Droop-basierte Lastregelung für DC-Bordnetze elektrifizierter Luftfahrzeuge

Kurzfassung

Future electrified aircraft increasingly rely on a reliable electrical power supply to ensure the operation of safety-critical systems. The transition towards DC-based electrical power distribution systems facilitates the efficient integration of power electronic components but introduces increased sensitivity to load transients due to low inherent system inertia. Consequently, ensuring power system stability, availability, and redundancy becomes increasingly challenging.

Conventional Electrical Power Management Systems (EPMS) primarily rely on binary load shedding, where non-critical loads are completely disconnected when the available power generation capacity becomes insufficient. Although this approach ensures the prioritization of critical loads, it reduces overall system availability and introduces abrupt power changes that may adversely affect DC bus stability.

This paper proposes a conceptual electrical architecture for aircraft DC power distribution systems based on an extended droop control strategy and an enhanced Power Distribution Management Unit (PDMU). The proposed droop control concept is specifically adapted to the requirements of aircraft electrical networks and extends conventional power sharing between sources by actively integrating electrical loads into the power regulation process. This enables continuous load power adjustment and gradual degradation of non-critical loads instead of discrete load disconnection during power-limited operating conditions.

The proposed architecture is designed as a distributed DC microgrid comprising multiple power sources, power electronic interfaces, and electrical loads. In addition to conventional switching, routing, and bus selection functions, the PDMU provides supervisory control and coordination of power flows. Configurable virtual droop impedances implemented within the power electronic interfaces enable decentralized power regulation, allowing both sources and loads to contribute to DC bus stabilization.

The proposed approach aims to mitigate power transients, enhance effective system availability through graceful load degradation, and improve redundancy through distributed control. It therefore provides a promising conceptual framework for future aircraft DC electrical power systems with stringent requirements regarding stability, availability, and electrical robustness.