This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Roles of Active Rectifiers in the Future Aircraft Power Systems
Technical Paper
2008-01-2873
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Event:
Power Systems Conference
Language:
English
Abstract
Active rectifiers or PWM (pulse-width modulated) AC-DC converters have been used for more than two decades in industrial and commercial applications where the frequency of the power source is often 50/60 Hz. This utility frequency is relatively low compared to the AC frequency of today’s aircraft power supply. In the latest commercial aircrafts (A380, 787), the frequency of the power source can vary depending on the speed of the aircraft engines. The variable frequency range in those systems is from 360 Hz to 800 Hz, which is nearly about 6 to 13 times the utility power system frequency, hence designing the AC/DC power converters for aircraft applications is indeed a difficult task. A majority of loads in commercial aircraft today are the electro-mechanical type. The loads in these cases are motors that can be operated at constant speed or over a wide speed range and at constant torque or power, depending on the system structure.
In this paper, the author gives a review of some conventional as well as modern methods for converting an AC power source into a DC power bus, which in turn is used to power a variable frequency inverter to drive a motor load. Modeling and simulation results are provided. In conclusion, the author will show the advantages and disadvantages of some AC-DC power conversion methods and problems the component / system designers would face to bring the active rectifiers into the aircraft power system in the near future.
Recommended Content
| Technical Paper | The Effect of a Light Aircraft Stability Augmentation System on Pilot Performance |
| Technical Paper | The Generic Aircraft-Store Interface Framework |
| Technical Paper | An Efficiency Analysis of Aircraft Maintenance Programs |
Citation
Nguyen, V., "Roles of Active Rectifiers in the Future Aircraft Power Systems," SAE Technical Paper 2008-01-2873, 2008, https://doi.org/10.4271/2008-01-2873.Also In
References
- Schaefer, J. Rectifier Circuits: Theory and Design New York Wiley-Interscience 1965
- Arrillaga J. Watson N.R. Power System Harmonics Wiley & Sons Ltd 2003
- Paice, D.A. Power Electronic Converter Harmonics IEEE Press 1996
- Paice, D.A. Clean Power Electronic Converters: Engineering Design and Application Guides Paice and Associates Inc 2004
- Wheeler P. Clare J. et al. A Reliability Comparison of a Matrix Converter and an 18-Pulse Rectifier for Aerospace Applications. EPE-PEMC 2006 496 500
- Chivite-Zabalza F. et al Analysis and Practical Evaluation of an 18-Pulse Rectifier for Aerospace Applications Proceedings IEEE PEMD 2004 1 338 343
- Burgos R. Uan-Zo-Li A. Lacaux F. Wang F. Boroyevich D. Analysis and Experimental Evaluation of Symmetric and Asymmetric 18-Pulse Autotransformer-Rectifier Units Invited Paper, PCC Nagoya Conference 1286 1293
- Akagi H. Watanabe E. Aredes M. Instantaneous Power Theory and Applications to Power Conditioning Wiley and IEEE Press 2007
- Blasko V. Kaura: V. A Novel Control to Actively Damp Resonance in Input LC Filter of a Three-Phase Voltage Source Converter IEEE Transactions on IA 33 2 March/April 1997
- Dahono: P. A. A Control Method to Damp Oscillation in the Input LC Filter of AC-DC PWM Converters IEEE PESC’2002 Conference 1630 1635
- Rounds S.D. Karutz P. Heldwein M.L. Kolar, J.W. Towards a 30 kW/liter, Three-Phase Unity Power Factor Rectifier Invited Paper, PCC Nagoya Conference 2007 1251 1257
- Cheng, K.W.E. Comparative Study of AC/DC Converters for More Electric Aircraft IEE Power Electronics and Variable Speed Drives 1998 299 304
- Athalye P. Maksimovic D. Erikson R. High- Performance Front-End Converter for Avionics Applications IEEE Trans. on Aerospace and Electronic Systems 462 470 39 2 April 2003