Parallel feeders for continued operation
A system includes four high voltage direct current (HVDC) feeders, each having a first contactor configured for selectively connecting a positive terminal of an HVDC source to the respective HVDC feeder, and having a second contactor configured for selectively connecting the respective HVDC feeder to an HVDC bus. A power converter can be configured to use feedback to locate a fault when a fault arises, and to isolate the fault by opening of the contactors as needed for continued operation of as many of the HVDC feeders as possible after clearing the fault.
1 . A system comprising:
a first high voltage direct current (HVDC) feeder connected to a first contactor configured to selectively connect a positive terminal of an HVDC source to the first HVDC feeder, wherein the first HVDC feeder is connected to a second contactor configured to selectively connect the first HVDC feeder to an HVDC bus;
a second HVDC feeder connected to a third contactor configured to selectively connect the positive terminal of the HVDC source to the second HVDC feeder, wherein the second HVDC feeder is connected to a fourth contactor configured to selectively connect the second HVDC feeder to the HVDC bus;
a third HVDC feeder connected to a fifth contactor configured to selectively connect a negative terminal of the HVDC source to the third HVDC feeder, wherein the third HVDC feeder is connected to a sixth contactor configured to selectively connect the third HVDC feeder to the HVDC bus;
a fourth HVDC feeder connected to a seventh contactor configured to selectively connect the negative terminal of the HVDC source to the fourth HVDC feeder, wherein the fourth HVDC feeder is connected to an eighth contactor configured to selectively connect the fourth HVDC feeder to the HVDC bus; and
a power converter connected to the HVDC bus and configured to (i) receive HVDC power from the HVDC bus and output alternating current (AC) power, (ii) receive AC power from an electric machine and provide HVDC power to the HVDC bus to charge the HVDC source through the first, second, third, and fourth HVDC feeders, and (iii) receive feedback indicative of a fault among the first, second, third, and fourth HVDC feeders;
wherein the power converter represents a rectifying/inverting converter that has (i) a generator mode in which the power converter is configured to receive the AC power from the electric machine and (ii) a motor mode in which the power converter is configured to provide the AC power to the electric machine; and
wherein the power converter is configured to use the feedback to locate and isolate the fault by controlling opening of the first contactor, the second contactor, the third contactor, the fourth contactor, the fifth contactor, the sixth contactor, the seventh contactor, and the eighth contactor for continued operation of as many of the first HVDC feeder, the second HVDC feeder, the third HVDC feeder, and the fourth HVDC feeder as possible after clearing the fault.
2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the HVDC source operatively connected to the first contactor, to the third contactor, to the fifth contactor, and to the seventh contactor.
3 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the HVDC bus operatively connected to the second contactor, to the fourth contactor, to the sixth contactor, and to the eighth contactor.
4 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the electric machine operatively connected to the power converter.
5 . The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the HVDC source is one of a DC/DC converter, AC/DC converter, and a battery.
6 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the power converter is operatively connected to control each of the first contactor, the second contactor, the third contactor, the fourth contactor, the fifth contactor, the sixth contactor, the seventh contactor, and the eighth contactor to control connections between the HVDC source and the HVDC bus.
7 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first sensor package configured to generate feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in the first HVDC feeder;
a second sensor package configured to generate feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in the second HVDC feeder;
a third sensor package configured to generate feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in the third HVDC feeder; and
a fourth sensor package configured to generate feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in the fourth HVDC feeder;
wherein the first sensor package, the second sensor package, the third sensor package, and the fourth sensor package are configured to provide the feedback indicative of the fault among the first, second, third, and fourth HVDC feeders to the power converter.
8 . The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein:
the first HVDC feeder and the second HVDC feeder are positive HVDC feeders; and
the power converter is configured to isolate the fault by isolating only one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation in response to one of the positive HVDC feeders faulting to ground.
