AIRCRAFT DISTRIBUTION

SYSTEMS

AN OVERVIEW
 What is a bus bar?

2.5.1 General

>> BUSBARS: Low impedance conductors in junction box

or distributed panel

>> CONNECTION FROM BUSBARS: Carry-all functions

>> BUSBAR CONSTRUCTION:

• Strip of interlinked terminals (simple system)

• Thick copper strips/rods (complex system)

Exit
 INTRODUCTION
• Normally anyone of the THREE types of
BUSBAR systems are found in most of the
Aircraft.
1. Parallel bus bar systems.
2. Split bus bar systems.
3. Split parallel bus bar systems.
 Parallel bus bar systems
• Normally found on THREE engined Aircraft like
L-1011, MD-11, DC-10 and B-727.
• Here all the three engine driven generators
are paralleled once the engines are “ON”.
• Normally, a third crew member, a Flight
Engineer is located in the cockpit, whose job is
to see that generators are synchronized and
are in parallel.
 Parallel bus bar systems
• In case, an engine or a generator fails, the
loads are automatically taken care of.
• There are many electronic modules to monitor
and give warning about the status of the
generators.
 Parallel bus bar systems
Conditions for paralleling of generators:

1. Voltages must be within tolerance.

2. Frequencies must be within tolerance.
3. Phase displacement must be within
tolerance.
4. Phase rotation must be correct.
 Constant Frequency Parallel
AC System
• Advantages:
● Provides a continuity of electrical supply.
● Prolongs the generator life expectancy, since
each generator is normally run on part load.
● Readily absorbs large transient loads
 Constant Frequency Parallel
AC System (continue)
• Disadvantages:
● Expensive protection circuitry is required
since any single fault may propagate through
the complete system.
● Parallel operation does not meet the
requirements for totally independent supplies.
 Constant Frequency Parallel
AC System (continued)

generator circuit breakers (GCB) split system breaker (SSB)

 Paralleling
• Manual Paralleling is an old method of
paralleling generators. To facilitate this
method, a lamp is fitted across the main
contacts of the GCB. When both generators'
outputs are the same, the lamp will darken
and go out. When this occurs, the engineer
closes the oncoming generator's control
switch. This is known as the lamps dark
method of paralleling.
 Paralleling (continue)
• Automatic Paralleling. When using the
automatic paralleling method, the generator
switch is selected to on at any time, and once
the auto paralleling circuits sense that both
generators are ready for paralleling, the GCB
automatically closes.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continue)

• Over-Excitation (Parallel Fault) protection devices

operate whenever the excitation to the field of one of
the generator increases. This is sensed when the over-
excited generator takes more than its share of
reactive load. The fault signal has an inverse time
function that trips the BTB of the over-excited
generator. The voltage regulator or reactive load-
sharing circuit could cause this fault.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continue)
• Over-Voltage protection devices operate whenever
the system voltage exceeds 225 V. They protect the
components in the system from damage due to
excessive voltages. This protection device operates on
an inverse time function, which means that the
magnitude of voltage determines the time in which
the offending generator is de-energised by tripping
the GCR and GCB. The GCR de-energises the field, and
the GCB trips the generator off the busbar.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Under-Excitation (Parallel Fault) protection devices

operate whenever the excitation of one of the
generator fields is reduced. This is sensed when the
under-excited generator takes less than its share of
reactive load, and a fault signal causes the BTB to trip
in a fixed time (3-5 sec). This type of fault could be
caused by a fault in anyone of: 1. Reactive load
sharing circuit
2. Generator
3. Voltage regulator
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Under-Voltage protection devices operate to

prevent damage to equipment from high
currents and losses in motor loads, which may
cause over-heating and burn out. When this
device operates, it trips the GCR and GCB in a
fixed time (3-5 sec), resulting in the shut-down
of that generator.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Differential Protection devices operate in the

same way as stated in the split-busbar
generator system. They operate if any of the
following faults exist:
 A line-to-line or line to-earth fault.
 If the current flowing to the busbar is
different from the current flowing from the
generator.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Instability Protection (Parallel Fault) devices

are incorporated in the system to guard
against oscillating outputs from the generators,
which may cause sensitive equipment to
malfunction or trip Off.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Negative Sequence Voltage Protection

devices detect any line-to-line or line-to-earth
faults after the differentially protected zone
and cause all the BTBs to trip.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Overheat warning lights illuminate if a

temperature sensor fitted in the generator
senses an overheat condition. If this warning
occurs, the pilot should operate the GCR
switch, which will Cause the GCR and GCB to
trip.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Over-speed (Over Frequency) devices operate

if a fault occurs in the CSDU, which may cause
the generator to exceed its specified
frequency limits. If an over-speed condition
occurs, it causes the GCB to trip and puts the
CSDU into under-drive.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Under-speed (Under-Frequency) of the CSDU

is sensed by an oil pressure switch in the CSDU.
This causes the GCB to trip, removing the
generator from the busbar, and protecting the
loads from an under-frequency.
 Fault Protections in A Constant Frequency
AC Parallel System (continued)

