Problem/Issues being addressed
With the overall objective to reduce CO2 emissions for aviation and the reduction of the overall costs of building, operating, and maintaining aircraft, one of the key enablers towards this objective, is the adoption of higher levels of electrification on aircraft. This higher level of electrification, more commonly known as More Electric Aircraft (MEA), looks at replacing traditional non-electrical systems with lighter and more efficient electrical alternatives.
As a consequence of this progression towards MEA, there is an increasing requirement for power conversion methods in the power distribution network, which provide high density, and higher levels of efficiency. In addition, the push towards standardization of components, avoiding bespoke designs for each new application, means that any solutions which are module based will be preferred. Traditionally, the only viable solution for power conversion requirements was to use passive solutions with transformers and controlled rectifiers, such as TRU and ATRU units, which results in a heavy and inefficient power conversion system. By replacing the passive system with active power conversion, the weight and power density of each power conversion stage can be significantly reduced, thus leading to the overall goal to reduce system weight and costs.
Benefits
The introduction of high voltage bidirectional power converter system in generation and actuation applications, will yield a number of benefits for airframe manufacturers, around lower-cost solutions, improved reliability and lower weight. The reduction in weight will have a direct impact on fuel consumption providing direct financial benefits to the airliner as well as additional resulting environmental benefits. The cost reductions from reduced maintenance and overall system costs will assist in reducing the overall costs of air travel with the subsequent societal benefits.
Objectives
The objectives of the PHiVe project is to demonstrate operation of a scalable converter that addresses the most critical aspects in a high voltage aviation converter design, which are the converter topology, the components, the interconnections and the packaging. The demonstrator will provide further validation to the use of high voltage SiC devices in aerospace applications with their associated efficiency and reliability benefits.
