Evaluation of paralleled generation architectures for civil aircraft applications

The aviation industry has witnessed a technological shift towards the More Electric Aircraft (MEA) concept. This shift has been driven by a number of perceived benefits including performance optimization and reduced life-cycle costs. Increased electrification within MEA has made aircraft electrical networks larger and more complex and this necessitates an increased electrical power offtake from the engine. The paralleling of multiple generation sources across the aircraft is one potential design approach which could help improve engine operability and fuel efficiency within more-electric aircraft platforms. Accordingly, this paper will investigate options for the realization of paralleled generation systems within the context of current design and certification rules. The paper first illustrates, through simulation, that MIL-STD-704F voltage envelopes may be breached for some interconnected electrical architectures under fault conditions. The paper then assesses various solution options to minimize the propagation of transients across the interconnected network and demonstrates their effectiveness with reference to appropriate power quality standards. The paper concludes by providing estimates of the impact of each of these solution options on the total weight of the electrical system, highlighting how different designs and operating strategies can influence the design at a systems level.