Performant Generator with Segmented Controller (PGSC)

As aerospace platforms evolve to host increasingly sophisticated electronic payloads and systems, so does the generation capacity of the platform need to increase. As the starter/generator is clearly a mission-critical component, its performance and reliability are paramount. An Electrical Power Generating System (EPGS) outputting up to 500kW of power at 270VDC results in a very substantial electrical current, complicating the design of the system by requiring large, heavy copper conductors and switching components. Finally, the EPGS has losses which must be extracted as heat at a relatively low temperature via a cooling system. Wide-bandgap semiconductors such as SiC and GaN present an opportunity to address some of these problems, exhibiting high performance and tolerating somewhat higher operating temperatures than traditional silicon. They are suitable for high-frequency operation, allowing designers to reduce the mass of passive filtering and magnetic components. Through the use of modeling and simulation, motor/generator magnetic and conduction losses can be minimized and traded vs the mass of required cooling systems. The use of modern, high-temperature magnet materials further reduces the cooling burden by allowing higher generator operational temperatures. The need for redundancy and the challenges presented by the high electrical currents may be addressed by implementing a distributed generator control unit (GCU) consisting of several smaller and relatively independent “segments”, thereby minimizing point failures and distributing the losses over a greater area to simplify the cooling architecture. The use of smaller individual segments also presents the opportunity to leverage more readily available components in greater quantities, with positive impacts to supply-chain, manufacturability, logistics, and maintenance.