The present disclosure relates generally to electromagnetic threat protection in composite aircraft, and more specifically to signal return networks.
Unlike most ground vehicles, aircraft do not offer a direct path to ground when struck by lightning or other large electrical discharges. Rather, when lightning strikes an aircraft with a metal fuselage, the electrical current will travel over an outside of a body of the aircraft, which acts as a Faraday cage, and be transmitted to another cloud or other element. In this way, the metal fuselage can also act as a ground plane for any electrical systems onboard the aircraft. However, aircraft with composite fuselage do not provide the same Faraday cage-like behaviour: since composite materials are poor conductors, lightning can damage the composite fuselage if not provided a current path. Moreover, a composite fuselage cannot act as a ground plane for electrical systems.
Therefore, many existing composite aircraft provide a pair of networks for addressing these issues: a lightning network for routing lightning through the aircraft, and a signal return network which serves as a ground plane for onboard electrical systems. Following a lightning strike on a composite aircraft, a current develops on the composite surface of the aircraft, which generates a derivative current on the signal return network. The derivative current generated by a lightning strike on the aircraft can induce further currents in the electrical systems, potentially affecting systems' immunity, or causing damage to the electrical systems. This results in higher shielding requirements for onboard cabling to the electrical systems to protect against the induced currents, increasing aircraft weight.
As such, there is a need for improved signal return network designs.
The present disclosure provides an aircraft, as well as systems integration methods for reducing current flow to electrical systems onboard a (e.g., composite) aircraft. A signal return network is spaced from a composite structure and first and second non-conductive components are attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at first and second attachment points, respectively. A conductive component is attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at a third attachment point for electrically coupling the signal return network to the composite structure. The conductive component electrically couples the signal return network to the composite structure, providing a path for electrical currents travelling along the surface of the composite structure toward the signal return network.
In accordance with a broad aspect, there is provided an aircraft, comprising: a composite structure; a signal return network spaced from the composite structure; a first non-conductive component attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at a first attachment point; a second non-conductive component attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at a second attachment point; and a conductive component attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at a third attachment point for electrically coupling the signal return network to the composite structure.
In some embodiments, the third attachment point is located substantially at a midpoint of the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the first and second attachment points are respectively located at first and second ends of the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the aircraft further comprises: at least one electrical system located within the aircraft; and at least one electrical connector for electrically coupling the electrical system to the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the third attachment point is a sole electrical path from the composite structure to the signal return network, and wherein the remainder of the signal return network is electrically floating.
In some embodiments, the signal return network is spaced at least one inch from the composite structure.
In some embodiments, an impedance of the composite structure is less than an impedance of a path including the conductive component and the signal return network as viewed from the third attachment point.
In some embodiments, an impedance of the signal return network between the third attachment point and the first attachment point is substantially equal to an impedance of the signal return network between the third attachment point and the second attachment point.
In some embodiments, a total magnetic flux ϕTOT generated in a closed electrical loop of the signal return network and a cable connected to the signal return network, the cable having a shielding and a core, is defined as
where Msh/snr is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the signal return network, is the length of the signal return network, and ISRN is a current received by the signal return network.
In some embodiments, a time-varying voltage induced in the cable core Vinc(t) is defined as
where t is time, Rsh is a cable shielding transfer resistance, Lsh is a cable shielding transfer inductance, Msh/c is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the cable core, ISRN(0) is a current in the signal return network at a time t=0.
In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided a system for reducing current flow to at least one electrical system of an aircraft, comprising: a composite structure for receiving an electrical current; a conductive component attached to the composite structure for splitting the electrical current into a structure current travelling along the composite structure and a conductive path current travelling along the conductive component; a signal return network spaced from the composite structure and attached to the conductive component to electrically couple the signal return network to the composite structure to split the conductive path current into first and second signal return network currents which are routed through the signal return network in opposite directions toward the at least one electrical system; and first and second non-conductive components attached between the signal return network and the composite structure at first and second attachment points, respectively.
In some embodiments, the signal return network is attached to the conductive component at a third attachment point located substantially at a midpoint of the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the first and second attachment points are respectively located at the first and second ends of the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the conductive component is a sole electrical path from the composite structure to the signal return network, and wherein the remainder of the signal return network is electrically floating.
In some embodiments, the signal return network is spaced at least one inch from the composite structure.
In some embodiments, an impedance of the composite structure is less than an impedance of a path including the conductive component and the signal return network as viewed from the third attachment point.
In some embodiments, an impedance of the signal return network between the conductive component and the first attachment point is substantially equal to an impedance of the signal return network between the conductive component and the second attachment point.
