Modular equipment center solid state primary power switching network

• US 9,676,351 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lurton, N. Evan, Currier, Thomas F., Dhondt, Jon J., Kerr, Carolyn, Holley, Robert D., Schaffner, Lowell W., Solodovnik, Eugene, Liffring, Mark E., Shander, Mark S., Brouwer, Todd B., Thomas, Terrance L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US14/052,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20150103457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 307 64
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/0073 for providing alternative feeding paths between load and source when the main path fails, e.g. transformers, busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

A solid state primary power switching network for modular equipment centers (MECs) distributing primary power throughout a vehicle. The solid state primary power switching network includes multiple primary power switch network devices (PPSNDs) of a MEC for controlling and distributing primary power to other MECs spatially distribute throughout a vehicle. In one or more configurations, the PPSNDs have a universal structure in that each includes a common power input source and a plurality of common power outputs. In one or more configurations, primary power sources to the vehicle are switched without a perceivably visible break in power.

Claims

1. A primary power switching network for use with a vehicle, the power switching network comprising:

a plurality of modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle, each of the MECs comprising at least one primary power input configured for receiving primary power;

a plurality of equipment loads throughout the vehicle, each of the equipment loads serviced by the nearest MEC; and

a plurality of primary power switching network devices (PPSNDs) within each of the MECs, the plurality of PPSNDs having a common configuration relative to one another, wherein each of the PPSNDs receives a different phase of a power signal provided by a common power input source, and wherein each of the PPSNDs comprises a plurality of common power outputs.

2. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein each PPSND further comprises a primary power bus configured for distributing primary power to one or more other MECs.

3. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein each PPSND further comprises at least one tie bus configured for distributing primary power to other MECs.

4. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein each PPSND further comprises at least one tie bus configured for receiving primary power from other MECs.

5. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein each PPSND further comprises a plurality of common power output connections configured for distributing primary power.

6. The primary power switching network of claim 5, wherein at least one of the common power output connections is configured for distributing primary power to a primary MEC.

7. The primary power switching network of claim 5, wherein at least one of the common power output connections is configured for distributing primary power to a secondary MEC.

8. The primary power switching network of claim 5, wherein at least one of the common power output connections is configured for distributing power to a high voltage AC load.

9. The primary power switching network of claim 1, further comprising at least one power distribution module configured for receiving power from the PPSNDs of a MEC of the plurality of MECs and distributing secondary power to equipment loads of the MEC.

10. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein at least one PPSND is coupled to a multi-layered integrated truss system, the multi-layered integrated truss system comprising at least one power transfer layer wherein the power transfer layer receives electrical power from a high power portion of the MEC through the PPSND and the power transfer layer includes a path for providing the electrical power to a low power portion of the MEC.

11. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein the common power input source is a primary power source configured to distribute primary power to the plurality of MECs and wherein the power signal comprises a poly-phase primary power.

12. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein each PPSND further comprises a plurality of contactors, at least a portion of the plurality of contactors on each PPSND arranged in a common configuration relative one another for switching power from the common power input source and to the common power outputs.

13. The primary power switching network of claim 1, wherein the common power input source provides three-phase primary power to each of the PPSNDs, each of the PPSNDs within each of the MECs receiving a different phase of the three-phase primary power.

14. A solid state primary power switching network for use with a vehicle, the power switching network comprising:

first and second modular equipment centers (MECs) spatially distributed throughout the vehicle;

first and second primary power sources each distributing a respective poly-phase primary power signal to the first and second MECs;

a plurality of equipment loads throughout the vehicle, each of the equipment loads serviced by the nearest of the first and second MECs; and

a plurality of primary power switching network devices (PPSNDs) within each of the first and second MECs, the plurality of PPSNDs sharing a common configuration relative to one another such that each of the PPSNDs comprise at least one common power input source and a plurality of common power outputs,

wherein each PPSND within the first MEC receives a different phase of the respective poly-phase primary power signal from the first primary power source and each PPSND within the second MEC receives a different phase of the respective poly-phase primary power signal from the second primary power source.

15. The solid state primary power switching network of claim 14, wherein the first and second MECs are primary MECs and the first and second primary power sources are generators.

16. A primary power switching network for use with a vehicle, the power switching network comprising:

a modular equipment center (MEC) for use within the vehicle;

at least one primary power source configured to distribute a three-phase primary power signal to the MEC;

a plurality of equipment loads in the vehicle serviced by the MEC; and

at least three primary power switching network devices (PPSNDs) within the MEC, the PPSNDs having a common configuration relative to one another such that each of the PPSNDs comprise at least one common power input source and a plurality of common power outputs,

wherein each of the PPSNDs within the MEC receives a different phase of the three-phase primary power signal generated from the primary power source.