More Electric Aircraft Power System Technologies (Electric Actuator Thermal Management Concept)

The More Electric Aircraft initiative will replace conventional hydraulic actuators, which are cooled by their centralized hydraulic oil circuit, by discrete electromechanical or electrohydraulic units which are not part of a centralized system. This will introduce a critical localized thermal management issue in the cooling of these advanced actuators and other components. A proposed integrated thermal management system for these components is simple, reliable, lightweight, has a high heat capacity and is totally passive. The proposed concept includes the use of a resin matrix composite heat transfer structure with high thermal conductivity graphite fibers, to provide high in-plane thermal conductivity for effective heat removal from the actuator to the vehicle skin or other heat sink. The concept also uses an innovative approach with embedded high thermal conductivity fibers to improve the short-transverse direction thermal conductivity of the composite structure. In addition, the concept integrates thermal energy storage materials within the composite structure to allow for short-term peak power operation. In the Phase I program the feasibility of this innovative concept will be analytically demonstrated and subelement articles demonstrating key design features will be fabricated and tested. Potential applications in the MEA program and other areas will be identified, and a plan for continued development will be prepared.