Aviation Systems Design

Frederic ABADIE
frederic.abadie@gmail.com

General Principles
Basic functions, Electrical Sources
Electrical Power Line architecture

Electrical Generation
Engine driven generators

Ram Air Turbine

External Ground Cart

Electrical Distribution
Power Distribution Centre Components :
Circuit Breakers : C/B, RCCB, SSPC Transformers

More Electric Aircraft

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 2

General Principles
Basic functions, Electrical Sources
Electrical Power Line architecture

Electrical Generation
Engine driven generators

Ram Air Turbine

External Ground Cart

Electrical Distribution
Power Distribution Centre Components :
Circuit Breakers : C/B, RCCB, SSPC Transformers

More Electric Aircraft

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 3

Basic functions of Electrical System :

Generate electrical power required by Aircraft electrical loads, insuring

power quality in all aircraft configurations Distribute electrical power to the consumers Provide information to the crew (status & alerts, maintenance info...)

Aircraft electrical sources

AC : Alternative Current DC : Direct Current

Flight / Ground Engine electrical generator

Flight / Ground Flight Ground
2012-2013

Alternative (AC)
Alternative (AC) Alternative (AC) Continuous (DC) Alternative (AC)
4

Auxiliary Power Unit electrical generator Ram Air Turbine External Ground Cart

Flight / Ground Batteries

Aviation Systems Design

Architecture : Electrical Power Line

AC Generator

DC busbar 28 VDC

DC Power Contactor AC Circuit Breaker AC busbar 115 or 230 VAC 400 Hz or VF Transformer Rectifier Unit

AC Power Contactor

AC Network can be: 115VAC or 230 VAC Fixed Frequency (400 Hz ) or Variable Freq
2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 5

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

Segregated Power lines

Normal Circuit
- Feeding all consumers - Powered from :
Engines APU

Essential Circuit
- Feeding essential A/C functions
Flight Controls Main pumps : Fuel, Hydraulics Cabin pressurisation...

- Powered from :
Engines APU RAT Batteries
2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 7

General Principles
Basic functions, Electrical Sources
Electrical Power Line architecture

Electrical Generation
Engine driven generators

Ram Air Turbine

External Ground Cart

Electrical Distribution
Power Distribution Centre Components :
Circuit Breakers : C/B, RCCB, SSPC Transformers

More Electric Aircraft

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 8

 1st Generation : Integrated Drive Generator (IDG)

AC generator driven by the engine through the gearbox (variable speed ~ 4 500 / 9 000 rpm)
Equipped with Constant Speed Drive (CSD) to regulate rotation speed to constant value Usual rating : 70 kVA to 150 kVA Characteristics : 115 VAC , 400Hz ; 3-phases

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

 New generation : Variable Frequency Generator (VFG)

AC generator driven by the engine through the gearbox (variable speed ~ 4 500 / 9 000 rpm)
Frequency : 400Hz < f < 800 Hz Usual rating : 90 kVA to 250 kVA Characteristics : 115 VAC to 230 VAC ; 3-phases

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

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 Electrical Regulation
Point Of Regulation (P.O.R.) : Quality of electrical generation must be measured at consumer busbar
Power Contactor P.O.R. towards Generator Control Unit

Feeders

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

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 APU Generator
AC generator driven by the APU (running at constant speed)
Constant Frequency : 400Hz Usual rating : 90 kVA to 250 kVA 115 VAC to 230 VAC ; 3-phases

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

12

 Ram Air Turbine

Emergency power source, automatically
deployed when all others Electrical Generators are lost

Operative above a given air speed (~100 knots)

Provides Electric and/or Hydraulic power Typical rating : 50 to 150 kVA Constant Frequency (~ constant speed) 115 VAC to 230 VAC ; 3-phases
2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 13

 External Ground Cart (Ground Power Unit)

AC generator : 115 VAC , 400Hz +/- 5Hz , 3-phases
Typical power : 90 kVA per A/C plug

