Modular equipment center distributed primary power architecture

• US 9,511,728 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Shander, Mark S., Liffring, Mark E., Brouwer, Todd B., Johnson, Robert T., Kerr, Carolyn, Peters, John T., Jackson, Timothy E., Hasenoehrl, Thomas R., Walstrom, Steven M., Nordsieck, Arnold W., Springgay, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yeshaw, Esayas
• Application Number:
  US14/052,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

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 and each equipment load is serviced by the nearest MEC. In at least one embodiment, only primary power is distributed across section breaks of the vehicle to minimize the number of connections between section breaks, reduce overall vehicle weight, and to increase vehicle build rate.

Claims

1. A distributed power and communications system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections defining one or more section breaks; and

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle such that at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, each vehicle section defining one or more zones of equipment loads in proximity of a MEC of the at least one MEC, wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to;

independently provide localized electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads within an associated zone of equipment loads;

receive primary electrical power from one or more power sources; and

perform localized power conversion of the primary electrical power to independently provide secondary electrical power for servicing the equipment loads within the associated zone of equipment loads,

wherein the primary electrical power is distributed across the one or more section breaks such that the at least one MEC located in each vehicle section receives the primary electrical power.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each MEC is configured to distribute both primary and secondary electrical power.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the MECs is a standby MEC distributing high voltage AC power across the section breaks of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein secondary power is otherwise precluded from crossing section breaks.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each MEC comprises a primary power bus for distributing high voltage power to other MECs.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein a portion of the plurality of MECs further comprise a second primary power bus for distributing high voltage power.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each MEC having only a single primary power bus defines a secondary MEC, each secondary MEC having a low power portion for distributing secondary electrical power to service equipment loads.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein each MEC having the second primary power bus defines a primary MEC, wherein each primary MEC distributes primary power to other primary MECs and to the secondary MECs.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein a pair of primary power buses define a primary MEC having a high power portion and a low power portion, the primary power bus in the high power portion for routing primary power between other primary MECs, and the primary power bus in the low power portion for distributing power to service equipment loads.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one primary power source, wherein a portion of the plurality of MECs are primary MECs and primary power from the primary power source is distributed amongst the primary MECs, and wherein primary power may be routed from one primary MEC to another primary MEC when power is lost at the other primary MEC.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of primary power sources, each of the MECs directly receiving primary power from one of the primary power sources, wherein each of the MECs may receive primary power from another of the primary power sources through another of the MECs when primary power directly from one of the primary power sources is lost.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein there are three vehicle sections and each section has two MECs, thereby defining a 3 by 2 configuration.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the MECs is located in a sidewall of a fuselage of an aircraft.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the MECs is located in a floor between passenger and cargo compartments of an aircraft.

15. A method for distributing electrical power and communications data throughout a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a plurality of vehicle sections and defining one or more section breaks between adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections, the method comprising:

distributing primary power generated by one or more main power sources across the one or more section breaks to a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs), wherein at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, wherein each of one or more equipment loads within each vehicle section is associated with a nearest MEC of the at least one MEC;

distributing, using the plurality of MECs, secondary power only within each respective vehicle section to service associated equipment loads; and

communicating among the plurality of MECs to accomplish an overall vehicle load management.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing fiber optic communications to preclude high voltage primary power from affecting data communications.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising distributing primary power between MECs.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising losing primary power from a main power sources to one of the MECs and routing primary power from another MEC powered by another main power source to the MEC that is unpowered.

19. A distributed power and communications system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections defining one or more section breaks; and

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle such that at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, each vehicle section defining one or more zones of equipment loads in proximity of a MEC of the at least one MEC, wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to;

independently provide localized electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads within an associated zone of equipment loads,

receive primary electrical power from one or more power sources, and

perform localized power conversion of the primary electrical power to independently provide secondary electrical power for servicing the equipment loads within the associated zone of equipment loads,

wherein secondary power is otherwise precluded from crossing section breaks.

20. A distributed power and communications system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections defining one or more section breaks; and

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle such that at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, each vehicle section defining one or more zones of equipment loads in proximity of a MEC of the at least one MEC,

wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to independently provide localized electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads within an associated zone of equipment loads,

wherein each of the plurality of MECs comprises a first primary power bus for distributing high-voltage power to other MECs of the plurality of MECs,

wherein a portion of the plurality of MECs further comprise a second primary power bus for distributing high-voltage power, and

wherein each MEC of the plurality of MECs having only the first primary power bus defines a secondary MEC, each secondary MEC having a low power portion for distributing secondary electrical power to service equipment loads.

21. A distributed power and communications system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections defining one or more section breaks; and

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle such that at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, each vehicle section defining one or more zones of equipment loads in proximity of a MEC of the at least one MEC,

wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to independently provide localized electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads within an associated zone of equipment loads,

wherein each of the plurality of MECs comprises a first primary power bus for distributing high-voltage power to other MECs of the plurality of MECs,

wherein a portion of the plurality of MECs further comprise a second primary power bus for distributing high-voltage power, and

wherein each MEC of the portion of the plurality of MECs comprising the second primary power bus defines a primary MEC, wherein each primary MEC distributes primary power to other primary MECs and to the secondary MECs.

22. A distributed power and communications system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sections coupled together, adjacent vehicle sections of the plurality of vehicle sections defining one or more section breaks; and

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle such that at least one MEC of the plurality of MECs is located in each vehicle section of the plurality of vehicle sections, each vehicle section defining one or more zones of equipment loads in proximity of a MEC of the at least one MEC,

wherein each of the plurality of MECs is configured to independently provide localized electrical power and communication data to service equipment loads within an associated zone of equipment loads,

wherein there are three vehicle sections and each section has two MECs, thereby defining a three by two configuration.