Arc Fault Detection, low EMI and Reliability for Power Electronics in Electric Aircrafts

ongoing

The objective of POWER4AIR is to mature relevant technologies for electronic power conversion in the aeronautical field. HVDC power distribution and aerospace standards impose specific requirements on this type of equipment when used in commercial aviation. Additionally, these technologies can be applied to other fields as well. The main technologies to be matured are: Reliability Models of Power Modules: Current reliability models rely on knowledge from silicon devices. However, recent WBG devices such as SiC or GaN do not have accurate reliability models. This drawback increases the maintenance costs of power conversion equipment, hindering a smooth EIS by 2030. AFD and PD Detection: The voltage increase to HVDC in electrical distribution aims to minimize wire section and weight but also increases the risks of arcs through the EWIS of the aircraft. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the safety of the system to quickly identify these events and take appropriate actions to prevent chained failures. High-Density Filters: Power converters are intrinsically electromagnetically noisy due to high dv/dt transitions at semiconductors. To comply with current EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and power quality requirements in commercial aircraft, bulky filters are typically used to reduce the noise. In POWER4AIR, active filtering will be explored to reduce the size and weight of these filters. High-Density Magnetics: Another option to reduce the size and weight of electronic power conversion equipment is to improve the magnetic elements of the converters by design. This involves using new materials or improving the thermal performance of magnetic elements, such as coils, transformers, or chokes. Demonstration at Converter Level: Finally, these technologies will be integrated into a 200kW power converter and demonstrated against relevant performance metrics in aeronautical applications.