20x-Real time modeling and simulation of more electric aircraft thermally integrated electrical power systems

Abstract

More electric aircraft (MEA) include higher power ratings and more power electronics than conventional aircraft. With electrification comes increased multi-physical interaction between power systems, especially in electrical and thermal domains. It is desirable to develop an accurate and fast systemlevel model that captures the dynamics of multiple energy domains over the course of candidate mission profiles, for the purpose of trade-off studies, prototyping, and controller development. This paper presents comprehensive electrical power component models that are capable of being assembled into full electrical system models. Steady-state and dynamic behaviors of electrical components including electric machines, power converters, batteries, transformers, and loads are captured by averaged switching modeling and dq0 reference frame techniques, without sacrificing computational speed. An integrated thermal model within electrical components uses power loss calculations to model temperature variations and identify system hot spots. Monte Carlo simulation trials on a five-hour realistic mission establish the capability of the electrical system models while demonstrating a 50× real-time simulation speed for a standalone electric subsystem and 20× for a coupled electrical, thermal, and engine MEA model.