In recent years, wireless sensor networks (WSN) have been considered for various aeronautical applications to perform sensing, data processing and wireless transmission of information, without the need of adding extra wiring. However, each node of these networks needs to be self-powered. Considering the critical drawbacks associated with the use of electrochemical energy sources such as narrow operating temperature range and limited lifetime, environmental energy capture allows an alternative solution for long term, deploy and forget, WSN. In this context, thermoelectricity is a method of choice considering the implementation context. In this paper we present hands-on experience related to ongoing implementations of thermoelectric generators (TEG) in airliners. In a first part, we will explain the reasons justifying the choice of ambient energy capture to power WSN in an aircraft. Then we will derive the general requirements applying to the functional use of TEG. Finally, in the last section, we will illustrate the above issues through practical implementations.

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This paper describes the design of a power-cycling test bench to study the reliability of power-GaN-HEMT power switches. The aim of the presented paper is to study the measurable electrical consequences of internal degradation with aging. The shift of these measured parameters can be considered as reliability indicators. With the aim to decorrelate thermomechanical effects from internal GaN-specific degradation, the temperature was limited by choosing the stress parameters with the use of an infrared camera. The power-cycling test was designed with GaN-specific gate drivers to consider the pGaN-gate requirements. Thorough the power-cycling test we have tracked the evolution of electrical parameters that have been identified as degradation indicators. Finally, we have studied the link between the stress parameters and the degradation, as well as the correlation between different degradation indicators.

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