In some embodiments, a total magnetic flux ϕTOT generated in a closed electrical loop of the signal return network and a cable connected to the signal return network, the cable having a shielding and a core, is defined as
where Msh/snr is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the signal return network, is the length of the signal return network, and ISRN is a current received by the signal return network.
In some embodiments, a time-varying voltage induced in the cable core Vinc(t) is defined as
where t is time, Rsh is a cable shielding transfer resistance, Lsh is a cable shielding transfer inductance, Msh/c is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the cable core, ISRN (0) is a current in the signal return network at a time t=0.
In accordance with a further broad aspect, there is provided a method for reducing current flow to at least one electrical system of an aircraft, comprising: receiving an electrical current at a composite structure of an aircraft; splitting the electrical current into a structure current travelling along the composite structure and a conductive path current traveling through a conductive component to the composite structure; splitting the conductive path current into first and second signal return network currents traveling along a signal return network in opposite directions; and routing the first and second signal return network currents to the at least one electrical system to produce opposite induced currents in the at least one electrical system.
In some embodiments, splitting the conductive path current comprises splitting the conductive path current substantially at a midpoint of the signal return network.
In some embodiments, the conductive path is a sole electrical path from the composite structure to the signal return network, and wherein the remainder of the signal return network is electrically floating.
In some embodiments, the signal return network is spaced at least one inch from the composite structure.
In some embodiments, the structure current has a greater magnitude than a magnitude of the conductive path current.
In some embodiments, the first and second signal return network currents have substantially equal magnitudes.
In some embodiments, a total magnetic flux ϕTOT generated in a closed electrical loop of the signal return network and a cable connected to the signal return network and to the at least one electrical system, the cable having a shielding and a core, is defined as
where Msh/snr is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the signal return network, is the length of the signal return network, and ISRN is a current received by the signal return network.
In some embodiments, a time-varying voltage induced in the cable core Vinc(t) is defined as
where t is time, Rsh is a cable shielding transfer resistance, Lsh is a cable shielding transfer inductance, Msh/c is a mutual inductance between the cable shielding and the cable core, ISRN(0) is a current in the signal return network at a time t=0.
Features of the systems, devices, and methods described herein may be used in various combinations, and may also be used for the system and computer-readable storage medium in various combinations.
Further features and advantages of embodiments described herein may become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
With reference to
The fuselage 11 is a composite fuselage which can be made from one or more composite materials, including fiberglass, carbon fiber, polymers, glass, and the like. In certain embodiments, the fuselage is made of a plurality of layers of composite materials. The wings 14 and the tail 16 can also be made of any one or more composite materials, which may be the same material(s) as used for the fuselage 11, or may be a different material or composition of materials.
With reference to
A pair of non-conductive components 240 are attached between the signal return network 220 and the composite structure 210. The non-conductive components 240 are used to secure the signal return network 220 to the composite structure 210. A first of the non-conductive components 240 is located at a first attachment point 242, and a second of the non-conductive components 240 is located at a second attachment point 244. The first and second attachment points 242, 244, can be located at substantially opposite ends of the signal return network 220, or at any other suitable position. The non-conductive components 240 can be any component suitable for securing the signal return network 220 to the composite structure 210, for example supports made of plastic or other dielectrics. Although only two non-conductive components 240 are illustrated, it should be understood that any suitable number of non-conductive components can be attached between the signal return network 220 and the composite structure 210.
Additionally, a conductive component 250 is attached between the signal return network 220 and the composite structure 210 at a third attachment point 246. The conductive component 250 can be made of a conductive metal, such as copper, silver, aluminum, or of any other suitably conductive material which allows for electrically coupling the signal return network 220 to the composite structure 210. The third attachment point 246 may be located at a midpoint of the signal return network 220, at a midpoint between the first and second attachment points 242, 244, or at any other suitable position relative to the signal return network 220 and/or the first and second non-conductive components 240. In short, the conductive component 250 acts as the conductive path between the composite structure 210 and the signal return network 220, with the remainder of the signal return network 220 electrically floating with respect to the composite structure 210.
The aircraft 10 also includes one or more electrical systems 230 shown here as electrical system 232 and 234 which are electrically coupled to the signal return network 220, and use the signal return network 220 as a ground plane. The electrical systems 230 can be coupled to the signal return network 220 using any suitable connection means, for example cable bundles or shielded cabling, and may be interconnected in any suitable way. For example, each of the electrical systems 230 can be connected to the signal return network 220 via one or more wires welded, bonded, or otherwise connected to the signal return network 220.
With reference to
In
In
In
Thus, because the signal return network 220 is electrically coupled to the composite structure 210 via the conductive component 250 and is otherwise electrically floating, any current travelling along the conductive component 250 to the signal return network 220 is split in two parts namely first and second signal return network currents 342, 344 which will at least partially counteract when inducing currents in the electrical systems 230. In certain embodiments, the induced currents may be up to 6 dB (decibel) lower than those to which the electric systems 230 may be subjected in aircraft where the signal return network 220 is connected to the composite structure 210 at multiple points.
