Arc fault location detection for aircraft wiring

• US 9,746,512 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Shipley, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Astacio-Oquendo, Giovanni
• Application Number:
  US13/062,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,906 Days
• Field of Search: 324527, 324500, 324512, 324534
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/008 on air- or spacecraft, railway rolling stock or sea-going vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/11 using pulse reflection methods

Abstract

A system for detecting the location of arc faults in an aircraft electrical wiring arrangement is provided. The system comprises a controller, operable to generate a test signal and a directional coupler for coupling the test signal into electrical wiring and for coupling reflected test signals from the electrical wiring to the controller. The electrical wiring comprises one or more wire under test and the controller is further operable to detect test signals reflected from arc faults in the wire under test and to analyze reflected test signals in order to determine one or more arc fault position therefrom. The wire under test may be live and testing can be performed without the need to use invasive in-line components.

Claims

1. A system for detecting the location of arc faults in an aircraft electrical wiring arrangement, the system comprising:

a controller that generates a test signal; and

a non-invasive or non-intrusive directional coupler comprising a parallel coupling capacitor for coupling the test signal into aircraft electrical wiring and for coupling reflected test signals from the aircraft electrical wiring to the controller, the aircraft electrical wiring comprising one or more wire under test, the directional coupler further comprising a series blocking inductor being formed by a magnetic material provided in two or more parts that together form a first split cylinder connectable around a first portion of the one or more wire under test, and the parallel coupling capacitor being formed by a conductive layer provided in two or more parts that together form a second split cylinder connectable around a second portion of the one or more wire under test, each of the parallel coupling capacitor and the series blocking inductor being coupled to the wire under test without a physical connection thereto;

wherein the controller detects test signals reflected from arc faults in the wire under test and to analyse reflected test signals in order to determine one or more arc fault positions therefrom.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the directional coupler is a bi-directional coupler that couples the test signal into one or more of a first direction along the one or more wire under test and a second direction along the one or more wire under test, the first and second directions being oppositely directed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the bi-directional coupler comprises an inductive element and a plurality of capacitive elements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the directional coupler is releasably clampable about at least one wire under test.

5. The system for detecting the location of arc faults in an aircraft electrical wiring arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the parallel coupling capacitor comprises first and second parallel coupling capacitors, the first parallel coupling capacitor being configured as a transmission channel for injecting the test signal into the wire under test, the second parallel coupling capacitor being configured as a receiver channel for receiving the reflected test signal from the wire under test.

6. A non-invasive or non-intrusive directional coupler configured to couple a test signal into electrical wiring of an aircraft for detecting a location of an arc fault and configured to couple reflected test signals from the electrical wiring to a controller, the electrical wiring comprising one or more wire under test, wherein the directional coupler electrically comprises a series blocking inductor and a parallel coupling capacitor with the one or more wire under test, and wherein the series blocking inductor comprises a magnetic material and is provided in two or more parts that together form a first split cylinder around a first portion of the one or more wire under test and the parallel coupling capacitor comprises a conductive layer is provided in two or more parts that together form a second split cylinder around a second portion of the one or more wire under test, and each of the parallel coupling capacitor and the series blocking inductor being coupled to the one or more wire under test without a physical connection thereto.

7. The non-intrusive directional coupler of claim 6, wherein the directional coupler is a bi-directional coupler configured to couple a test signal into one or more of a first direction along one or more wire under test and a second direction along one or more wire under test, the first and second directions being oppositely directed.

8. The non-intrusive directional coupler of claim 7, wherein the bidirectional coupler comprises an inductive element and a plurality of capacitive elements.

9. The non-intrusive directional coupler of claim 6, wherein the directional coupler is releasably clampable about one or more wire under test.

10. The directional coupler according to claim 6 wherein the parallel coupling capacitor comprises first and second parallel coupling capacitors, the first parallel coupling capacitor being configured as a transmission channel for injecting the test signal into the wire under test, the second parallel coupling capacitor being configured as a receiver channel for receiving the reflected test signal from the wire under test.