Weight saving in the electrical distribution systems of aircraft using innovative concepts

Abstract

SUMMARY There is a growing need for an electrical generation and distribution system for modern commercial aircraft. In the field of aviation, there is a trend towards ‘more electric aircraft’, which implies the substitution of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems by electrical ones. This trend, in effect, results in an increasing demand for energy. In aircraft construction, there is a state-of-the-art inflexible point-to-point supply of loads based on a complex and expensive electric load analysis. Connecting the load to different feeders during flights is not possible because of rigid wiring. The article introduces modern concepts for improving the electrical distribution system—namely feeder balancing and phase balancing. These methods involve utilizing intelligent switching nodes based on power semiconductor devices. The concepts allow for a reallocation of electrical loads on different power feeders. The article will also present an analysis of the integration of a multifunctional fuel cell system with a focus on the necessary changes in the electrical network of an aircraft. In less than a decade's time, commercial aircraft could use low-temperature fuel cells to substitute the auxiliary power unit and the ram air turbine, which is used in ground phases and in cases of turbine failure. Using fuel, cells could aid in constructing a completely different layout of the electrical network implementing a ±270 V DC voltage level. The increasing electrical demand of aircraft requires an energy-efficient power supply network. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.