Patent ID: 11939073
Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 8:
9. A system comprising:
an electric motor;
a thermal engine connected to the electric motor as a hybrid-electric power plant in an aircraft; and
an engine control unit (ECU) connected to set a start speed for the thermal engine based on ambient conditions, use the electric motor to start the thermal engine by bringing the thermal engine to the start speed, and limit a torque output of the electric motor during starting of the thermal engine to prevent mechanical failure when mechanical rotation of the electric motor is hindered, wherein:
the electric motor is connected to a combining gear box;
the thermal engine is connected to the combining gear box so that the electric motor and the thermal engine can provide torque to the combining gear box in a parallel hybrid-electric configuration,
the ECU is configured for flying the aircraft through a mission of take-off, climb, cruise, and landing without using the electric motor as a generator, and after using the electric motor to start the thermal engine:
powering the aircraft with the hybrid-electric power plant with combined power from the electric motor and the thermal engine driving the combining gear box through take-off; and
powering the aircraft with the hybrid-electric power plant with combined power from the electric motor and the thermal engine driving the combining gear box while climbing to cruise altitude.