Modular equipment center lightning threat reduction architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561867-B2
Application number	US-201314052292-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 composite vehicle architecture without a current return network for reducing lightning threats. A plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) are spatially distributed throughout the vehicle. Equipment loads within the vehicle are each serviced by the nearest MEC. Twisted and shielded electrical conductor pairs provide secondary power to the equipment loads to minimize the amount of wire throughout the aircraft as well as the return currents on the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs; and
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together and defining section breaks between adjacent vehicle sections, and wherein the vehicle is otherwise free of a current return network extending across section breaks between multiple vehicle sections of the vehicle.

2. The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

3. The power distribution system of claim 2 wherein each of the electrical conductor pairs are twisted electrical conductor pairs.

4. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs; and
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together defining a section break between adjacent vehicle sections, and wherein the multiple conductor cables do not extend across section breaks.

5. The power distribution system of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

6. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs; and
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized, further comprising a transorb on power inputs for the one or more MECs within a respective vehicle section.

7. The power distribution system of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

8. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs;
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized; and
a safety ground bus coupled between adjacent MECs.

9. The power distribution system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

10. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs; and
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized, wherein the neutral conductor is routed with a three-phase power feeder.

11. The power distribution system of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

12. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the composite vehicle, the plurality of MECs distributing power to a plurality of equipment loads throughout the composite vehicle, each of the equipment loads within the composite vehicle serviced by a nearest MEC of the plurality of MECs; and
a plurality of multiple conductor cables, each multiple conductor cable comprising at least one electrical power conductor and a neutral conductor wherein the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor carry substantially equal but opposite currents, wherein each equipment load is coupled to the nearest MEC with one of the multiple conductor cables such that a length of a loop defined by the electrical power conductors and the neutral conductor of each multiple conductor cable between each MEC and associated equipment loads is minimized, wherein the vehicle comprises a composite fuselage skin.

13. The power distribution system of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of multiple conductor cables is an electrical conductor pair.

14. A method of reducing lightning threats to a composite vehicle, the method comprising:
spatially distributing modular equipment centers (MECs) throughout the composite vehicle for distributing electrica

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Liffring Mark E
• Paterson John T
• Shander Mark S
• Whitney Marvin J
• Woods Ed
• Hasenoehrl Thomas R
• Karimi Kamiar J

Classifications

• B60R16/03

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

• B64D45/02 Primary

  Lightning protectors; Static dischargers · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title