literature review on the future more electric aircraft (MEA) power system architecture and investigation of state of the art technologies for more-electric aircrafts

Abstract

In an aircraft, the engine is the main energy source that supplies all the needed energy including the part used as proportion and the parts supplied to all the loads. The vision of optimizing aircraft performance, increasing reliability, reducing operating and maintenance costs as well as gas emission have push the development of aircraft industry toward the concept of more electric aircraft (MEA), and ultimately all electric aircraft. Recent improvement in the field of power electronic conversion systems, high density electric motors, power generation system, fault-tolerant design, electro-hydrostatic actuators and flight control systems have made the concept of MEA feasible.

In this paper, the importance and recent development of aircraft industry is introduced first. Then, the possible electrical system architecture including power generation and distribution systems as well state of art technologies of MEA is studied and compared with conventional aircraft. In order to optimizing the power generation of the aircraft generator, a simulation model of simple generator has been developed to help people in understanding the operation of generator and in the end facilitate people in the research and innovation of aircraft power system.