Fault-Clearing Voltage Boost for Aircraft Ground Fault Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electrical systems in aircraft face challenges in rapidly detecting and isolating ground faults, which can cause localized heating and damage due to high currents or arcs, leading to potential loss of power in flight-critical systems.

Innovation Solution

A power supply system that includes a fault clearing source providing a clearing voltage to connectors when a ground fault occurs, with the ability to increase over time, and optionally using a battery or DC power source, along with a contactor/SSPC to open and close and clear the fault, ensuring sustained current for fault identification and isolation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a ground fault occurs in the electrical system, then high current or arcs are generated causing localized heating and damage, but the system lacks sufficient voltage to clear the fault effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault clearing capabilityVSAvoidvoltage availability for fault clearing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fault clearing source is pre-charged through the charging circuit during normal operation. When a ground fault occurs, the pre-charged capacitor immediately discharges to provide the necessary clearing voltage, eliminating the delay associated with voltage buildup and ensuring immediate fault clearing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A dedicated fault clearing source (capacitor) is introduced as an intermediary energy storage element between the power system and the ground fault. This intermediary component provides the necessary voltage boost to clear high-impedance ground faults that the normal power system cannot clear effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the clearing voltage is increased to clear high-impedance ground faults, then fault clearing effectiveness is improved, but voltage distortion and transient requirements may not be met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground fault clearing effectivenessVSAvoidDC voltage transient and distortion requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The clearing voltage is applied dynamically only when needed (during ground fault conditions) rather than continuously. The control circuit detects ground faults and activates the fault clearing source only during these events, allowing high voltage application when necessary while maintaining normal voltage conditions during steady-state operation to meet distortion requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The fault clearing mechanism operates periodically or event-driven based on ground fault detection rather than continuously. The charging circuit charges the capacitor during normal operation, and the discharge occurs periodically or upon detection of a ground fault, ensuring that high voltage is applied only when necessary for fault clearing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively detects and isolates ground faults, reducing damage and ensuring continued power supply to critical systems by providing the necessary fault clearing current and voltage, meeting DC voltage transient and voltage distortion requirements.

Implementation Method 1

the fault clearing can be a battery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBattery: Battery (electricity)

Implementation Method 2

the power source is an AC generator and the power converter is a rectifier that receives the AC power from the generator and converts it into a direct current output

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRectification:

Implementation Method 3

a filter connected to the rectifier and between the connectors and that smooths the DC output

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance filtering: Capacitance

Implementation Method 4

a contactor/SSPC connected to the first connector that can open and close to clear the fault while the fault clearing source is providing the clearing voltage to the first contactor/SSPC

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic actuation: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentUS20240204653A1Voltage boosted fault clearing in electrical systems

Publication Date: 2024.06.20 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

A power supply system to provide power to a load connected between first and second connectors. The system includes: a power source that produces a power output; a power converter configured to receive the power output, convert it into a direct current (DC) output and provide the DC output between the first and second connectors; a filter connected to the rectifier and between the connectors configured to smooth the DC output; and a fault clearing source connected to the first connector configured to provide a clearing voltage to the first connector when a ground fault occurs on the first connector. The clearing voltage increases over time.