• Time delays are fitted in the generator

protection system to give the normal circuit
protection devices (i.e. circuit breakers and
fuses) time to operate, rather than removing a
generator from the system.
 Reactive Load Shearing

Reactive load sharing is achieved by a

load-sharing loop which
automatically adjusts the excitation
of the paralleled generator fields
simultaneously via their individual
voltage regulators.
Reactive Load Shearing (continue)
 Real Load Shearing
• Real load sharing is achieved by a load-sharing
loop, which adjusts the magnetic trim in the
mechanical governor of the CSDUs
simultaneously via their load controllers.
Real Load Shearing (continued)
 SPLIT BUS BAR SYSTEM
• Normally found in twin engined Aircraft. Here,
the two generators never get paralleled.
Hence they don’t need advanced circuits that
are required for paralleling. Further, each
generators can run with slightly different
frequency. In case, one engine or generator
fails, a bus tie breaker connects both the bus
bars and loads are taken care of by a single
generator.
Constant Frequency Split Busbar
AC System (continued)
 Engine starting sequence
• When on ground, the whole aircraft is
powered by either a ground supply or by an
APU. When one engine is started and the
generator builds up enough voltage, then that
side bus is isolated by bus tie breaker and the
other bus is powered by APU. When the other
engine comes ON, than APU is isolated and
the aircraft departs.
 Engine starting sequence
• During take off, the galley power and utility
bus are switched off to conserve energy.
Incase, an engine fails during take-off, the APU
(if “on”) comes into circuit automatically to
take care of the loads.
• If the failed engine is able to start in air, then
again APU is isolated and switched off.
 DC Power Supplies
• Primary aircraft DC power supplies are
derived from transformer rectifier units, which
are supplied from the 200 V AC busbars. The
TRUs are normally run in parallel, although
some systems have isolation relays installed,
which are designed to separate the DC
busbars during fault conditions.
DC Power Supplies (continued)
 Emergency Supplies
• In the unlikely event that both IDGs and the APU
generator fail, AC can still be obtained from:
 The aircraft battery which automatically feeds the
AC essential busbar via a static inverter.
 A Ram Air Turbine (RAT) can be automatically or
manually dropped into the airstream to drive an AC
generator, which produces a constant frequency
output for the AC essential busbar.
 Emergency Supplies (continued)
• If the emergency power supplies are selected,
it is normal to shed any non-essential loads
(e.g. galleys) in order to prevent overloading
the remaining generators, which is known as
Load Shedding.
 Battery Charger
• Modern aircraft are fitted with battery
chargers that are supplied from AC power
supplies. These provide a DC supply to charge
a battery in the shortest possible time, within
certain voltage constraints, and without
causing excessive gassing.
 Battery Charger (continued)
• The charger provides a DC current of 45-50
Amps until the charge reaches completion. It
then reverts to the pulse mode to prevent the
battery voltage from becoming excessive.
 Battery Charger (continued)
• Comprehensive protection circuitry is
provided in the battery charger to give
protection against:
 Over voltage
 Overheating
 Battery disconnection
 Battery Charger (continued)
• If the battery over-volts, the battery charger
is automatically switched off and can only be
reset by a push-switch situated on the front of
the battery charger.
• If the charger overheats, it is automatically
shut down but resets itself when cooled.
• If the battery is disconnected, the charger
cannot be switched on.
 Battery Power
• The batteries supply secondary DC power on
most aircraft, they also feed essential DC and,
through a static inverter, essential AC for a
period of 30 minutes or more.
• Some batteries are additionally fitted in non-
pressurized areas in the fuselage and are
provided with electrically heated blankets to
prevent freezing.
 Battery charging
• Two types of battery charging are employed in
workshop:
1. Constant current charging.
(Both voltage & current are constant)
2. Constant voltage charging.
(Only voltage is constant, current varies)
Of these, constant voltage charging is
employed in the aircraft.
 Ground Handling Bus
• The ground handling busbar is powered from
either an APU generator or an external power
unit. The busbar is powered automatically
whenever external or APU power is available.
This busbar is used mainly on the ground to
power lights in cargo bay and the refueling
system.
 SPLIT PARALLEL BUS BAR SYSTEM
• Found only in B-747-400 series only.
• May be in A-380?
• This function is somewhat a combination of
both split and parallel bus bar systems.
QUESTIONS?