Patent ID: 7622817

Claim:
A system for generating supplemental electrical power from the low-pressure (LP) turbine spool of a turbofan engine, the system comprising: a generator portion for generating electrical power, a gearbox for driving the generator portion, a controller portion for controlling an output of the generator; and a power converter for converting generator power to power a load; the LP turbine spool being mechanically coupled to the generator portion by the gearbox for driving the generator portion; and the controller portion in electrical communication with a speed sensing element for sensing a speed of the LP turbine spool; wherein during operation of the engine, the controller portion electronically disables the power converter in response to the speed of the generator portion exceeding a predetermined speed, and enables the power converter when the speed of the generator portion does not exceed the predetermined speed, such that the effective load on the generator portion is reduced to approximately zero when the LP turbine spool exceeds the predetermined speed.