152 Aircraft electrical and electronic systems

DC busbar

External
power relay

OFF

External power
3-pin plug switch
Main ON
pins




3rd pin
External supply
socket Access door
Fuselage
skin

Figure 8.9 External ground power 3-pin connector schematic

now different since the left generator is supplying less switching loads off the bus is called load-shedding;
current. To illustrate this effect, if the left generator is this can be achieved by automatic or manual control.
supplying 40 A and the right generator is supplying 50 A, These loads are connected onto specific busbars that
the voltage drops across the respective resistors are: fulfil a specific function. These can be categorized into
a hierarchy as illustrated in Fig. 8.11. Connections
VR1  40  0.01  0.4 V between busbars are via heavy-duty contactors, or
breakers. Aircraft types vary, however the following
VR 2  50  0.01  0.5 V categories are typical for many installations.
This difference in voltage (0.1 volt) causes a current Main bus: this is sometimes called the non-essential,
to flow from R2 through the right equalizing coil (8) generator, or load bus. It will include loads such as
into the left equalizing coil (7). This relaxes the right car- the galleys, in-flight entertainment (IFE) and main
bon pile regulator thereby decreasing the generator out- cabin lights. These loads can be disconnected
put. The left regulator coil compresses thereby increasing and isolated in flight without affecting the safe
the left generator output. In practice, this circuit can only operation of the aircraft.
compensate for relatively small variations in output; the Essential bus: this is sometimes called the vital
generators need to be trimmed on a periodic basis. or safety bus. It will include equipment and
instruments required for the continued safe
operation of the aircraft.
Battery bus: this is sometimes called the standby, or
8.3 Larger aircraft systems
emergency bus. It supplies the equipment required
Larger (commuter, business and passenger) aircraft for the safe landing of the aircraft, e.g. radios, fuel
have many more electrical systems compared with control, landing gear and fire protection.
general aviation aircraft; there is s requirement for There are three main types of distribution system
a comprehensive approach to account for potential architecture used on aircraft to fulfil the above:
failures of generators, wiring, etc. The management
of potential failures is addressed by categorizing the ● split bus system
various loads and then disconnecting them in accord- ● parallel system
ance with a predetermined sequence. The process of ● split parallel system.
Distribution of power supplies 153

11 12

9 10

Battery busbar 6
5

3 4

7 8
Generator
15 Generator
 

13 14
1 2

L R

1 2 Equalising resistors
3 4 Carbon pile regulators
5 6 Regulator voltage coils
7 8 Regulator equalising coils
9 10 Trimming resistors
11 12 Reverse current relays
13 14 Equalising switches
15 Battery switch

Figure 8.10 Simple twin engine equalizing system schematic

8.4 Split bus system to be operating at exactly the same frequency and can
be running out of phase with each other. Secondary
This is a completely isolated twin generation system, power is derived from step-down transformers to
sometimes called a non-parallel system used on provide 26 V AC; transformer rectifier units (TRU)
twin-engine aircraft, see Fig. 8.12. Primary power provide 28 V DC for the DC busbars and battery
is based on two main AC integrated drive generators charging.
(typically 40 kVA on each engine). An APU genera- Referring to Fig. 8.12, the right and left genera-
tor (40 kVA) is used as back-up in the event of a main tors feed their own busbars to which specific loads
integrated drive generator (IDG) failure. Note that the are connected. Each generator bus is connected to a
APU is normally a constant speed device in its own transfer bus via transfer relays. In the event of a gen-
right; therefore an IDG is not required. The advantage erator failure, the remaining generator (engine or
of a split-bus system is that the generators do not need APU) supplies essential loads. Control of the system
154 Aircraft electrical and electronic systems

is via a number of flight compartment switches, con-

Generator trol breakers and relays arranged to connect and dis-
connect the generators and busbars. Typical control
panel features for a split bus system are shown in Fig.
Main bus 8.13; the features of this panel are:
Ammeters for the main generators to indicate load
Normal
loads TRU Essential current
loads Ground power available (blue) when external power
supply is connected
Essential DC Essential AC Ground power on/off switch to select ground power
onto the aircraft
Transfer bus off (amber) when the transfer relay is
Inverter de-energized (either normal or transfer)
Bus off (amber) both respective generator circuit-
Emergency breakers (GCB) and bus tie breakers (BTB) open
Battery bus
loads Generator bus off (blue) if the respective GCB
is open
Figure 8.11 Large aircraft electrical power APU generator bus off (blue) APU running at
95%
hierarchy RPM, no power from generator.

External APU
Generator Generator
power Generator
1 2
receptable
GCB BTB BTB GCB

Ext power bus Generator bus1 Generator bus 2

Bus transfer

Main bus 1 Transfer relay 1 Transfer relay 2 Main bus 2

NORM ALT ALT NORM

Transformer Transformer
OFF OFF

GS relay

26 VAC bus 1 Transfer bus 1 Transfer bus 2 26 VAC bus 2

TRU TRU TRU

GS bus DC bus 1 DC bus 2 Battery bus

Figure 8.12 Split bus system

Distribution of power supplies 155

and BTB isolates it. With more than two generator

GRD power
available failures, load-shedding is introduced. External power
50 100 150 GRD 50 100 150 can be made available by one or two power supply
PWR units (or carts). The APU can also be connected onto
AC AC
OFF Amperes 200
0 Amperes 200 0
the distribution bus.