9 . The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein:
the third HVDC feeder and the fourth HVDC feeder are negative HVDC feeders; and
the power converter is configured to isolate the fault by isolating one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation in response to one of the negative HVDC feeders faulting to ground.
10 . The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein:
the third HVDC feeder and the fourth HVDC feeder are negative HVDC feeders;
the first HVDC feeder and the second HVDC feeder are positive HVDC feeders; and the power converter is configured to isolate the fault by isolating only one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source and isolating only one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation in response to the one of the positive HVDC feeders faulting in a short circuit with the one of the negative HVDC feeders.
11 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the HVDC source is located within a fuselage of an aircraft;
the first, second, third, and fourth HVDC feeders are located in a wing-to-fuselage junction of the aircraft; and
the power converter and the HVDC bus are located within an on-wing pylon of the aircraft.
12 . A method comprising:
converting, using a power converter, alternating current (AC) power from an electric machine to high voltage direct current (HVDC) power;
providing, by the power converter, the HVDC power to an HVDC bus to charge an HVDC source through two positive HVDC feeders and two negative HVDC feeders operatively connected between the HVDC source and the HVDC bus;
receiving, by the power converter, feedback indicative of a fault among the two positive HVDC feeders and the two negative HVDC feeders;
using the feedback to locate the fault;
opening, by the power converter, contactors to isolate the fault; and
continuing operation of as many of the positive HVDC feeders and the negative HVDC feeders as possible after isolating the fault;
wherein the power converter represents a rectifying/inverting converter that has (i) a generator mode in which the power converter receives the AC power from the electric machine and (ii) a motor mode in which the power converter provides the AC power to the electric machine.
13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein receiving the feedback includes receiving feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in each of the positive HVDC feeders and in each of the negative HVDC feeders.
14 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein:
if the fault is a fault to ground in one of the positive HVDC feeders, isolating the fault includes isolating only the one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the positive HVDC feeders; and
if the fault is a fault to ground in one of the negative HVDC feeders, isolating the fault includes isolating only the one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the negative HVDC feeders.
15 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein, if the fault is a short circuit fault of one of the positive HVDC feeders to one of the negative HVDC feeders, isolating the fault includes isolating the one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source and isolating the one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the positive HVDC feeders and a remaining one of the negative HVDC feeders.
16 . An apparatus comprising:
a power converter configured to:
receive high voltage direct current (HVDC) power from an HVDC bus and output alternating current (AC) power;
receive AC power from an electric machine and provide HVDC power to the HVDC bus to charge an HVDC source through two positive HVDC feeders and two negative HVDC feeders operatively connected between the HVDC source and the HVDC bus;
receive feedback indicative of a fault among the two positive HVDC feeders and the two negative HVDC feeders;
use the feedback to locate the fault;
open contactors to isolate the fault; and
continue operation of as many of the positive HVDC feeders and the negative HVDC feeders as possible after isolating the fault;
wherein the power converter represents a rectifying/inverting converter that has (i) a generator mode in which the power converter is configured to receive the AC power from the electric machine and (ii) a motor mode in which the power converter is configured to provide the AC power to the electric machine.
17 . The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the feedback comprises feedback indicative of voltage and/or current in each of the positive HVDC feeders and in each of the negative HVDC feeders.
18 . The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein:
the power converter is configured, if the fault is a fault to ground in one of the positive HVDC feeders, to isolate only the one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the positive HVDC feeders; and
the power converter is configured, if the fault is a fault to ground in the one of the negative HVDC feeders, to isolate only the one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the negative HVDC feeders.
19 . The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the power converter is configured, if the fault is a short circuit fault of one of the positive HVDC feeders to one of the negative HVDC feeders, to isolate the one of the positive HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source and to isolate the one of the negative HVDC feeders from the HVDC bus and from the HVDC source for continued operation of a remaining one of the positive HVDC feeders and a remaining one of the negative HVDC feeders.
20 . The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the power converter is located within an on-wing pylon of an aircraft with the HVDC bus.