Smart control of aircraft electrical loads
Supervisory control of aircraft electrical networks for managing energy is a new concept stemming from the notion of more-electric aircraft. The idea behind this approach is to manage power flows between electrical network equipment. Researchers on the project I-PRIMES(opens in new window) (I-PRIMES: An intelligent power regulation using innovative modules for energy supervision) developed an intelligent load management system that is more sophisticated compared to the state of the art and serves to optimise load power consumption. The system is able to respond to high-level control commands, discarding generator overload capacity and therefore forcing weight and volume to stay within predefined limits. The I-PRIMES solution is an advanced smart control of aircraft electrical loads, optimising weight, volume and consumption, and smoothing extra power demands because of power transients or electrical failures. Researchers successfully tested the system using a modular structure. Each cell is composed of a programmable device, an interfacing stage and an innovative power device switching component. A master module manages execution of jobs onto a group of slave modules for implementing the correct energy management strategy. The system can predict the power consumption of both variable and fixed power loads. The intelligent power allocation is obtained using a voltage chopping technique for loads equipped with solid-state power controllers switching contactors, and through a communication protocol. Through supervisory control strategies, European manufacturers will be able to reduce costs and size of electrical generators. Except for electric aircraft, intelligent load management can benefit marine, rail and road vehicles.