Aircraft Electric Power System

A Power Conversion Perspective

Waleed Said
September 29th 2011
Based on an article published in the August 2011 issue of the IEEE Power and Energy Magazine by the speaker.
Photographs of hardware are provided by and are used with permission from Hamilton Sundstrand
Export permitted under EAR 9E991 (Re-export is not authorized without first obtaining required authorization from Hamilton Sundstrand.
Diversion contrary to U.S. law is prohibited. NLR No License Required

Outline Two Thrusts

Overview of Aircraft Electric Systems

Power Sources Types

Conversion in Power Sources
Subsystems
Build Notional Electrical System
Identify Power Conversions within the System

Power Electronics in Aerospace

Power Electronics Progression on Aircraft

What Introduced Power Electronics to Aerospace
Power Electronics Current State
Challenges of Power Electronics in Aerospace
Future Trends

Primary Power Sources

Constant
Speed

Engine Driven Supplies

Variable Speed
Engine Shaft

Integrated Drive Generator (IDG)

IDG

Three Phase 400Hz 115V L-N

Hydro-mechanical Conversion (@ the Source)
Constant Speed Drive (CSD)

Variable
Frequency

Variable Speed Constant Frequency (VSCF)

Three Phase 400Hz 115V L-N

Electrical Conversion @ Generator Output (@Source)

Power Electronics Converter

Variable Frequency Generator

Three Phase 360-800 Hz 115V or 230 V L-N

Electrical Conversion @ Load (@ Point of Use)

3115V
400 Hz

CSD

Power Converter

3115V
400 Hz

Variable Speed
Engine Shaft

Variable Speed
Engine Shaft

3115V
400 - 800Hz

Primary Power Sources (Continued)

Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Driven

No Thrust Gas Turbine Engine

Constant Speed Generator
Three Phase 400Hz 115V L-N
No Electrical Conversion Needed

Emergency Power Source

Ram Air Turbine (RAT) Driven

Constant Speed Generator
Three Phase 400 Hz 115 L-N
No Electrical Conversion Needed

Primary Power System

Engine

APU

RAT

Engine

Gen +
RAT
GCU

AGen +
AGCU

Gen +
GCU

External
Power

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Primary Power Bus & BPCU

Gen +
GCU

Emergency Bus

Secondary Power System

ATU

EP

Secondary AC Bus
AC SSPCs

AC & DC SSPCs

TRU

TRU

28V DC Bus
AC & DC SSPCs

DC SSPCs

HVDC System

ATRU

HVDC Bus
Motor Controllers

ATRU

HVDC Bus
Motor Controllers

The Electrical System

Engine

Engine

APU

RAT

Gen +
RAT
GCU

AGen +
AGCU

Gen +
GCU

External
Power

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Primary Power Bus & BPCU

ATRU

ATU

HVDC Bus

TRU

EP

Secondary AC Bus

Motor Controllers

Motor Loads

Emergency Bus

AC SSPCs

Primary AC
Loads

AC Loads

TRU

28V DC Bus

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC Loads

DC SSPCs

DC Loads

Generation & Distribution Architectures

External Power
Power Panels
115 VAC / 28VDC
AC Feeders
Generators

Power panels & HVDC

External Power SSPC Loads
SSPC
Centers

ASGs

Electromagnetic Conversion
Preserving Power Quality Thru Multi 6 Pulse Transformers
Gen +
RAT
GCU

AGen +
AGCU

Gen +
GCU

External
Power

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Primary Power Bus & BPCU

EM
Conversion
Layer

ATU

ATRU

HVDC Bus
Motor Controllers

Motor Loads

Primary AC
Loads

Emergency Bus
TRU

EP

Secondary AC Bus
AC SSPCs

AC Loads

TRU

28V DC Bus

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC Loads

DC SSPCs

DC Loads

Electromagnetic Conversion

Reduces Harmonic Distortion in Line Current Due to Rectification

Multi-Six-Pulse Transformer-Rectifiers

12 Pulse Isolation

Mainly TRUs

Minimize

5th

Utilized for the Secondary Power Distribution System

&

7th

DC

DC

Harmonics

18 Pulse Auto

Minimize 5th, 7th, 11th & 13th Harmonics

Utilized for the HVDC and in some Motor Controllers

Power Electronics Conversion

Between Sources and the Loads

Gen +
RAT
GCU

AGen +
AGCU

Gen +
GCU

External
Power

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Gen +
GCU

Primary Power Bus & BPCU

ATU

ATRU

HVDC Bus
Power
Electronics

Motor Controllers

Motor Loads

Primary AC
Loads

Emergency Bus
TRU

EP

Secondary AC Bus
AC SSPCs

AC Loads

TRU

28V DC Bus

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC SSPCs

AC & DC Loads

DC SSPCs

DC Loads

The Power Electronics Layer

Power Conversion

Motor Controllers
HVDC to Variable Voltage and Frequency Converters
Some AC to AC Converters

Active Rectifiers
ATRU Based

Solid State Switching

SSPCs
MOSFETs
On/Off Operation
Programmable Trip Curves
Diagnostics & Health Monitoring

Power Electronics in Aerospace

Historic Perspective

The Early Days

No Power Electronics on Airplanes

Breakers & Contactors

AC/DC Converters

Early Power Electronics Devices

Large & Heavy

Some Will Turn On but Cant be Turned Off !?! SCR
Bi-Polar Transistors Difficult to Use
Low Reliability
Wide Variability Range

Expensive Characterization & Grouping

Limited Use in Aerospace to TRU Products

Unregulated Transformer + AC/DC Converter

115 Vac
28 Vdc

Manual Assembly Performance Not Consistance

The IGBT is Born

Enabled High Power Electronics Technology

Advance Aerospace Industry

Aircraft Went VF!

Variable frequency systems

Generator directly mounted to engine shaft variable speed

Variable frequency distribution to loads

Main enabler for motor drives in aerospace

Advent of More Electric Airplane

The Dreamliner

Effects & Challenges

Electrification of Loads Impacts System Certification

EMI and Power Quality

Electrifying Flight Critical Loads Imposes Flight Critical Requirements on

Electric System & Power Electronics Equipment
Higher Reliability Requirements Under Higher Threat Levels
Significant Cost & Schedule Impact Due to Elevated Type Certification
Motor Controllers Distort Power Quality and Generate EMI Noise!
Mitigating One Normally Exacerbate the Other
Heavy and Expensive Filter Solutions

Components Availability

Aerospace Low Volume

Harsh Environment Drives Cost
Exotic Components, Alloys and Compounds
Suppliers Need to Listen to Aerospace

Future Trends Power Quality

Active Rectification

Emphasis on Power Quality & EMI

Smaller Lighter & More Efficient that TRUs

Boeing Harmonic Limits

Boeing Limits
Simulation

0.5

THD = 1.179%

0.45

Current Harmonics (Arms)

0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
2

10 12 14

16 18 20 22 24 26

28 30 32 34 36

38 40 42 44 46 48

50 52 54 56 58

60 62

Harmonic Order

21

Future Trends Advanced Topologies

+
IPT
Vdc

L1

Filter C
1

L
2

Smaller, Lighter, More Efficient Inverters

Future Trends Components

High Temp Capacitors

High Temp SiC FETs

BN Powder particles (Polartherm)

BN Powder particles coated with epoxy

Magnetics Thermal
Management
Wide Bandgap Devices GaN

The Journey has Just Started

Where We Were Yesterday

Where We Are Today