High-Voltage High-Current Lightweight Solid-State Protection Circuit for Avionic Applications

Project Information

H2LSPC

Grant agreement ID: 831877

DOI

10.3030/831877

Project closed

EC signature date 15 May 2019

Start date 1 June 2019

End date 31 March 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 880 978,75

EU contribution

€ 880 978,75

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - H2LSPC (High-Voltage High-Current Lightweight Solid-State Protection Circuit for Avionic Applications)

Reporting period: 2020-12-01 to 2022-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The aim of H2LSPC was to deliver an innovative solid-state protection circuit (SSPC) rated for high voltage high-current operation and meeting the operational requirements and standards of aerospace applications.

The specific objectives were:
• To perform a trade-off study to look at methods of maximising on-state efficiency of solid-state devices, versus cost and weight.
• To perform a study into the scalability of solid-state technology for electrical protection applications.
• To carry out conceptual design, development and functional testing of a prototype solid-state protection device.
• To develop a thermal model of the solid-state device from WP2 and validate simulation results using measured data from testing.
• To develop an EMI model of the solid-state device from WP2 and validate the simulation results using measured data from testing.

H2LSPC demonstrated one of the essential power electronic systems required for a hybrid electric propulsion system, ensuring that they are reliable and of minimal size / weight. The impact of the overall hybrid propulsion concept is estimated in the Clean Sky 2 Joint Technical programme to be in the order of 25- 35% saving in terms of CO2 emissions (this objective being reproduced in the extract from the programme shown below). As such, this project is a key enabler of the hybrid propulsion technology area.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Some of the main achievements of this H2LSPC project are as follows:
• A trade-off study was completed and potential solid-state power controller (SSPC) topologies for the project have been identified and compared thoroughly in terms of weight, cost and efficiency.
• A study into the scalability of solid-state technology for electrical protection applications was completed and a module concept has been newly designed for the project for scalability purposes.
• The detailed design of SSPC with identified topology within H2SPC has been completed by DEEP, UNOTT and SML.
• A detailed study of thermal behaviour and EMI analysis of solid-state device within the SSPC
• The SSPC with H2LSPC team designed solid-state power electronic modules have been manufactured and successfully tested with a continuous currents of 100A for 3 hours; transient voltage of 3.3kV in UONTT.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

H2LSPC delivered impacts in all of the four areas that the Clean Sky programme seeks to support. The ways in which the project supported each goal are as summarised below:
• Technology: H2LSPC delivers a paradigm shift in solid-state protection devices operating at voltages higher than 1 kV, with currents higher than 1 kA and in altitudes of higher than 30,000 feet, which translates to low temperatures and low atmospheric pressure. It provides a clear understanding of the challenges of moving to higher voltages, opportunities to maximise performance and reliability in design and knowledge about the methods that can be used to test and qualify such systems for use on board modern aircraft.
• Environmental Impact: H2LSPC delivers solid-state current limiting and circuit breaking architectures and technologies that forms a key component of the hybrid propulsion system of the future, contributing to the vision of delivering CO2 savings of 25-35% compared to today’s technologies. The project also seeks to minimise the mass and weight of the component providing further incremental benefits in performance at system level.
• Industrial Leadership: H2LSPC brings together key European technical and scientific experts who can collectively exploit these technologies. The developed solutions, both in technologies and topologies, are able to cope with the stress of operating in harsh environments and are applicable to a wide range of industrial sectors (transportation, renewable energies, power distribution). Some of the consortium members are engaged in standardisation activities that are an essential part of the pathway to taking a new technology from demonstrator to product.
• Enhanced Mobility: H2LSPC contributes to the opening of new business models and new routes as hybrid aircraft requires less fuel and hence and is able to operate from airports that do not have the capacity to service high fuel demand.

H2LSPC SSPC