Considerations on the Development of an Electric Drive for a Secondary Flight Control Electromechanical Actuator

Abstract

The more electric aircraft concept aims to improve the fuel consumption, the weight and both the maintenance and operating costs of the aircraft, by promoting the use of electric power in actuation systems. According to this scenario, electromechanical actuators for flight control systems represent an important technology in next generation aircraft. The paper presents a linear geared electromechanical actuator for secondary flight control systems, where the safety and availability requirements are fulfilled by replicating the electric drive acting on the drivetrain. Indeed, the architecture considered consists of two power converters feeding as many electrical machines coupled to the same mechanical system. The design of both the permanent magnet synchronous machine and the power converter are addressed. Preliminary results on the electric drive prototype are also provided and compared to the design requirements. Finally, the electromechanical actuator performance at system-level is evaluated in Dymola environment, analyzing different operating modes.

Large-Scale Piezoelectric-Based Systems for More Electric Aircraft Applications

“…In the development of signal-by-wire and power-by-wire actuators in aircraft, electromechanical (EM) systems have seen a huge improvement, with significant results from both researchers and manufacturers. Electrical actuators, which have taken advantage of state-of-the-art motors and power screws, are among these systems [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The electrical actuators could provide a load range of up to 90 , with over 90% efficiency, making them suitable for replacing several conventional hydraulic or fueldraulic systems in the jet engine [ 18 , 19 ].…”

Reliability Oriented Design of Low Voltage Electrical Machines Based On Accelerated Thermal Aging Tests

“…Throughout the decades, the electrical machine (EM) design has been gradually refined, and nowadays, EM designers can rely on various engineering tools, which enable accurate and optimal designs. Indeed, the performance-oriented design method already allows to develop EMs that can reach excellent operating performance values, in terms of both efficiency and power density [1,2]. In transport applications, these are essential features, because a compact and lightweight design is desirable.…”

Evaluation of strand‐to‐strand capacitance and dissipation factor in thermally aged enamelled coils for low‐voltage electrical machines

“…Inter-turn insulation degradation, induced by excessive thermal aging, is recognised as one of the major causes of premature failure in low-voltage EMs [11,12]. Evaluating the deterioration level, and thus being able to predict the useful lifetime of inter-turn insulation, is crucial, particularly for EMs employed in safety-critical applications [13].…”