Redundant Aircraft Battery Monitoring With Contactor Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric aircraft systems are vulnerable to power failures due to the complexity of electrical subsystems, which can compromise safety and operation, necessitating a redundant power system to mitigate inconsistent power outputs and ensure continuous operation.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a battery pack with dual monitor units and a battery management system that compares data from each unit using a differential threshold, coupled with a contactor to manage power distribution and prevent charge transfer between batteries, ensuring continuous operation and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single electrical energy source is used to power the electric aircraft, then the system complexity is reduced, but the reliability of power supply deteriorates due to vulnerability to failures
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical energy source is segmented into multiple independent battery packs (first battery pack, second battery pack) that can operate independently. Each battery pack has its own monitor unit and protection circuitry, allowing the system to divide the power supply function across multiple units to improve reliability while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary monitoring and comparison of battery parameters before failures occur. The monitor units continuously track voltage, current, and temperature, and the control unit compares these parameters to detect inconsistencies early, enabling preventive action before a complete power failure happens.
2Measurement precision
If multiple monitor units are added to detect battery parameters, then the measurement reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple monitor units that are essentially copies of the same monitoring circuitry, each independently measuring battery parameters. This copying approach improves measurement reliability through redundancy and comparison, while the standardized design of the monitor units helps manage complexity by using identical, proven components rather than complex unique designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitor units provide continuous feedback on battery parameters (voltage, current, temperature) to the control unit. The control unit compares this feedback from multiple sources and uses the differential threshold to detect anomalies, creating a feedback loop that improves measurement reliability through cross-validation while keeping the processing logic relatively simple.
3Reliability
If a differential threshold comparison system is implemented, then the safety against inconsistent power output improves, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors changes in battery parameters (voltage, current, temperature) and compares them against a differential threshold. When parameter changes exceed this threshold, the system detects potential failures. This approach improves power output consistency by detecting inconsistencies early, while the use of a simple threshold comparison mechanism keeps the control logic relatively straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives data from multiple monitor units, performs the differential threshold comparison, and controls the contactors based on the results. This intermediary function centralizes the complexity of the comparison logic in a dedicated unit, allowing the monitor units themselves to remain relatively simple while achieving reliable power output consistency through the intermediary's coordination.
4Reliability
If contactors are used to manage power distribution, then the ability to isolate failed batteries improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the isolation function into dedicated contactors that can disconnect individual battery packs from the system. When a battery failure is detected, the control unit activates the appropriate contactor to take out the failed battery from the power distribution network, allowing continuous operation on the remaining healthy batteries while managing complexity through specialized isolation components.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for redundant electric power for an electric aircraft is provided. The system includes a plurality of battery packs which includes at least a first pack monitor unit and at least a second pack monitor unit configured to detect a first battery pack datum and a second battery pack datum and transmit the pair of battery pack datum to a controller. Each battery pack. The system further includes a contactor coupled to the electric aircraft, a plurality of loads communicatively coupled to each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs, and a controller, wherein the controller is designed and configured to receive the first battery pack and the second battery pack datum, compare the first battery pack datum to the second battery pack datum as a function of a differential threshold, and generate an alert datum as a function of the comparison.