More Electric Engine Architecture for Aircraft Engine Application

Abstract

This paper describes the system design and evaluation of a noble MEE (More Electric Engine) system. The results show that the proposed MEE system can significantly reduce the fuel burn of engines and CO2 emissions from aircraft and also improve the safety, reliability and maintainability of engines. The MEE is advanced engine control technology utilizing recent innovations in electrical motors, motor controllers and power electronics. It replaces conventional engine accessories, such as AGB (Accessory Gear Box)-driven pumps, hydraulic actuators with electrical pumps and EMAs (Electro-Mechanical Actuators), which are powered by generators. The first step of the MEE is supposed to be the motor-driven fuel pump system, which can improve engine efficiency by reducing power extraction from the engine and eliminating ACOCs (Air-Cooled Oil Coolers) which worsen fuel efficiency by wasting fan discharge air. The goal of the MEE consists of eliminating the heavy AGB via electrical accessories and an engine-embedded starter/generator. The incorporation of a unique redundant Active-Active control architecture and a fault-tolerant design for the dual motor system successfully achieves a highly reliable and complete one fail operational/two fail safe engine control system.