ON

Bus trans 8.6 Split/parallel bus system

A
Transfer O U Transfer
F T
This is a flexible load distribution system for large pas-
bus off bus off
F O senger aircraft; it provides the advantages of the parallel
Bus Bus
off off system and maintains isolation when needed. Primary
Gen off APU Gen Gen off power supply features include: one IDG per engine, two
bus off bus bus
APU generators and two external power connections. A
OFF OFF split system breaker links left and right sides of distribu-
tion system. Any generator can supply any load busbar;
ON ON
any combination of generators can operate in parallel.

Figure 8.13 Typical electrical power control 8.7 Standby and essential power
panel features
Essential 115 VAC power is provided as a single
phase supply, see Fig. 8.15; this is selected from one
phase of a main busbar. (On a four-engined aircraft,
Key maintenance point
the normal source is the main AC bus number four.)
External AC power cannot be paralleled with the If this normal source fails, a supply is maintained by
aircraft generators selecting a different main bus from the remaining
systems. The standby AC bus is normally powered
from the essential AC bus; if this source fails, a static
inverter (supplied from the main battery) is selected
8.5 Parallel bus system to provide standby AC power.
Some aircraft distinguish between battery busbars
The electrical distribution system on larger passenger (that can be disconnected from the battery) and hot
aircraft (with three or four engines) are based on a battery busbars that are connected directly to the bat-
parallel load distribution system, see Fig. 8.14. In this tery, i.e. without any switching; this is illustrated in Fig.
configuration, all generators are connected to their 8.15. This arrangement splits the battery bus with a
own AC load bus and a distribution bus; any generator direct connection (the ‘hot’ battery bus), and a switched
can supply any load bus to provide equal load-sharing. battery bus controlled by the battery switch. Essential
All generator voltages, frequencies and phase relation- DC power is from a transformer rectifier unit (TRU)
ships must be controlled to very close tolerances. Any powered from the essential AC bus. Standby AC and
attempt to connect generators in parallel before these DC bus power is normally from the respective essen-
conditions are met could result in loss of generator tial supplies; when selected ON, standby AC and DC
power due to large circulating currents. Referring to power is from an inverter and the battery respectively.
Fig. 8.14, when all four GCBs and BTBs are closed;
all four generators are synchronized and connected
to the tie (or synchronized) distribution busbar. Test your understanding 8.3
If one generator fails, its GCB is opened; this iso-
lates the generator from its own load busbar. That Explain the difference between main, essential and
busbar is now powered from the remaining genera- battery busbars.
tors. If this bus becomes overloaded, opening its GCB
156 Aircraft electrical and electronic systems

External ground power units (2)

External ground power connector No.1

Ground power unit

XPC
1 Connector

XPC
SSB 2
Distribution bus

APB BTB BTB BTB BTB

1 1 2 3 4

AC 1 AC 2 AC 3 AC 4

APU GCB GCB GCB GCB

1 1 2 3 4

GEN GEN GEN GEN

1 2 3 4

XPC – External power contactor

APB – APU breaker
BTB – Bus tie breaker
GCB – Generator control breaker
GEN – Generator
SSB – Split system breaker

Figure 8.14 Parallel load distribution system

8.8 Battery charging a constant current to the battery. When the battery’s
terminal voltage reaches a pre-defined level (adjusted
The battery charger on a large aircraft operates from for battery temperature), charging is automatically
115-volt, three-phase, 400 Hz AC power supplied by disconnected. When external power is not available,
the AC ground service bus. A completely discharged the battery is charged from a transformer rectifier
nickel-cadmium battery can be recharged in approxi- unit (TRU) that provides 28 V DC to maintain bat-
mately 60–90 minutes. The battery charger operates in tery charge, and supply loads on the battery bus. The
one of two modes depending on whether the aircraft battery’s temperature sensor forms part of the charg-
is being supplied by external ground power or not. ing system to prevent battery damage. If the battery
With the aircraft on the ground, the charger is temperature is outside a predefined range (typically
powered from the ground services bus and provides –18°C to 60°C), the charging circuit is disconnected.
Distribution of power supplies 157

Batt switch
ON

OFF

HOT BATT BUS BATT BUS

DC systems 1–3 ESS DC

STBY
PWR SW
OFF ESS
TRU
ON

STBY DC
AC systems 1–3

BTB
4 STBY AC

AC 4
Static
inverter
GCB
4

GEN OFF
4 N
3
ESS AC
2
AC systems 1–3
1
Rotary switch on electrical
power control panel

Figure 8.15 AC/DC standby and essential power

is the main heavy-duty AC feeder cable being moni-

8.9 Control and protection tored; the secondary winding is contained within a
housing, see Fig. 8.16. The secondary windings are in
Various components are used for both control and
the form of inductive pick-up coils. When current IP
protection of the power distribution system:
flows in the feeder cable, the corresponding magnetic
● current transformers field induces current IS into the secondary windings;
● differential current protection this is the output signal that is used by a control, pro-
● phase protection tection or indication device.
● breakers/contactors.
8.9.2 Differential current protection
8.9.1 Current transformers
This circuit detects short-circuits in AC generator
These are used to sense current for control, protec- feeder lines or busbars; it is a method of protect-
tion and indication applications. The primary winding ing the generator from overheating and burning out.