Overview
The proposal “SafePEM” followed the aerospace industrial trend to foster “More Electric Aircraft” in order to improve the control of energy and finally reduce the fuel consumption by reduction of weight and more effective use of resources. SafePEM will significantly improve currently existing Power System Control due to offering the provider of such system an increased flexibility of design using a deterministic approach for the Power Control System internal data communication system implementing an innovative “Power Control Manager”. This approach implemented a robust, reliable and scalable system architecture allowing the implementation in many aircraft platforms at minimised modifications required. Thus, time for modifying the design was saved resulting in cost reduction and finally offering an opportunity to reducing the price of the system. As a consequence, supplying such novel system improved competitiveness compared to competing systems.
On the other end, the new design approach allowed to handle today’s required high-power density which is not possible satisfactory when relying on technologies and solutions available. The architectural approach allowed managing several “Power Electronics Modules” in layer one (Power Electronics Layer). Multiple electronic loads can be driven and required currents are supplied according to demands.
A dedicated second layer was in charge of controlling all resources and providing the distribution of data to all participants of the network in a reliable manner. It incorporated two bus systems ensuring safe data communication with appropriate supervision on the one hand and safe communication between the PEMs on the other hand.
Funding
Results
Executive summary:
SAFEPEM followed the aerospace industrial trend to foster 'more electric aircraft' in order to improve the control of electrical power energy generation and finally reduce the fuel consumption by reduction of weight and more effective use of resources. Contributing to those higher-level Cleansky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) goals, SAFEPEM aimed to significantly improve the currently existing Power System Control by offering the provider of such system an increased flexibility of design. This was achieved by using a deterministic approach for the power control system internal data communication system implementing an innovative power control manager.
This approach implemented a robust, reliable and scalable system architecture allowing a flexible implementation in many aircraft platforms with minimised modifications required. Thus, every time the application engineer engages the Cleansky SAFEPEM approach in his design, significant shares of design effort required so far will be saved resulting in cost reduction and finally offering an opportunity to reduce the price of the system. As a consequence, supplying such novel system will improve competitiveness compared to competing systems.
On the other hand, the new design approach allows handling today's required high-power density, which is not possible satisfactorily relying on technologies and solutions available today. The architectural approach allows managing several 'power electronic modules' (PEMs) in layer one (power electronics layer). Multiple electronic loads can be driven and required currents are supplied satisfying the new demands. A dedicated second layer is in charge of controlling all resources and providing the distribution of data to all participants of the network in a reliable manner. It incorporates two bus systems ensuring safe data communication with appropriate supervision on the one hand and safe communication between the PEMs on the other hand.