Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DCADE (Diamond Converter and Arc fault DEtection for high-altitude operations)
Période du rapport: 2022-07-01 au 2023-10-31
DCADE project will develop power electronics and electrical power distribution technologies for high-altitude, high-power AC distribution systems, supporting the EU’s ambitious goals for clean aviation and all-electric aircraft.
The increasing demand for clean aviation is pushing the industry towards the all electrical aircraft, with zero emissions. The green deal of the European Commission is a clear high-level example of the commitment that all the countries all over the world should have. Recent advances in the last few decades in power semiconductors is moving the industry to the electrical propulsion, where the generation and electrical consumers are connected together in a small weak electrical grid. The amount of power to be managed by the electrical system is expected to be increasing in the following decade from a few Megawatts to power small aircraft to several tens of MWs to power long haul aircrafts. Although the technology to manage this amount of power is well known for typical ground distribution power grids, the concepts and components cannot be directly applied to aircraft application due to the size/weight required for an aircraft application and the fact of high altitude flying which means a lower pressure and air density.
The evolution of aircraft electrical power management system to higher power is critical in the next few years to reach the objective of a future clean sky program.
In this context, the overall objective of DCADE is the evaluation of potential technologies that will allow higher voltage converters while maintaining the power density and arc detection techniques that will increase the safety of high altitude, high power A/C distribution systems.
DCADE proposal will focus on the technologies related to power electronics and electric power distribution. Two demonstrators will be implemented within the project, one related to each topic. The first demonstrator will be at the facilities of Skylife in Seville (Spain) and the second will be in the facilities of IRTSE in Toulouse (France).
The increasing demand for clean aviation is pushing the industry towards the all electrical aircraft, with zero emissions. The green deal of the European Commission is a clear high-level example of the commitment that all the countries all over the world should have. Recent advances in the last few decades in power semiconductors is moving the industry to the electrical propulsion, where the generation and electrical consumers are connected together in a small weak electrical grid. The amount of power to be managed by the electrical system is expected to be increasing in the following decade from a few Megawatts to power small aircraft to several tens of MWs to power long haul aircrafts. Although the technology to manage this amount of power is well known for typical ground distribution power grids, the concepts and components cannot be directly applied to aircraft application due to the size/weight required for an aircraft application and the fact of high altitude flying which means a lower pressure and air density.
The evolution of aircraft electrical power management system to higher power is critical in the next few years to reach the objective of a future clean sky program.
In this context, the overall objective of DCADE is the evaluation of potential technologies that will allow higher voltage converters while maintaining the power density and arc detection techniques that will increase the safety of high altitude, high power A/C distribution systems.
DCADE proposal will focus on the technologies related to power electronics and electric power distribution. Two demonstrators will be implemented within the project, one related to each topic. The first demonstrator will be at the facilities of Skylife in Seville (Spain) and the second will be in the facilities of IRTSE in Toulouse (France).
WP1: Power Conversion - Diamond Power Semiconductor Devices
This WP is dedicated to the design, manufacturing and characterisation of diamond power transistors. The growth of high quality and low defect monocrystalline diamond epilayers is being performed by DIAMFAB, the design, optimisation and characterisation of diamond power transistors is led by CNRS and linked 3rd party UGA whereas the fabrication of diamond power transistors is being done by both CNRS+UGA and DIAMFAB in the frame of a technology transfer.
The outcomes of this WP during the present report period are included in D1.3 Functional prototype Diamond power Field Effect Transistors (batch 1) and D1.4 Functional prototype Diamond power Field Effect Transistors (batch 2). Three articles have been published, six communications in conferences have been performed and two datasets have been produced and published in Zenodo with public access. Batch 1 was produced but conduction channel was not able to be closed to obtain an OFF-state. It was agreed to use one of the samples as a JFET semiconductor to be packaged and sent to SKLE to be characterized. Batch 2 was produced. From this second batch we have also been able to measure a JFET transistor with the same architecture than for batch 1. Finally, due to delay from task 1.8 no FET with field plate were able to reach the characterization steps during the time of the DCADE project. No samples from batch 2 were packaged.
WP2: Power Conversion - Converter Manufacturing
The main goal of this WP is to compare the behavior of new materials as semiconductors and its application in power converters. The design and manufacturing of the power converter is being carried out by SKLE. Once they are fabricated and characterized in WP1, the diamond semiconductors will be tested and compared to SiC semiconductors in order to verify their electrical and thermal behavior. The converter topology has been analysed and optimized through simulation in order to select the most suitable one. The SiC converter has been fully designed, manufactured and the SiC semiconductors have been characterized. This work is described in D2.3 – Functional prototype – DC-DC SiC Converter. Batch 1.5 from WP1 have been packaged by DeepConcept and shiped to Skylife. Diamond driver has been designed and manufactured, ready to connect to the already designed power converter. Characterization of such batch JFET 1.5 was not possible using the power converter becasuse the pology needed a minimum of 2 units and because electrical characeristics of received semiconductor differs a lot from expected one. Some tests were perfomed over the 1.5 sample and these results are described in D2.4 - SiC vs Diamond semiconductors results.
