TheMoreElectricAircraft

WhyAerospaceNeedsPowerElectronics

ProfPatWheeler
UniversityofNottingham,Nottingham,UK

Tel.+44(0)1159515591Email.Pat.wheeler@Nottingham.ac.uk
Tel.+44(0)1159515591Email.Pat.wheeler@Nottingham.ac.uk
 Introduction

l TheMoreElectricAircraftastepinthedirection
astepinthedirection
ofamoreenergyefficientaircraft
ofamoreenergyefficientaircraft
TheMoreElectricAircraftconcept
TheMoreElectricAircraftconcept
HistoryofmoreelectricalsystemsinCivilAircraft
HistoryofmoreelectricalsystemsinCivilAircraft
Motivationsandsystems

l RegenerationontotheAircraftPowerSystem
RegenerationontotheAircraftPowerSystem
Powerconvertersandactuationsystems
Benefitsandissues
Potentialsolutions
Simulationresults

l Thenextsteps
TheCleanSkyJTIproject
 PowerSources
ConventionalAircraft

JetFuel

Propulsion
Thrust( 40MW)

Highpressure Fuelpumps
Gearboxdriven airbledfrom Gearboxdriven andoilpumps
generators engine hydraulicpump onengine
Electrical Pneumatic Hydraulic Mechanical
200kW 1.2MW 240kW 100kW

Totalnonthrustpower
thrustpower 1.7MW
 PowerSources
ConventionalAircraft
ConventionalAircraft

Electrical
Avionics
Cabin(lights,galley,inflightentertainmentetc)
flightentertainmentetc)
Lights,pumps,fans
115V,400HzAC

Pneumatic
Cabinpressurisation
Airconditioning
Icingprotection

Hydraulic
Flightcontrolsurfaceactuation
Landinggearextension/retractionandsteering
Braking
Doors

Mechanical
Fuelandoilpumpslocaltoengine
 MoreElectricAircraft
Concept

Rationalisationof JetFuel
powersourcesand
networks
Propulsion
Bleedlessengine
Thrust( 40MW)

Enginedriven
generators
Expandedelectricalnetwork

Existingelectrical ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL

loads Cabinpressurisation Flightcontrolactuation Fuelpumping
Airconditioning Landinggear/Braking EngineAncillaries
Icingprotection Doors

Newelectricalloads

Electricalsystempower 1MW
Electricalsystempower
 MoreElectricAircraft
SomeMotivations

l Removalofhydraulicsystem
reducedsystemweight
easemaintenance
l Bleedlessengine
improvedefficiency
l Desirablecharacteristicsofelectricalsystems
Desirablecharacteristicsofelectricalsystems
controllability
powerondemand
reconfigurability
maintainfunctionalityduringfaults
maintainfunctionalityduringfaults
advanceddiagnosticsandprognostics
advanceddiagnosticsandprognostics
moreintelligentmaintenance
increasedaircraftavailability

l OVERALL
Reducedoperatingcosts
Reducedfuelburn
Reducedenvironmentalimpact
 MoreElectricAircraft

l AirbusA380
4x150kVAWidebandVFonturbofanengines
FlightControlPower2H+2E
ActuatorConfiguration
CombinationofHydraulicandElectricalActuation
CombinationofHydraulicandElectricalActuation
 MoreElectricAircraft

l VickersVC10
ElectricalSystem4x40kVAGenerators
4x40kVAGenerators
FlightControlPower2H+2E
ActuatorConfiguration
CombinationofHydraulicandElectricalActuation
Built50YearsbeforetheAirbusA380
Built50YearsbeforetheAirbusA380
 MoreElectricAircraft

l Boeing787
4x250kVAPrimaryChannelStarterGenerators
500kVAperchannel
230VACVFPrimaryPowerGeneration
ElectricalStarter/Generatorsratedat250/225kVA
ElectricECS,pressurisationandwingantiIcing
ElectricECS,pressurisationandwinganti
Removesneedforbleedairfromengines
Removesneedforbleedairfromengines

