Electric distribution architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10693314-B2
Application number	US-201716095716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An electric distribution architecture may comprise a main bus delivering current from a main source to a set of distributed loads at a first voltage wherein a subset of the set requires a second voltage lower than the first voltage. A distribution unit may be connected between the main bus and each load of the subset and may include a voltage converter converting the first voltage to the second voltage. A battery bus may deliver current to the subset at the second voltage from a battery when the main bus is not operating. The battery bus may operate at a third voltage higher than the second voltage on the battery bus. The voltage converter may convert the third voltage to the second voltage for the subset when the main bus is not operating, wherein the battery bus has a weight adequate to accommodate a current at the third voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric distribution architecture comprising:
a main bus for delivering current from a main source to a set of distributed loads at a first voltage wherein a subset of the set of distributed loads requires a second voltage lower than the first voltage;
a distribution unit connected between the main bus and each load of the subset, the distribution unit including a voltage converter for converting the first voltage to the second voltage;
a battery bus for delivering current to the subset at the second voltage from a battery when the main bus is not operating; and
wherein the battery bus operates at a third voltage higher than the second voltage on the battery bus, wherein the voltage converter converts the third voltage to the second voltage for the subset when the main bus is not operating, and wherein the battery bus has a weight adequate to accommodate a current at the third voltage.

2. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 further comprising a boost circuit interposed between the battery bus and the battery operating at the second voltage.

3. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 wherein the third voltage is equal to or higher than the first voltage.

4. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 wherein the current on the main bus is alternating current (AC) and the current on the battery bus is direct current (DC).

5. The electric distribution architecture of claim 4 wherein the voltage converter includes a rectifier and a DC-DC converter.

6. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 wherein the first voltage is about 115V AC and the second voltage is about 28V DC.

7. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 wherein the subset includes at least one of evacuation lights, ground proximity warning, IMA avionics computer, exterior lighting, fire suppression, navigational electronics, GPW, flight control, or instrument display.

8. An electric distribution architecture for an aircraft comprising:
a main bus for delivering current from a main source on the aircraft to a set of loads distributed throughout the aircraft at a first voltage wherein a subset of the set of loads requires a second voltage lower than the first voltage;
a distribution unit connected between the main bus and each load of the subset, the distribution unit including a voltage converter for converting the first voltage to the second voltage;
a battery bus for delivering current to the subset at the second voltage from a battery when the main bus is not operating; and
wherein the battery bus operates at a third voltage higher than the second voltage on the battery bus, wherein the voltage converter converts the third voltage to the second voltage for the subset when the main bus is not operating, and wherein the battery bus has a reduced weight on the aircraft.

9. The electric distribution architecture of claim 1 further comprising a boost circuit interposed between the battery bus and the battery operating at the second voltage.

10. The electric distribution architecture of claim 8 wherein the third voltage is equal to or higher than the first voltage.

11. The electric distribution architecture of claim 8 wherein the current on the main bus is alternating current (AC) and the current on the battery bus is direct current (DC).

12. The electric distribution architecture of claim 11 wherein the converter includes a rectifier and a DC-DC converter.

13. The electric distribution architecture of claim 8 wherein the first voltage is about 115V AC and the second voltage is about 28V DC.

14. The electric distribution architecture of claim 8 wherein the set includes at least one of evacuation lights, ground proximity warning, IMA avionics computer, exterior lighting, fire suppression, navigational electronics, GPW, flight control, or instrument display.

15. A method of distributing electricity on an aircraft, the method comprising:
delivering current from a main source on the aircraft over a main bus to a set of loads distributed throughout the aircraft at a first voltage;
converting the first voltage to a second voltage lower than the first voltage in distribution units between the main bus and a subset of the set of loads that require the second voltage;
delivering current from a battery to a battery bus connected to the distribution units at a third voltage higher than the second voltage when the main bus is not operating;
converting the third voltage to the second voltage for the subset when the main bus is not operating; and
wherein the battery bus has a reduced weight on the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the battery operates at the second voltage and further comprising boosting the battery for providing the third voltage on the battery bus.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the third voltage is equal to or higher than the first voltage.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the current on the main bus is alternating current (AC) and the current on the battery bus is direct current (DC).

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the converter includes a rectifier and a DC-DC converter.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first voltage is about 115V AC and the second voltage is about 28V DC.

Assignees

• Ge Aviat Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Collins John Oliver
• Compton Russell Mark

Classifications

• H02J4/25

  for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system · CPC title

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• H02J1/08

  Three-wire DC power distribution systems; Systems having more than three wires · CPC title