Modular equipment center zonal standalone power system control architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561761-B2
Application number	US-201314052396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2013
Priority date	Oct 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout a vehicle servicing equipment loads. Each MEC independently provides localized power and communication to service the equipment loads. A zone of electrical loads is assigned to and serviced by the nearest MEC. Power and communication data are synchronized in that each equipment load receives power and data from the same MEC. In one embodiment, if a MEC experiences an operational inconsistency, one or more other MECs are assigned the equipment loads of the operationally inconsistent MEC.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distributed power system control architecture for a vehicle, the distributed power system control architecture comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed from one another within the vehicle,
wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs provides electrical power and communication data for independently servicing equipment loads in proximity of the MEC, and
wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to communicate with other MECs of the plurality of MECs to coordinate an overall electrical power distribution and data management within the vehicle.

2. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein overall vehicle power distribution data is shared among the plurality of MECs, and wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs is responsible for servicing a respective one or more equipment loads in proximity of the MEC.

3. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs manages data associated with an associated zone of one or more nearest equipment loads, such that each MEC independently performs operations within the associated zone of the one or more nearest equipment loads.

4. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs comprises respective first and second communication channels,
wherein at least a first, second, and third MEC of the plurality of MECs each comprises a respective network switch,
wherein each network switch corresponding to one of the first, second, and third MECs is communicatively coupled with network switches of at least the two other of the first, second, and third MECs through the first communication channels, and
wherein each of the first, second, and third MECs is communicatively coupled with at least two other MECs of the plurality of MECs through the second communication channels.

5. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , further comprising first and second main power sources each configured to provide primary electrical power to one or more of the plurality of MECs,
wherein the plurality of MECs comprises first and second primary MECs, the first primary MEC powered by the first main power source, and
wherein a primary power switching bus of the second primary MEC is configured to, upon determining a loss of primary electrical power to the first primary MEC, reroute primary electrical power in real-time from the second main power source to the first primary MEC.

6. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of MECs comprises a primary MEC and a secondary MEC, and
wherein the secondary MEC is configured to, upon determining a failure of the primary MEC, provide electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads associated with the failed primary MEC.

7. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , further comprising;
at least one main power source;
a standby power source comprising one or more of a ram air turbine (RAT), battery, and a fuel cell,
wherein the plurality of MECs comprises a standby MEC powered by the standby power source,
wherein the standby MEC is configured to, upon determining a loss of power to the plurality of MECs caused by a failure of the at least one main power source, distribute power and communication data to the plurality of MECs.

8. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein upon determining a failure of a failed MEC of the plurality of MECs, management of equipment loads within a zone associated with the failed MEC is transferred in real-time to one or more other MECs of the plurality of MECs in closest proximity to the failed MEC.

9. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 8 , wherein upon determining a failure of a failed MEC of the plurality of MECs, management of equipment loads within a zone associated with the failed MEC is transferred in real-time to two or more other MECs of the plurality such that respective zones associated with the two or more other MECs are expanded to include equipment loads of the failed MEC.

10. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs generates respective configuration information associated with servicing equipment loads in a respective zone of the MEC, and wherein the configuration information of each MEC is shared with other MECs of the plurality of MECs to coordinate the overall electrical power distribution and data management within the vehicle.

11. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 10 , wherein a configuration of each MEC of the plurality of MECs for servicing respective equipment loads is determined using configuration information of other MECs of the plurality of MECs.

12. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 10 , wherein a respective zone of equipment loads for each MEC of the plurality of MECs is defined using configuration information of the other MECs of the plurality of MECs.

13. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

14. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, wherein adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections define a section break.

15. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 14 , wherein upon determining a failure of a first MEC of the plurality of MECs, the first MEC disposed in a first vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, management of equipment loads within a first zone associated with the failed first MEC is transferred in real-time to a second MEC of the plurality of MECs, the second MEC disposed in the first vehicle section, thereby expanding a second zone associated with the second MEC to subsequently service the equipment loads of the failed first MEC.

16. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 14 , wherein upon determining a failure of a first MEC of the plurality of MECs, the first MEC disposed in a first vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, management of equipment loads within a zone associated with the failed first MEC is transferred in real-time to a second MEC of the plurality of MECs in proximity of the equipment loads, the second MEC disposed in a second vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections.

17. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 13 , wherein the aircraft comprises a fuselage comprising one or more forward sections and one or more aft sections, the fuselage defining a section break between the one or more forward sections and the one or more aft sections, and
wherein primary electrical power is distributed to a first plurality of MECs forward of the section break and to a second plurality of MECs aft of the section break.

18. The distributed power system control architecture of claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of MECs comprises one or more first MECs servicing equipment loads on a left side of the aircraft and one or more second MECs servicing equipment loads on a right side of the aircraft, and
wherein the second plurality of MECs comprises one or more third MECs servicing equipment loads on the left side of the aircraft and one or more fourth MECs servicing equipment loads on the right side of the aircraft.

19. The distributed power system control architecture

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Walstrom Steven M
• Brouwer Todd B
• Currier Thomas F
• Hasenoehrl Thomas R
• Kerr Carolyn
• Liffring Mark E
• Schaffner Lowell W
• Shander Mark S

Classifications

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• B60R16/03 Primary

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• H02J13/0096

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J4/00 Primary

  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