225kVA 225kVA
S/G6 S/G5

250kVA 250kVA 250kVA 250kVA

S/G4 S/G3 S/G2 S/G1

230VAC 230VAC 230VAC

3Phase 3Phase 3Phase
VF VF VF

ElectricalPowerDistributionSystem

230VAC 115VAC
28VDC
3Phase 3Phase
Loads
Loads Loads
 MoreElectricAircraft

l JointStrikeFighter
270VDCPowerSystem
Electricactuationsystems
80kW,2channel,switchedreluctancegenerator
80kW,2channel,switchedreluctancegenerator
Reducescost,sizeandweightofwholeaircraft
Reducescost,sizeandweightofwholeaircraft
ReliesonPowerConversiontechnologies
ReliesonPowerConversiontechnologies
Harshenvironment
Efficiency
Reliability
 MoreElectricAircraft

APossibleMEADCPowerSystemLayout
APossibleMEADCPowerSystemLayout
Source:VirginiaPolytechnic
 TypicalPowerLevels
forElectricalLoads

PowerUser Comments TypicalPower

level
AirConditioning ECS 4x70kW+
FlightControls Primaryandsecondary 3kWto40kW
oftenshort
durationathigh
loads
Fuelpumps about10kW
WingIceProtection Thermalmatsorsimilar 250kW+
LandingGear Retraction,steeringandbraking 25kWto70kW
shortduration
Enginestarting Maybeusedforadditional 200kW+short
applications duration
 ACPowerGeneration

l MechanicalConstantFrequencyGen.[traditional]
MechanicalConstantFrequencyGen.[traditional]

Constant
Variablespeed ConstantSpeed SpeedShaft
MechanicalDrive Generator 3phase
EngineShaft 400Hz,115V
[Gearbox]

Mechanicalgearboxcreatesaconstantspeedshaftfroma
variablespeedinput
ConstantspeedshaftdrivestheGenerator
Voltagecontrolusedforthegenerator
Voltagecontrolusedforthegenerator
400Hzvoltagesupplyfixedfrequency
fixedfrequency
Expensivetopurchaseandmaintain
Singlesourceduetopatents
Singlesourceduetopatents
 ACPowerGeneration

l VariableFrequencyGeneration[newaircraft]
VariableFrequencyGeneration[newaircraft]

Variablespeed 3phase
EngineShaft
Generator 320Hzto800Hz
230Vor115V

Generatorprovidesvariablefrequencysupply
Voltagecontrolaroundgenerator
Voltagecontrolaroundgenerator
Directconnectionbetweengeneratorandpowerbus
Simpleandreliablegeneration
Simpleandreliablegeneration
Nearlyallaircraftloadswillrequirepowerconverters
forcontrol
GoodNewsforPowerElectronicsEngineers!
GoodNewsforPowerElectronicsEngineers!
 ActuationSystems
ActuationSystems

ExampleofanActuationSystem
Eliminationofhydraulics
ElectroMechanicalActuator
30kWmatrixconverter
integratedwithballscrewhousing/heatsink
integratedwithballscrewhousing/heatsink

Holisticdesignofmotor/load/powerconverter
Maximisesystemefficiency
Minimisesystemweight

Advancedthermalmanagement
Copeswithintermittentoperation
Voltage
transducers Filter

Supply LEMs
LVDT
PM Resolver
360Hzto Matrix Actuator
Motor
800Hz Converter

Supply MotorCurrent MotorSpeed

Voltage 12.5kHzsamplingrate 1.25kHzsamplingrate
200HzBandwidth 20Hzbandwidth

Control

RamPosition
250Hzsamplingrate
2Hzbandwidth
RamPositionDemand
 Regeneration:Converters

3Phase
Supply 3phase
supply

Energydissipation
intheDCLink
3Phase
Load
Bi
directional
TraditionalSolution: switch

