Aircraft electrical power distribution network

• US 6,664,656 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bernier, Alan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US09/951,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 307/18, 307/23, 307/80, 307/9.1, 307/20, 307/34, 307/42, 307/84, 307/86, 244/194, 244/76.R, 244/53.R, 244/60, 244/227, 244/75.R, 701/3
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A data collection network and electrical power distribution network designed to reduce airplane wire weight and allow nearly complete wiring design and installation of wiring and equipment in the major structural sections of the airplane.

Claims

1. An aircraft electrical power distribution network comprising in combination:

a data collection network including a plurality of sensors;

an electrical power distribution network;

said data collection network comprising a plurality of data concentrators (RDC);

a plurality of system controllers;

said data collection network comprising said data concentrators collecting sensor data from various locations in the aircraft and transmitting said data on a bus for utilization by said plurality of system controllers; and

said data concentrators responsive to analog data and broadcasting scaled data on said bus with input address and RDC address thereby providing each of said plurality of sensors with a unique address.

2. A method of configuring an electrical power distribution system topology for a particular airplane configuration from a plurality of configurations comprising the steps of:

providing at least one generating means;

providing a main electrical power distribution panel for each of said power generating means;

providing remote power distribution unit located near the center of electrical load equipment for each of said power distribution panels;

providing at least one data communication network between said power distribution panel and said remote power distribution units and, each of said power distribution panels housing high capacity and medium capacity RPDU feeds contractors and a memory for loading load connectivity data for individual airplane loads whereupon power up RPDU reads load connectivity from the power distribution panel thereby allowing the RPDU to directly control electrical power to individual loads.

3. An electrical power distribution network in an aircraft comprising in combination:

a plurality of power distribution panels (PDP);

each of said power distribution panels housing high capacity and medium capacity RPDU feeds contractors and a memory for loading load connectivity data for individual airplane loads whereupon power up RPDU reads load connectivity from the power distribution panel thereby allowing the RPDU to directly control electrical power to individual loads;

a plurality of remote power distribution units (RPDU);

a circuit breaker control and status display (CBCS);

said plurality of power distribution panels (PDP), said plurality of remote power distribution units (RPDU), and said circuit breaker control and status display (CBCS) connected to a high-speed data bus for receiving and executing system/manual control commands.

4. In combination in an electrical power distribution network:

a plurality of power distribution panels PDP) located centrally in an aircraft for distributing power to remotely located remote power distribution units (RPDU) located around the aircraft in close proximity to electrical load equipment;

each of said power distribution panels (PDP) comprising main generator breakers and primary distribution buses;

said power distribution panels (PDP) located within the pressurized fuselage near the leading edge of the wings of the aircraft to reduce the length of the engine generator feeders;

one of each of said power distribution panels associated with each engine generator channel;

each of said power distribution panels (PDP) comprising main generator control breakers, bus tie breakers, a bus bar network and controllable distribution breakers to feed electrical power to said remote power distribution units (RPDU);

said power distribution panels (PDP) connected to a high-speed data bus network to receive control commands and transmit status; and

,

each independent channel within the aircraft comprising a single identical power distribution unit (PDP).

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein said remote power distribution units (RPDU) comprise several circuit cards including a plurality of solid state power controllers (SSPC) mounted on the card, two of said cards providing redundant data bus communication and (SSPC) control with respect to data bus commands, and each of said remote power distribution units (RPDU) powered from one electrical bus.