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

14

General Principles
Basic functions, Electrical Sources
Electrical Power Line architecture

Electrical Generation
Engine driven generators

Ram Air Turbine

External Ground Cart

Electrical Distribution
Power Distribution Centre Components :
Circuit Breakers : C/B, RCCB, SSPC Transformers

More Electric Aircraft

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 15

Power Distribution Centre

Cabinet including :
Energy distribution busbars : Low impedance copper or aluminium bars for consumers connection Power source switching devices (contactors, relays) Aircraft harness protections (Circuit Breakers)

Power Distribution Centre

AC busbar 115 or 230 VAC 400 Hz or VF

DC busbar 28 VDC

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

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Circuit Breakers (C/B)

Protective devices for electrical harnesses and equipments
3-phase C/B 50 A Single phase C/B 3A

C/B characteristics :
3-phase (115/230VAC) or single phase (115VAC / 28VDC)

Max current rating

Tripping time (~10s ms) Monitored or not FCOM (Flight Crew Operating Manual) extract : In flight, Airbus does not authorise a pilot to reengage a C/B which tripped by itself, unless the Captain, using his/her emergency authority, judges it necessary for safe continuation of the flight. In this emergency case, only one reengagement should be attempted.
C/B panel
2012-2013

On the ground, the pilot may reengage the C/B provided the action is coordinated with the maintenance team and the cause of the C/B tripping is identified Aviation Systems Design 17

Remote Controlled Circuit Breakers (RCCB)

Same tripping principle as classic C/B (thermal)
Remotely piloted in Open / Closed position

through low power relay

RCCB allow to :
Monitor CBs in remote areas (out of the cockpit) Centrally drive CB position through dedicated HMI in the cockpit
2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 18

Circuit Breakers Monitoring

Manual C/B (if monitored) and Remote Controlled C/B position can be displayed to cockpit crew through Engine & Warning Display

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

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Solid State Power Controllers (SSPC)

SSPC modules are semiconductor-based devices (FETs), integrated in

Power Distribution Centre electronic cards. They are both :

Protection devices for aircraft wiring against overload (=Circuit Breaker)

Power supply switches for technical operation and load management (=Relay)

Main advantages:
~3 times lighter than C/B technology at equivalent switching power Faster switching (~1 ms) Programmable trip threshold I(t) Enhanced monitoring (status, voltages, currents, temperatures)

No mechanical noise
2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 20

Transformer / Rectifiers Units (TRUs)

Transformers allow to convert Alternative electrical power (Alternative

Current) into Continuous electrical power (Direct Current = DC) TR efficiency typically between 80% and 90% Basic principle :

Specific TRUs can be reversible and usable as static inverters

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 21

General Principles
Basic functions, Electrical Sources
Electrical Power Line architecture

Electrical Generation
Engine driven generators

Ram Air Turbine

External Ground Cart

Electrical Distribution
Power Distribution Centre Components :
Circuit Breakers : C/B, RCCB, SSPC Transformers

More Electric Aircraft

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 22

Electrical vs Hydraulics ?
Weight reduction
Enhanced maintenance capability and lower maintenance cost Low emissions, low noise

A trend for the whole aviation industry...

Fly-by-wire is a standard since 30 years, but progress keeps on :
Affected Systems : brakes, engine starter, thrust reversers, movable actuators, pumps

AIRBUS A380 and A350 from 3H / 2E to 2H / 2E

BOEING B787 3H / 2E but no Bleed

And others companies ...

2012-2013 Aviation Systems Design 23

New trends towards More Electric Aircraft :

Fuel cells :
Flight tested since end of the 1960s (NASA) Power rating ~100s kW per stack Pros : Emission-free
ENFICA FC Rapid 200 Airbus Italy, 2010

Cons :

H is highly flammable Production uneasy Storage uneasy

BOEING 2008

Harvesting technology
Usable for low power devices Not industrial-level yet

2012-2013

Aviation Systems Design

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Questions ?