DClinkchopperandresistorinDClinkused Load

todumpregenerativeenergy
Lowerssystemefficiencyandincreasesize
andweightofequipment
MeasureDClinkvoltageandoperate
chopperwhenDClinkvoltageaboveaset
level
Resistorandassociatedcoolingcandouble
volumeandweightofthepowerconverter
LongTermSolution:
Allowregenerationontoaircraftpower
system
UseaDirect[Matrix]Converterora
controlledrectifier
Energyreturnedtosupplygivingasmaller,
lighterpowerconverter
MotorSpeedReversal

PhaseAcurrent

PhaseBcurrent

PhaseCcurrent

Motorshaftspeed(rpm)

qaxiscurrent

Torque(Nm)
MotorSpeedReversal

REGENERATION

PhaseAcurrent

PhaseBcurrent

PhaseCcurrent

Motorshaftspeed(rpm)

qaxiscurrent

Torque(Nm)
 OptionsforRegenerative
EnergyManagement

l Regenerationwillsaveconsiderableweightandvolume
Regenerationwillsaveconsiderableweightandvolume
Regenerativeenergymustbehandledcorrectlytomaintain
PowerQuality

l Eightmethodshavebeenidentifiedforsafe
electricalregenerativeenergymanagement
electricalregenerativeenergymanagement
CentralisedEnergyStorage
CentralisedEnergyDissipation
LocalVoltageControl
ReturnEnergytoSource
SeparateBusforRegenerativeEnergy
SeparateBusforRegenerativeEnergy
LocalEnergyDissipation
LocalEnergyStorage
HybridStructureswithLocalDissipation
HybridStructureswithLocalDissipation
 OptionsforRegenerative
EnergyManagement

LocalEnergyDissipationexistingsolution
LocalEnergyDissipation
Control Recovery Advantages Disadvantages

Localtoload No Existingsolution Sizeandweightof

equipment,sub
optimumsystemdesign

Control Converters
Bus

Generator Regenerative
Loads
donotallowregenerationontothe
aircraftbus
ensurethateachitemofequipmenthas
ensurethateachitemofequipmenthas
energydissipationifrequired
todayssolution EnergyDissipation
eg.Resistorwithbreak
chopper
 OptionsforRegenerative
EnergyManagement

ReturnEnergytoSource
Control Recovery Advantages Disadvantages

Centralised Yes Nolargeadditional Possiblechangeto

hardware existinggenerator
controlmethods

Enhanced
Control
Converters
Bus

Generator Regenerative
Loads
allowregenerationontotheaircraftbus
usethegeneratorasamotorifrequired
theregenerativepowerwouldbereturnedtotheengineinertia
onlypossibleifthereisnoauxiliarygearbox
onlypossibleifthereisnoauxiliarygearbox
 ImpactofRegeneration

ModellingstudyperformedinSABER
Suddenchangeoftotalactuatorpowerfrom
40kWmotoringto55kWregeneration
Simulationforgivenforafullypreloaded GeneratorTorque
generator reduces

voltagesatHVACBus230VandatACBus115V
arekeptwithintheenvelopesaccordingtoMIL
arekeptwithintheenvelopesaccordingtoMIL
STD704F

MIL_STD704Fenvelope
fortransients
 Conclusions

PowerElectronicscanofferadvantagesinaerospace
applications
Systemefficiency,
Sizeandweight
Flexibility

TherearechallengesforPowerElectronicsinthis
TherearechallengesforPowerElectronicsinthis
environment
Losses
Reliability
Integration

Futureprojectswilltaketheseareaforward
Futureprojectswilltaketheseareaforward
 CleanSkyJTI

l Totalprojectbudget1.6B
Duration7years
l CleanSkyJTIworkissplitintosix
ITDs
l Ledby12companies[Members]
Thales,Liebherr,Airbus,Dassualt,Alenia,
SAAB,RollsRoyce,Safran,EADS,.
l EachITDthenhas5or6other
organisations[AssociateMembers]
l 25%offundingreservedforCalls
forProposals
Seewww.cleansky.eunowforfirstcall
andgetinvolved

l TheUniversityofNottinghamisan
Associatemember
SystemsforGreenOperationsITD
WearetheonlyUniversitywhichisan
AssociateMemberinourownright
Budgetofabout10M