Induction Machine for More Electric Aircraft: Enabling New Electrical Power System Architectures

With the trend toward more electric aircraft (mea), the onboard electrical power generation and distribution requires increased electrical power-generation capacity; improved electrical power system (EPS) availability and reliability; and optimized system weight, volume, and efficiency. New EPS architectures are needed to fulfill these performance improvement requirements, where the type of electrical generator can have greater impact on the fundamentals of the newly designed EPS architecture. This article explores the option of using an induction generator in a distributed EPS for commercial transport MEA. Induction generator-based electrical power generation and management system architectures for both the main-engine generation system and auxiliary power unit (APU) system are introduced, with a brief explanation of their operation principles and control methods.