This version is available at https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/55472/ Strathprints is designed to allow users to access the research output of the University of Strathclyde. Unless otherwise explicitly stated on the manuscript, Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Please check the manuscript for details of any other licences that may have been applied. You may not engage in further distribution of the material for any profitmaking activities or any commercial gain. You may freely distribute both the url (https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/) and the content of this paper for research or private study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge.Any correspondence concerning this service should be sent to the Strathprints administrator: strathprints@strath.ac.ukThe Strathprints institutional repository (https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk) is a digital archive of University of Strathclyde research outputs. It has been developed to disseminate open access research outputs, expose data about those outputs, and enable the management and persistent access to Strathclyde's intellectual output.This document is a pre-print which was accepted for publication in IEEE transactions on Applied Superconductivity on the 1 st of February 2016, and as such is subject to IEEE copyright.  Abstract-Turbine engine driven distributed electrical aircraft power systems (also referred to as Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP)) are proposed for providing thrust for future aircraft with superconducting components operating at 77K in order for performance and emissions targets to be met. The proposal of such systems presents a radical change from current state-of-the-art aero-electrical power systems. Central to the development of such power systems are architecture design trades which must consider system functionality and performance, system robustness and fault ride-through capability, in addition to the balance between mass and efficiency. This paper presents a quantitative comparison of the three potential candidate architectures for TeDP electrical networks. This analysis provides the foundations for establishing the feasibility of these different architectures subject to design and operational constraints. The findings of this paper conclude that a purely AC synchronous network performs best in terms of mass and efficiency, but similar levels of functionality and controllability to an architecture with electrical decoupling via DC cannot readily be achieved. If power electronic converters with cryocoolers are found to be necessary for functionality and controllability purposes, then studies show that a significant increase in the efficiency of solid state switching components is necessary to achieve specified aircraft performance targets. Index Terms-Distributed electrical aircraft propulsion, superconducting power systems, turbo-electric distributed propulsion

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Distributed electrical propulsion for aircraft, also known as turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP), will require a complex electrical power system which can deliver power to multiple propulsor motors from gas turbine driven generators. To ensure that high enough power densities are reached, it has been proposed that such power systems are superconducting. Key to the development of these systems is the understanding of how faults propagate in the network, which enables possible protection strategies to be considered and following that, the development of an appropriate protection strategy to enable a robust electrical power system with fault ride-through capability. This paper investigates possible DC protection strategies for a radial DC architecture for a TeDP power system, in terms of their ability to respond appropriately to a DC fault and their impact on overall system weight and efficiency. This latter aspect has already been shown to be critical to shaping the overall TeDP concept competitiveness.

Turbo-electric distributed power (TeDP) systems proposed for hybrid wing body (HWB) N3-X aircraft are complex, superconducting electrical networks, which must be developed to meet challenging weight, efficiency and propulsor power requirements. An integrated system sensitivity analysis tool is presented, which can be used to support rapid appraisal studies of architectures, protection systems and redundancy requirements for TeDP systems. The use of this tool can help direct future research on TeDP systems towards the key challenges relevant to meeting the stringent weight and efficiency targets set out for N+3 aircraft concepts.

Distributed propulsion is being considered as a possible solution to increase aircraft efficiency, reduce fuel costs and reduce emissions. The size, weight and efficiency of components within a Turbo-electric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP) system are dependent on the voltage level of the electrical power network. Current aircraft voltage standards do not address the architecture of distributed propulsion and so a review of voltage standards from different industries is conducted with areas of commonality addressed. An example of TeDP architecture is presented and analyzed to highlight how current aircraft standards may not apply to TeDP. A summary of challenges in developing standards for a TeDP is compiled with a stakeholder analysis to demonstrate the wide range of industries and personnel with vested interests in the development of voltage standards and recommended practices for TeDP