Technology for the more and all electric aircraft of the future

Abstract

There has recently been a major change in the design of aircraft. Electrical systems are being used in applications, which have traditionally been powered by hydraulic or pneumatic sources. The Boeing 787 and the Airbus A380 both have significantly larger electrical systems than any previous aircraft and this has led to a wealth of technology developments. Electrical systems are now being use for aircraft actuation systems, wing ice protection, environmental control systems and fuel pumping. These new systems are helping to make future aircraft more fuel efficient and quieter, improving the environment for everyone. However, this is just the start of the changes to aircraft design. A roadmap leading to a fully electric aircraft for civil applications is now emerging. The technology challenges involved for power electronics, electrical systems, control and electrical machines are being defined and these requirements give a view of the fantastic opportunities for research teams to make a real impact. The issues to be resolved include equipment weight, volume, cost and reliability. The More Electric Aircraft concept offers many potential benefits in the design and efficiency of future large, manned aircraft. In the future it is predicted that the trend in transportation electrification will lead to the development of all electric civilian aircraft concepts. In this paper typical aircraft electrical power systems and the loads associated with these requirements are described as well as the challenges for the aerospace industry in this implementation. The importance of Power Electronics as an enabling technology for this step change in aircraft design is considered and examples of typical system designs are discussed.