Installation for controlling power in an aircraft

• US 7,286,910 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Actuation Systems
• Original Assignee: Precilec Co.
• Inventors: Robert, Jean-Claude, Marin-Martinod, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/045,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/22, 700/295, 700/297, 713/320, 307/10.8, 307/11, 307 29- 32, 307/43, 307/52
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving

Abstract

The installation (10) for controlling power in an aircraft comprises a power distribution network (22); at least two subscribers (14A, 14B, 14C) connected to the network (22); a central power control unit (20) which is capable of allocating a total available power level to each subscriber; and a device for determining the total power effectively consumed for each load of the subscribers. The central power control unit (20) acquires information which represents the total power effectively consumed by each subscriber and is capable of allocating the total available power to each subscriber in accordance with the total power levels effectively consumed by the subscribers.

Claims

1. Installation for controlling power in an aircraft, comprising:

a power distribution network;

at least two subscribers connected to the network, each subscriber comprising a group of loads which consume electrical power and local means for controlling the loads;

a central power control unit which allocates a total available power level (Pd_i) to each subscriber;

means for determining the total power effectively consumed for each load; and

for each subscriber, means for allocating power between the various loads of the subscriber in accordance with the total available power (Pd_i) allocated to the subscriber, wherein

the central power control unit comprises means for acquiring information which represents the total power (Pc_i) effectively consumed by each subscriber;

and in that the central power control unit allocates the total available power (Pd_i) to each subscriber in accordance with the total power levels (Pc_i) effectively consumed by the subscribers.

2. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the representative information is the total power (Pc_i) effectively consumed by the subscriber.

3. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the representative information is all of the elementary power levels (P_j;

p_j) effectively consumed by each load of the subscriber.

4. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the information which represents the total power (Pc_i) effectively consumed is determined based on an instantaneous power level (p_j) effectively consumed by each load.

5. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the information which represents the total power (Pc_i) effectively consumed is determined based on predetermined nominal power levels (P_j) for the loads which are effectively operational.

6. Installation according to claim 1, wherein each subscriber comprises a local power control unit in which means are integrated for allocating power between the various subscribers, and in that each local power control unit is connected to the central power control unit by means of a bidirectional information transmission connection for transferring the predetermined information to the central power control unit and the total available power (Pd_i) allocated to each subscriber to each subscriber.

7. Installation according to claim 6, wherein each local power control unit comprises means for transmitting to the central power control unit a request for modifying the total available power (Pd_i) allocated to the subscriber.

8. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the central power control unit comprises means for reducing the total available power (Pd_i) for one or each subscriber that meets a predetermined criterion depending on the total power (Pc_i) effectively consumed by the subscriber.

9. Installation according to claim 1, wherein the central power control unit allocates the total available power (Pd_i) to each subscriber in such a manner that the sum of the total available power levels allocated is less than a threshold value (PMU).