AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS-OVERVIEW

Electrical Systems on Aircraft have a close link with automotive electrics.

Earliest systems were DC and a voltage of 28V Dc was adopted as the standard. This was derived
from using 2 . 12 V batteries in series with 28V selected to make provision for battery charging.

Generators were developed and with time, the requirements for electric power kept growing.

With the need for communication systems using radios, there was a need for a higher voltage as the
earliest radios were vacuum tube versions needing high voltages. A voltage of 115V AC was selected
as the norm. This needed the use of an AC generator. However, the weight and size were excessive.
It was decided to use 400Hz frequency instead of the commercial 50/60 Hz used on the ground. The
higher frequency optimized the magnetic circuit significantly reducing size and weight. Further
increases in frequency would cause excessive iron losses.

It was also needed to derive a 115V AC supply from a DC in case of emergencies from a set of
batteries leading to the use of inverters. Starting from rotary inverters, the usage of solid state
inverters is the norm now.

With the growth in requirements of power, the main power generation shifted to AC. As there were
still a large number of DC loads it was necessary to obtain 28V DC from 115/200V AC power. This led
to the development of Transformer-Rectifier units.

With more sophistication of aircraft the requirements for electrical power grew and the ‘ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE’ became more complex. It is necessary to arrange the electrical loads
efficiently in order to cater for priorities and various failure conditions. There are a number of
busbars to which loads are connected. The AC and DC normal and emergency busses. The battery
bus, the essential bus, and so on. There should be provision for battery charging as well as power
conversions depending on load priorities. All these are automatically controlled using an elaborate
electrical load management processor.

With the advent of ‘FLY BY WIRE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS’ it was necessary to provide the
mandated level of redundancy including the power sources. This needs independent sources of
power for managing the various lanes of the flight control computer.

The certification requirements need a proof that the loads can be met under all conditions by the
generating capacity. An electrical load analysis is carried out which needs to be updated whenever
there is a change in the electrical system. The advisory circular on method of carrying out the load
analysis is ….AC 21-38 v2.0

Power generation systems have advanced overcoming the problems of ‘brush wear’ due to altitude
and environmental conditions using brushless machines. Optimisation of weight through
development of materials has also happened. There has been experimentation with different DC
voltages. Hitherto, the generator was driven by the engine through a gearbox housing other
accessories such as hydraulic and fuel pumps and other items. With increasing demand for electric
power ‘shaft mounted generators’ are also being examined. The implication is that the generator
design gets integrated with the engine design and is no longer an accessory supplied by another
vendor.

There is also considerable interest in development of advanced batteries and fuel cells owing to the
needs of reducing green house gas emissions through aircraft electric propulsion. There have
been several experimental aircraft flown to prove the concept. However, it is estimated that
 an all electric commercial aircraft would become reality only over the next 20-30 years
depending on the availability of advanced batteries.

Power distribution and protection has also seen many changes. Solid state switching and processor
controls has automated handling of load distribution under various conditions of flight.

There has been a major change in the handling of power distribution through harnessing and cable
bunches. Hitherto, the looms and harnesses were considered as a ‘fit and forget’ item and
meticulous inspection was carried out only during major overhaul. With a few aircraft crashes where
the cause could not be decisively established the wiring had to take the blame as it is most
vulnerable. This caused the introduction of the EWIS (ELECTRICAL WIRING INTERCONNECTION
SYSTEM) concept changing the status of the wiring to that of a system. The implication was that all
the norms applicable to any other system were also made applicable. This mandated extensive
documentation justifying selection of cabling and protection components, detailed documentation
for wiring and inspection, additional provisions for inspection of all critical junctions and rigorous
zonal inspections and a detailed hazard analysis to confirm that the routing of incompatible system
wiring could not result in a hazard.

More electric aircraft has seen the higher level of usage of electrical power for various services on

the aircraft. Development of electric actuators replacing hydraulic actuators for control surface

operations as well as landing gear and nose wheel steering applications are being carried out.

BOOKS

1. Aircraft Electrical Systems-EHJ PALLET

2. Aircraft Instruments and Integrated Systems-EHJ PALLET
3. Aircraft Systems-MOIR & SEABRIDGE