Abstract
This paper presents the design and evaluation of an energy storage system (ESS) for helicopters with the aim to recover the kinetic energy in the rotor available after landing and to be able to control the 270 V DC bus voltage during load disturbances. A study is conducted in order to identify the suitable mix of commercially available energy storage devices with the aim of obtaining the minimum weight, exploring also the possibility to implement a hybrid supercapacitor-battery system. On the converter side, commercially available Silicon and Silicon-Carbide devices have been evaluated to achieve also the smallest size/weight.
Highlights
The ‘more electric aircraft’ [1] is a concept that aims at employing more electrical technologies in the operation of aircrafts with the purpose of minimising the overall weight of the systems and increasing the efficiency of energy conversion that would reduce the fuel consumption and associated costs
This paper investigates the design of an energy storage system (ESS) that would enable the recovery of regenerative power that can be extracted from the kinetic energy of the main propeller of a helicopter immediately after a successful landing
The initial size is based on the emergency power requirements but the peak charging power requirement is analysed in relation to the charging current capability of the battery
Summary
The ‘more electric aircraft’ [1] is a concept that aims at employing more electrical technologies in the operation of aircrafts with the purpose of minimising the overall weight of the systems and increasing the efficiency of energy conversion (electrical motors are significantly more efficient than hydraulic) that would reduce the fuel consumption and associated costs. This paper investigates the design of an energy storage system (ESS) that would enable the recovery of regenerative power that can be extracted from the kinetic energy of the main propeller of a helicopter immediately after a successful landing. This energy can be used to provide an engine start without any assistance from a ground power unit which may be a very likely situation in remote locations. (b) Implement a supercapacitor only ESS where the minimum supercapacitor size is determined based on the energy corresponding for the emergency power requirement and due to the symmetry of the device when charging/discharging, this will result in the highest power peak value needed during charging or discharging. If the helicopter is supposed to take off soon after landing, it may be more efficient to keep some of the recovered energy in the supercap in case an engine start that requires significant power (P > Pbat) is needed
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