Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, at least one charger contactor, a first control channel, and a second control channel. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings. The at least one charger contactor includes a first gate and a second gate. The at least one charger contactor is operable to a closed position with a first control signal present at the first gate and a second control signal present at the second gate. The at least one charger contactor is operable to an open position with one or both of the first control signal absent at the first gate or the second control signal absent at the second gate. The first control channel is operable to selectively apply the first control signal to the first gate. The second control channel is operable to selectively apply the second control signal to the second gate.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, an electrical distribution system, a ground-based charger, and an engine controller. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings each including a plurality of battery cells. The electrical distribution system includes a battery string switch assembly operable to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of battery strings together in parallel. The ground-based charger is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system. The ground-based charger includes a charger controller including a simple electronic hardware (SEH) system. The engine controller is connected in signal communication with the SEH system. The engine controller is configured to determine a battery charging profile specific to the battery and charge the battery by controlling the ground-based charger, through the SEH system, to supply electrical power to the electrical distribution system at a set voltage and a set current defined by the battery charging profile.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, a battery management system, and an engine controller. The battery management system includes a plurality of first battery temperature sensors, at least one second battery temperature sensor, and a single-channel battery management system (BMS) controller. The single-channel BMS controller includes a BMS control channel connected in signal communication with the plurality of first temperature sensors. The engine controller includes a first engine control channel and a second engine control channel. The first engine control channel is connected in signal communication with the BMS control channel to form a first control lane. The second engine control channel is connected in signal communication with the at least one second battery temperature sensor to form a second control lane.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, an electrical distribution system, a charger, and a battery management system. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings including a first battery string. Each of the plurality of battery strings includes a plurality of battery cells. The battery management system includes a battery sensor assembly and a battery management system (BMS) controller. The battery sensor assembly includes a plurality of battery cell voltage sensors. The BMS controller is configured to control the charger to charge the battery, including at least the first battery string, by executing a battery charging profile including a target charging voltage, measure a cell voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells of the first battery string, and identify correlation or non-correlation of a charging voltage applied by the charger with the target charging voltage.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, an electrical distribution system, and a ground-based charger. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings. Each of the plurality of battery strings includes a plurality of battery cells. The electrical distribution system includes a battery string switch assembly. The battery string switch assembly is operable to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of battery strings together in parallel. The ground-based charger is electrically connected to the electrical distribution system. The ground-based charger includes a charger controller. The charger controller is configured to determine a battery charging profile specific to the battery and charge the battery by supplying electrical power to the electrical distribution system at a set voltage and a set current defined by the battery charging profile.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, an electrical distribution system, a ground-based charger, and a battery management system. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings each including a plurality of battery cells. The electrical distribution system includes a battery string switch assembly operable to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of battery strings together in parallel. The ground-based charger includes a charger controller including a simple electronic hardware (SEH) system. The battery management system includes a battery management system (BMS) controller connected in signal communication with the SEH system. The BMS controller is configured to determine a battery charging profile specific to the battery and charge the battery by controlling the ground-based charger, through the SEH system, to supply electrical power to the electrical distribution system at a set voltage and a set current defined by the battery charging profile.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a battery, an electrical distribution system, a first control channel, and a second control channel. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings. The electrical distribution system includes at least one string contactor for each of the plurality of battery strings. The at least one string contactor includes a first gate connected to the first control channel and a second gate connected to the second control channel. The at least one string contactor is operable to a closed position with a first control signal present at the first gate and a second control signal present at the second gate. The at least one string contactor is operable to an open position with one or both of the first control signal absent at the first gate or the second control signal absent at the second gate.

Abstract: A method of operation is provided during which a pre-charge switch is closed to electrically couple a power supply to a motor controller through a pre-charge supply circuit, where a main switch is open. An electrical parameter of electricity directed through the pre-charge supply circuit is measured when the pre-charge switch is closed and the main switch is open. The main switch is closed to electrically couple the power supply to the motor controller through the main supply circuit when the electrical parameter is equal to or passes a threshold.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a battery, a plurality of temperature sensors, and a controller. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of temperature sensors includes a plurality of first temperature sensors and at least one second temperature sensor. Each temperature sensor of the plurality of first temperature sensors is disposed at a respective battery cell of the plurality of battery cells. The at least one second temperature sensor is disposed at the plurality of battery cells. The controller includes a first control channel and a second control channel. The first control channel is configured to monitor a T1 temperature of each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells measured using the plurality of first temperature sensors. The second control channel is configured to monitor at least one T2 temperature of the plurality of battery cells measured using the at least one second temperature sensor.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a battery, a plurality of temperature sensors, and a controller. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells. Each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is disposed at a respective battery cell of the plurality of battery cells. The controller includes a first control channel. The first control channel is configured to monitor a temperature of each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells measured, execute a model trained to identify a faulted condition or an unfaulted condition of each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors using one or more operating parameters of the propulsion system, and identify the faulted condition or the unfaulted condition of a first temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors using the model to determine an expected temperature range for the first temperature sensor based on the one or more operating parameters.

