Aircraft Electrical Network Cells for Resilient Contactor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing centralized systems for controlling aircraft electrical networks are not resilient to failures, require proximity of actuation and control members, and are limited by data flow capacity, making them inflexible and difficult to modify.
Innovation Solution
A decentralised system with multiple independent cells, each containing microcontrollers to control contactors, interconnected through digital and physical networks, allowing for rapid information exchange and redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized control system is used, then control functions can be consolidated in one location, but the system becomes non-resilient to failures and difficult to modify
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple independent control cells distributed throughout the electrical network. Each cell can autonomously control its local contactors and make decisions independently. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure in centralized systems, as the failure of one control cell does not affect the operation of other cells, thereby improving system resilience while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
2Ease of operation
If control members are placed in proximity to the control card, then control signals can be transmitted easily, but the system requires specific organization and is difficult to modify
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic reconfiguration capabilities where control cells can be added, removed, or relocated without requiring changes to the fundamental system architecture. Each control cell is designed to be independently configurable and can adapt its operation based on the presence and state of other cells, enabling flexible modification of the system layout while maintaining ease of control signal transmission through standardized communication protocols
3Reliability
If all information is centralized on one or more cards, then redundancy solutions can be provided, but the data flow is limited by microcontroller capacity
Solution Approach 1:
Information processing is segmented and distributed across multiple control cells, each with its own microcontroller. Each cell processes and stores information locally relevant to its operation, eliminating the bottleneck of a single central microcontroller. Redundancy is achieved through the distribution of information across multiple cells rather than duplication on single cards, thereby increasing both data flow capacity and reliability without being constrained by individual microcontroller capacities
Data Source
AI summary
A decentralised system for controlling an electrical network of an aircraft, the system including a plurality of distinct cells, each cell including a plurality of electrical contactors and each cell being connected to an electrical supply. Each cell has at least one microcontroller for controlling at least one contactor.