 68 loadout plan to include four battery packs 68 which satisfy the identified energy storage prerequisite. By minimizing the number of the battery packs 68 which will be installed in accordance with the identify battery pack 68 loadout plan, the battery replacement controller 86 may facilitate a reduction in aircraft 1000 weight and, thereby, improve efficiency of the aircraft 1000.
Step 708 includes controlling the battery pack 68 loadout for the aircraft 1000 in accordance with the identified battery pack 68 loadout plan (see Step 706). The battery replacement controller 86 may control components of the vehicle 76 to remove one or more of the battery packs 68 current installed on the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24 and/or to install one or more of the battery packs 68 stored by the battery storage assembly 82 into the aircraft 1000 and its battery assembly 24.
Step 710 may optionally be performed to charge one or more of the battery packs 68 stored by the battery storage assembly 82. For example, the battery replacement controller 86 may control the vehicle 76 to move to a location of a battery charging station and position (e.g., electrically connect) the battery packs 68 stored in the battery storage assembly 82 to be directly charged by the battery charging station or indirectly through an electrical connection between the vehicle 76 (e.g., the battery storage assembly 82) and the connection interface 106 (e.g., the electrical connection terminals 122). In some embodiments, the vehicle 76 may be configured to charge the battery packs 68 using energy stored by the vehicle battery 88. Alternatively, the vehicle 76 may be connected to the battery charging station to charge the vehicle battery 88 and the vehicle 76 may additionally charge the battery packs 68 using electrical power from the battery charging station.
While the principles of the disclosure have been described above in connection with specific apparatuses and methods, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as limitation on the scope of the disclosure. Specific details are given in the above description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it is understood that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.
It is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a block diagram, etc. Although any one of these structures may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc.
The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to one or more than one, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term “comprising a specimen” includes single or plural specimens and is considered equivalent to the phrase “comprising at least one specimen.” The term “or” refers to a single element of stated alternative elements or a combination of two or more elements unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “comprises” means “includes.” Thus, “comprising A or B,” means “including A or B, or A and B,” without excluding additional elements.
It is noted that various connections are set forth between elements in the present description and drawings (the contents of which are included in this disclosure by way of reference). It is noted that these connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect and that this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Any reference to attached, fixed, connected, or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option.
No element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112 (f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the disclosures may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts, and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present application. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts, and features of the disclosures—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devices, and components, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts, or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present application even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. For example, in the exemplary embodiments described above within the Detailed Description portion of the present specification, elements may be described as individual units and shown as independent of one another to facilitate the description. In alternative embodiments, such elements may be configured as combined elements.