Abstract: An electric assembly for an aircraft is provided that includes a battery string, a switch, a battery charging system, and a charge monitoring device. The battery string includes a plurality of battery modules and a contactor. The plurality of battery modules are electrically connected in series. The contactor is disposable in an open configuration or a closed configuration. The battery charging system is in communication with the battery string, and configured to perform a charging operation of the battery string. The charge monitoring device includes a processor and non-transitory memory. The non-transitory memory stores instructions executable by the processor, causing the processor to determine a charging parameter of the contactor, identify the presence of a fault condition for the contactor, and signal the switch to actuate the contactor to the open configuration. The presence of the fault condition indicates the charging parameter exceeds the fault condition threshold.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a battery, a plurality of temperature sensors, and a controller. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells. Each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is disposed at a respective battery cell of the plurality of battery cells. The controller includes a first control channel and a second control channel. The first control channel is connected in signal communication with the plurality of temperature sensors. The second control channel is connected in signal communication with the plurality of temperature sensors. Each of the first control channel and the second control channel is configured to monitor a temperature of each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells measured using the plurality of temperature sensors.

Abstract: A method of operation is provided during which an electric motor of an aircraft is powered using a power supply. The power supply includes a plurality of power strings electrically coupled in parallel. The powering includes: outputting string electricity from each of the power strings; and outputting supply electricity from the power supply. A plurality of string parameters are measured using a sensor system. Each of the string parameters is indicative of an electrical parameter of the string electricity from a respective one of the power strings. The string parameters are added together to provide a total string parameter. A supply parameter is measured using the sensor system indicative of the electrical parameter of the supply electricity. Operability of the sensor system is evaluated based on the total string parameter and the supply parameter.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, an electrical assembly, and a protection circuit. The engine is coupled with the propulsor. The electrical assembly includes a battery, a motor control unit, an electric motor, and an electrical distribution system. The electrical distribution system is configured to electrically interconnect the battery and the motor control unit. The electrical distribution system includes a contactor between the battery and the motor control unit. The motor control unit is electrically connected with the electric motor. The electric motor is coupled with the propulsor. The protection circuit includes a current sensor configured to measure an electrical current between the battery and the motor control unit. The protection circuit is operable to identify a reverse current flow using the measured electrical current and transmit a protection open control signal to the contactor to control the contactor to switch to an open state.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft includes a power system and a monitoring system. The power system includes an electric power source, an electric motor and a motor controller electrically coupled between the electric power source and the electric motor. The motor controller is configured to regulate a flow of electricity from the electric power source to the electric motor. The electric motor is configured to drive rotation of a rotating component. The monitoring system is configured to determine an electric power output parameter, a mechanical power output parameter and an efficiency parameter based on the electric power output parameter and the mechanical power output parameter. The electric power output parameter is indicative of an electric power drawn by the electric motor through the motor controller from the electric power source. The mechanical power output parameter is indicative of a mechanical power received by the rotating component from the electric motor.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes an electrical assembly and a controller. The electrical assembly includes at least one contactor and a sensor assembly. The at least one contactor is switchable by a switching operation between an open condition and a closed condition. The controller is connected in signal communication with the sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine, using the sensor assembly, an electrical energy of the at least one contactor for each switching operation of the at least one contactor to determine a cumulative electrical energy for the at least one contactor and identify a presence or an absence of an end-of-life condition for the at least one contactor by comparing the cumulative electrical energy to an end-of-life energy threshold. The presence of the end-of-life condition is identified where the cumulative electric energy exceeds the end-of-life energy threshold.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, an electrical assembly, and an emergency energy protection assembly. The engine includes a fuel system. The fuel system includes a fuel control unit. The electrical assembly includes a battery, a motor control unit, an electric motor, and an electrical distribution system. The electrical distribution system includes at least one contactor electrically connected between the battery and the motor control unit. The at least one contactor is switchable between a closed state and an open state. The engine and the electric motor are coupled with the propulsor. The emergency energy protection assembly includes an emergency actuator. The emergency actuator is actuable in an actuated state to control the at least one contactor to switch to the open state, control the motor control unit to deenergize the electric motor, and control the fuel control unit to stop fuel flow for the engine.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft includes an aircraft electrical distribution bus, a battery, and a control system. The battery includes a plurality of battery strings. Each battery string includes a string contactor. The control system is in signal communication with the string contactor of each battery string. The control system is configured to control a position of the string contactor of each battery string in a closed string position or an open string position. The control system is configured to: detect a fault in a faulted first battery string of the plurality of battery strings and position the string contactor of the faulted first battery string in the open string position, in response to the detected fault in the faulted first battery string and maintain the string contactor of at least one unfaulted second battery string of the plurality of battery strings in the closed string position.

Abstract: A method of operation is provided during which an electric motor of an aircraft is powered using a power supply. The power supply includes a plurality of power strings electrically coupled in parallel. The powering includes: outputting string electricity from each of the power strings; and outputting supply electricity from the power supply. A plurality of string parameters are measured using a sensor system. Each of the string parameters is indicative of an electrical parameter of the string electricity from a respective one of the power strings. The string parameters are added together to provide a total string parameter. A supply parameter is measured using the sensor system indicative of the electrical parameter of the supply electricity. Operability of the sensor system is evaluated based on the total string parameter and the supply parameter.

Abstract: A method of operation is provided during which a pre-charge switch is closed to electrically couple a power supply to a motor controller through a pre-charge supply circuit, where a main switch is open. An electrical parameter of electricity directed through the pre-charge supply circuit is measured when the pre-charge switch is closed and the main switch is open. The main switch is closed to electrically couple the power supply to the motor controller through the main supply circuit when the electrical parameter is equal to or passes a threshold.