AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Aircraft Batteries – Assignment # 1

Date : 31/7/2017

1. Main function of the aircraft batteries are to start the engine and to provide power during
emergency. There are few systems being switched off during the emergency condition.
However, a few essential flight instruments system and radio communication system must be
ensured to remain functional during this emergency condition.

a. Identify 3 flight instruments systems and 2 radio communication systems that must be
ON during emergency, and briefly explain the function and operation of each system.

1. AHRS (Attitude and Heading Reference System)

 AHRS consists of sensors on three axes that provide attitude information for
aircraft, including roll, pitch and yaw.
 AHRS have proven themselves to be highly reliable and are in common use in
commercial and business aircraft. AHRS are typically integrated with electronic
flight instrument systems (EFIS) which are the central part of so-called glass
cockpits, to form the primary flight display.

2. ADC (Air Data Computer)

 An air data computer (ADC) is an essential avionics component found in modern
glass cockpits. This computer, rather than individual instruments, can determine
the calibrated airspeed, Mach number, altitude, and altitude trend data from an
aircraft's pitot-static system.

3. PFD (Primary Flight Display)

 A Primary Flight Display or PFD, found in an aircraft equipped with an
Electronic Flight Instrument System, is the pilot's primary reference for flight
information. The unit combines the information traditionally displayed on several
electromechanical instruments onto a single electronic display reducing pilot
workload and enhancing Situational Awareness.
4. Navigation Radio
 The method or system that a pilot uses for navigating through today's airspace
system will depend on the type of flight that will occur (VFR or IFR), which
navigation systems are installed on the aircraft, and which navigation systems are
available in a certain area.
 Eg. VOR, instrument landing system (ILS), Distance Measuring Equipment
(DME)

5. Communication Radio
 Communication System involves voice transmission and reception between aircrafts
or aircrafts and ground
 So we need a specialized system which can play an efficient role of transmitting
important data ( voice, signals) and simultaneously maintaining a good quality
transmission.

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

 2. Choose any particular type and model of aircraft or helicopter. Based on the aircraft or helicopter
manuals, such as Maintenance Manual, IPC and others extract the relevant wiring diagram or
schematic diagram showing the battery (ies) used, find out the part number, the Capacity
Rating and the location of the batteries on the helicopter. Determine type of the battery i.e a
Lead Acid or NiCad one?

B787

Aircraft information
The Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” is a twin-engine, wide-body commercial airplane. The 787 program
began in April 2004, with the 787’s first flight in December 2009.

Aircraft battery used

Lithium-ion battery

Part number
LVP65-8-402

Battery specification
 APU battery (installed in the aft E/E bay) provides power to start the APU (installed in the tail of
the airplane) during ground and flight operations. The aft E/E bay is an electrical equipment
compartment located aft of the main landing gear and beneath approximately the third set of
cabin doors. The compartment is only accessible from the ground by a door in the aft cargo
compartment and a set of doors in the airplane belly. The APU battery is located at floor level
within the aft E/E bay.
 Unique to the 787, the LVP65-8-402 battery model is also used for the 787 main battery, which
is located in the forward E/E bay. The main battery, which also has eight individual lithium-ion
cells, provides power to selected electrical/electronic equipment during ground and flight
operations for normal and failure conditions.

Table shows the specifications for the LVP65-8-402 battery and LVP65 cells.
specification battery cell

Nominal capacity (ampere-hours) 75 75

Nominal voltage (volts) 29.6 3.7
Operational voltage range (volts) 20 – 32.2 2.5 – 4.0
Weight (lbs) 61.8 6
Dimension (inch)
depth 14.2 2.0
height 8.5 7.7
width 10.9 5.2

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

  The 787 main and APU lithium-ion battery has primarily non-flammable components, but the
electrolyte in the battery cells is flammable. The eight cells are connected in series and
assembled in two rows of four cells, as shown in figure 2. Thermoplastic insulation sheets
provide electrical isolation and physical separation between each cell and between the cells and
the aluminium battery case, which is electrically grounded. Plastic upper and lower fixation trays
secure the position and orientation of the cells in the battery case, and forward and center brace
bars hold the fixation trays in place.

 In addition to the eight individual battery cells, the battery case includes two circuit boards that
comprise the battery monitoring unit (BMU); cell voltage sensing wires between battery internal
components and the BMU; a Hall effect current sensor for current monitoring; a contactor; bus
bars for the main current pathways between the cells and to the J3 connector, which connects to
the outside of the battery case; and the J1 connector, which leads outside of the battery case.14
Each cell has three internal electrode winding assemblies.

 Each winding assembly is about 30 ft long and is configured with an electrode, then a separator,
then another electrode, and then another separator. One electrode—the anode—is a copper foil
coated in a carbon active material; the other electrode—the cathode—is an aluminium foil
coated in a lithium-cobalt-oxide compound active material.

 The separator material is made of polyolefin. The three internal cell windings have been
described as flattened “jelly rolls.” The innermost (last) wrap of the sandwiched electrode layers
is the coated second-to-last wrap and ends on the second wrap. The outermost wrap, the first
wrap, is an extra layer of anode and separator. The separator extends beyond the outermost wrap
of anode and winds several more times around the exterior of the winding. Figure 3 shows the
electrode winding layout. Two layers of thermoplastic electrical insulation surround the
electrode winding assemblies. Sheets of thermoplastic insulation (held together with
thermoplastic tape) electrically isolate the stainless steel cell cases (which are not grounded)
from the windings.

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

Boeing’s requirements for the battery, as specified in a proprietary Thales/GS Yuasa report, included the
following:
 A 5-year service life under any combination of operating conditions specified within the
Thales/GS Yuasa report,
 An operating temperature range of -0.4ºF to 158ºF,
 A specific charge acceptance capability with an internal temperature between -0.4ºF to 32ºF
 A specific current capacity from a fully discharged state within 75 min at an ambient
temperature of 77ºF ± 18ºF for 30,000 flight hours and a specific current end-of-life rated
capacity or greater.

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

B787 battery location

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

B787 wiring system

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)

REFERENCE

1. http://www.ascentgroundschool.com/faa-references/instrument-flying-handbook/258-chapter-11-
emergency-operations
2. https://www.thebalance.com/how-do-pilots-navigate-282803
3. https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Aircraft_Electrical_Systems
4. https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/.../ama_Ch10.pdf
5. https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/.../ama_Ch09.pdf
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_instruments
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_navigation

Aircraft Electrical System – Assignment # 1 (JULY 2017)