Thermal and Electrical Performance of Multilayer, Multifunctional Electrical Insulated Cylindrical and Cuboid Cables in Wide-Body All-Electric Aircraft

The development of efficient power distribution systems is essential for the advancement of wide-body all-electric aircraft (AEA). AEA systems must operate reliably across a wide range of conditions, from high-power takeoff at atmospheric pressure to lower-power cruise at reduced ambient pressures. Cables must be designed to withstand both thermal and electrical stress, including limited convective cooling at cruising heights, partial discharges, and arc tracking risks. This study focuses on evaluating cable performance within a rounded rectangular duct configuration, examining two distinct cable geometries: conventional cylindrical cables and emerging cuboid-shaped cables. Multilayer multifunctional electrical insulation (MMEI) systems are applied to both cable designs to improve electrical and thermal performance. The thermal behavior along with the weight and cross-sectional area requirements of cables are analyzed under two typical operating conditions: 1000 A at 101.325 kPa and 450 A at 18.8 kPa. The results show that cuboid cables placed in a rounded rectangular duct achieve clear reductions in both cross-sectional area and total weight during cruise operation at 18.8 kPa. However, under takeoff conditions at 101.325 kPa, the advantages are less consistent, with cuboid cables sometimes showing slightly higher weight and similar or larger areas compared to cylindrical cables. As cable sizing must prioritize worst-case scenarios, designs should be validated under takeoff conditions, where thermal and electrical stresses are highest. Overall, cuboid cables improve weight and space efficiency during cruise, but takeoff remains the critical constraint for safe and reliable AEA power system design.