With reference to
As discussed hereinabove, the exterior current 300 reaches the conductive component 250 and splits to send the conductive path current 330 through the conductive component 250 toward the signal return network 220. The conductive path current 330 then splits as it enters the signal return network 220 according to equation (1):
I
CP
=I
SNR1
+I
SNR2 (1)
where ICP is the conductive path current 330, ISNR1 is the first signal return network current 342, and ISNR2 is the second signal return network current 344.
Due to the direction of the currents ISNR1 and ISNR2 two magnetic fluxes will develop in the closed loop of the signal return network 220 and the cable shielding 430, according to equation (2) and (3):
where ϕ1 and ϕ2 are the first and second magnetic fluxes, respectively, Lsh is the inductance of the cable shielding 430, modelled as inductors 434 and 436, length is the length of the signal return network 220, and Msh/sn is the mutual inductance coupling between the signal return network 220 and the cable shielding 430, shown as elements 464 and 466.
These fluxes can be expressed as a sum, as in equation (4):
where ϕTot is a total magnetic flux.
In embodiments where the third attachment point 246 is located substantially at a midpoint of the signal return network 220, the first and second signal return network currents 342, 344 will be substantially equal, since the first and second branches of the signal return network 220 will present a substantially equivalent impedance. Thus,
and equation (4) can be rewritten as
and magnetic flux ϕTot, which produces an induced current on the cable shielding 430 by the mutual inductances 464, 466 between the signal return network 220 and the cable shielding 430, is proportional to half the conductive path current 330.
The time-variant current induced on the cable shielding Ish(t) can be expressed as equation (7):
where t is time, Rsh is the cable shielding transfer resistance, and Lsh is the cable shielding transfer inductance. In equation (7).
Based on equations (6) and (7), the time-varying voltage developed on the cable core 440 via magnetic induction Vcore(t) can be expressed as equation (8):
where Msh/c is the mutual inductance between the cable shielding 430 and the cable core 440.
The time-varying voltage developed on the cable core 440 via magnetic induction Vcore(t) of equation (8) can be compared to the voltage induced on the cable core 440 when a conventional signal return network system is implemented. This comparison is more easily performed in the frequency domain, where the frequency-dependent voltage developed on the cable core 440 via magnetic induction Vcore(ω) can be expressed by equation (9):
where ω is angular frequency, such that ω=2πf, where f is frequency.
With reference to
With reference to
The exterior current 300 strikes the composite structure 210, and a portion of the exterior current 300 is redirected along the conductive component 250 as the conductive path current 330. The conductive path current 330 travelling along the conductive component 250 is split between the two branches of the signal return network 2201, 2202, and both signal return network currents 342, 344 travelling along the branches of the signal return network 2201, 2202 then travel to the electrical systems 230.
With reference to
At step 704, the received current, for example travelling along the composite structure 210 as the first structure current 310, is split into the second structure current 320 which travels along the composite structure 210 and the conductive path current 330 which travels along the conductive component 250. In some embodiments, the impedance of the conductive component 250 is greater than the impedance of the composite structure 210, and thus a magnitude of the second structure current 320 is greater than a magnitude of the conductive path current 330.
At step 706, the conductive path current 330 is split into the first and second signal return network currents 342, 344 which travel along the signal return network 220 in opposite directions. The conductive path current 330 can be split by attaching the signal return network 220 to the composite structure 210 via the first and second non-conductive components 240 at the first and second attachment points 242, 244, and via the conductive component 250 at the third attachment point 246. In some embodiments, the conductive path current 330 is split substantially at a midpoint of the signal return network 220. In other embodiments, the conductive path 250 is a sole electrical path from the composite structure 210 to the signal return network 220, and the remainder of the signal return network 220 is electrically floating.
At step 708, the first and second signal return network currents 342, 344 are routed to the electrical systems 230 to produce opposite induced currents in the electrical systems 230. Thus, implementation of the method 700 can cause magnetic fluxes and voltages to be generated as described hereinabove. This serves to reduce the induced voltage generated at the electrical systems 230, which in turn can lead to lowered requirements for cable shielding for the electrical systems 230. In certain embodiments, the first and second signal return network currents 342, 344 have substantially equal magnitudes.
Various aspects of the methods and systems for reducing current flow to electrical systems of an aircraft disclosed herein, as well as the aircraft itself, may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments. Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. The scope of the following claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
This International PCT Patent Application relies for priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/420,613 filed on Nov. 11, 2016, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2017/056983 | 11/8/2017 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62420613 | Nov 2016 | US |