WP3: Arc - Fault Detection
The purpose of this WP is to evaluate the ability of an AI (neural network combined with a reflectometry algorithm) to detect an arc fault and to locate it in an aircraft distribution network. State-of-the-art arc fault detectors measure the current to perform the detection and, unfortunately, produce an unacceptable number of false detections. A neural network dedicated to detection should significantly reduce the number of false detections.
The IRT has performed the following tasks to evaluate the IA solution:
After performing a extensive study of the state of the art, they have created the database necessary to carry out the learning of the neural network. This database contains the arc fault voltage and current signals measured at various locations in the aircraft distribution network. These database has been published as dataset in Zenodo.
Secondly, they have defined the most suitable neural network architecture among the different possible architectures and carried out the learning of the neural network from the signal database.
Thirdly, SKLE has implemented an electronic board and external packaging to integrate the LN and AI algorithm in order to evaluate their performances. Experimental validation has been performed.
The outcomes of this WP are included in D3.4 - AFD prototype, algorithm and validation report.The results have also been described in several journal publications.
This WP is dedicated to the design, manufacturing and characterisation of diamond power transistors. The growth of high quality and low defect monocrystalline diamond epilayers is being performed by DIAMFAB, the design, optimisation and characterisation of diamond power transistors is led by CNRS and linked 3rd party UGA whereas the fabrication of diamond power transistors is being done by both CNRS+UGA and DIAMFAB in the frame of a technology transfer.
The outcomes of this WP during the present report period are included in D1.3 Functional prototype Diamond power Field Effect Transistors (batch 1) and D1.4 Functional prototype Diamond power Field Effect Transistors (batch 2). Three articles have been published, six communications in conferences have been performed and two datasets have been produced and published in Zenodo with public access. Batch 1 was produced but conduction channel was not able to be closed to obtain an OFF-state. It was agreed to use one of the samples as a JFET semiconductor to be packaged and sent to SKLE to be characterized. Batch 2 was produced. From this second batch we have also been able to measure a JFET transistor with the same architecture than for batch 1. Finally, due to delay from task 1.8 no FET with field plate were able to reach the characterization steps during the time of the DCADE project. No samples from batch 2 were packaged.
WP2: Power Conversion - Converter Manufacturing
The main goal of this WP is to compare the behavior of new materials as semiconductors and its application in power converters. The design and manufacturing of the power converter is being carried out by SKLE. Once they are fabricated and characterized in WP1, the diamond semiconductors will be tested and compared to SiC semiconductors in order to verify their electrical and thermal behavior. The converter topology has been analysed and optimized through simulation in order to select the most suitable one. The SiC converter has been fully designed, manufactured and the SiC semiconductors have been characterized. This work is described in D2.3 – Functional prototype – DC-DC SiC Converter. Batch 1.5 from WP1 have been packaged by DeepConcept and shiped to Skylife. Diamond driver has been designed and manufactured, ready to connect to the already designed power converter. Characterization of such batch JFET 1.5 was not possible using the power converter becasuse the pology needed a minimum of 2 units and because electrical characeristics of received semiconductor differs a lot from expected one. Some tests were perfomed over the 1.5 sample and these results are described in D2.4 - SiC vs Diamond semiconductors results.
WP3: Arc - Fault Detection
The purpose of this WP is to evaluate the ability of an AI (neural network combined with a reflectometry algorithm) to detect an arc fault and to locate it in an aircraft distribution network. State-of-the-art arc fault detectors measure the current to perform the detection and, unfortunately, produce an unacceptable number of false detections. A neural network dedicated to detection should significantly reduce the number of false detections.
The IRT has performed the following tasks to evaluate the IA solution:
After performing a extensive study of the state of the art, they have created the database necessary to carry out the learning of the neural network. This database contains the arc fault voltage and current signals measured at various locations in the aircraft distribution network. These database has been published as dataset in Zenodo.
Secondly, they have defined the most suitable neural network architecture among the different possible architectures and carried out the learning of the neural network from the signal database.
Thirdly, SKLE has implemented an electronic board and external packaging to integrate the LN and AI algorithm in order to evaluate their performances. Experimental validation has been performed.
The outcomes of this WP are included in D3.4 - AFD prototype, algorithm and validation report.The results have also been described in several journal publications.
The overall objective of the project is to perform low TRL research activities focused on technologies that might be of use in future electrical aircraft. Although most of the challenges of the electrification are already addressed on ground, the particular scenario that poses high altitude and reduced weight became a new challenge for the aerospace industry. High voltage power electronic devices, converters and distribution systems are the key driving technologies that will be addressed withing DCADE.
The expected outcomes and impact of the project are:
A comprehensive literature review of the state-of the-art in relation with the solution proposed.
Key technologies/tools/concepts helping progress in high power electrical systems may cover one or several of the previously described items but the proposal should clearly state the initial TRL of the study and clear objectives in terms of (volumetric and mass) power density target.
Identification of scientific and technical challenges preventing the successful deployment of such technologies.
The expected outcomes and impact of the project are:
A comprehensive literature review of the state-of the-art in relation with the solution proposed.
Key technologies/tools/concepts helping progress in high power electrical systems may cover one or several of the previously described items but the proposal should clearly state the initial TRL of the study and clear objectives in terms of (volumetric and mass) power density target.
Identification of scientific and technical challenges preventing the successful deployment of such technologies.