Aircraft Power Distribution System with Dynamic Switch Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft power distribution systems face challenges in managing variations in power demand from essential and non-essential devices, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety issues due to fluctuations in power draw from energy sources like gas turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
A power distribution system that includes a bus contactor, switches, a current analysis component, a variation reduction component, and a switch control component to determine and adjust the energization schedule of devices, ensuring a constant power draw from the energy source, thereby reducing temporal variations in power demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power is distributed to all essential and non-essential devices simultaneously, then all devices receive power, but temporal variation in power draw increases causing inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of power requirements and determines an optimized energization schedule before actually distributing power. The controller component calculates the ideal timing for energizing each device based on power source capabilities and device priorities, preventing peak power demands that would cause temporal variation and energy loss.
2Productivity
If power conversion elements are sized to handle peak power demand, then all power demands can be met, but weight and size of power conversion elements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the energization timing of devices based on real-time power source output and accumulated power availability. Rather than being sized for static peak demand, power conversion elements are sized for sustained average power delivery, with the controller dynamically managing when devices receive power to smooth out peak demands and reduce required conversion element capacity.
3Speed
If all devices are energized immediately when power is available, then device responsiveness is maximized, but power source operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary calculation of an optimized energization schedule that balances device responsiveness with power source efficiency. Before energizing devices, the system accumulates power in the power source and determines the optimal timing that allows the power source to operate at peak efficiency while still meeting device power requirements within acceptable timeframes.
4Device complexity
If power distribution follows a simple on-demand approach, then system complexity is minimized, but temporal variation in power draw increases reducing overall efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control where the controller continuously monitors power source output, accumulated power levels, and device power requirements. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts the energization schedule to minimize temporal variation in power draw while maintaining acceptable system complexity through automated control algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for aircraft power distribution (100) includes a source of energy (112) to deliver an input power; a bus contactor (122); a set of switches (130) connected between the bus contactor and a set of essential and non-essential devices (132); a current analysis component (315) to determine a power level drawn from the source of current by the set of essential and non-essential devices (132); a variation reduction component (317) to determine an energization schedule of the set of essential and non-essential devices (132) based on reducing temporal variation in the input power drawn from the source of energy (112) to the bus contactor (122); and a switch control component (319) configured to adjust the set of switches (130) according to the energization schedule. If too much power is drawn, the set of switches (130) will be configured such as not to exceed the maximum power rating of the source (112).