DCADE
Diamond Converter and Arc Fault Detection for High-Altitude Operations
Background
Skylife Engineering coordinates a European project aimed at researching a new technology based on diamond semiconductors that will address some of the major challenges in aircraft electrification due to technical issues that can arise from high-altitude electric operations.
Concerns about the effects of climate change also impact the aviation industry. Consequently, there is a growing demand for clean aviation, based on emission-free aircraft. Thus, electric aircraft are becoming increasingly important, with the goal of achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions. The European Commission is working towards this direction through programs like Clean Sky 2, which encompasses this project.
Advancements in power semiconductor technology in recent years are driving the application of electric propulsion in the industry. It is expected that the amount of energy managed by the electrical system will increase in the next decade. This will shift from a small amount of megawatts for small aircraft to a higher amount of several tens of megawatts for long-distance aircraft. This technology to manage this amount of energy is well-established in the case of typical terrestrial distribution power grids. However, the concepts and components cannot be directly applied to aviation. The challenge in this case is the size/weight required and the fact that it operates at high altitudes. This implies lower air pressure and density.
The evolution of aircraft electrical power management systems towards higher power is crucial in the coming years. In this context, the DCADE project aims to assess the use of potential technologies that will provide higher-voltage converters while maintaining power density and electric arc detection techniques to enhance safety in the systems.
DCADE will focus on two technologies: power electronics and power electronic distribution. The project will develop two demonstrators. The first one will be implemented at Skylife Engineering's headquarters in the Cartuja Scientific and Technological Park. The other will take place at IRTSE facilities in Toulouse, France.
Project
DCADE is funded by the European Union under the Clean Sky 2 program and aims to advance towards cleaner aviation by developing more electric aircraft, ultimately achieving zero emissions.
The overall goal of DCADE is to evaluate potential technologies and components for electrical systems in aeronautical applications, enabling higher-voltage converters while maintaining power density and arc detection techniques to increase the reliability and safety of high-altitude, high-power, and high-voltage air conditioning distribution systems.
This project, with funding of almost 1.26 million euros, will implement the use of technologies in the development of high-altitude electrical power distribution systems. It also involves the participation of French entities IRT Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and DiamFab.
IRT Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is responsible for advancing arc detection in high-voltage power distribution systems for aircraft. In the field of electricity, arc faults refer, in a simplified way, to electrical discharges through air or gas gaps between conductors, which can pose safety risks.
On the other hand, DiamFab and CNRS are working on developing a diamond-based semiconductor that can be used for electrical power conversion. Semiconductors are devices that contribute to efficient energy management and help transform and control voltages and currents at significant levels in power electronics converters. Researchers estimate that diamond semiconductors may outperform the technology currently used, based on silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN).
Skylife, the coordinating company, aims to demonstrate power electronics conversion equipment using diamond semiconductors produced by CNRS and DiamFab. In this regard, Skylife's main mission is to prove that this technology can be used for incorporation into power electronic converters.
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Solution
The main challenges of this project are focused on the application of this technology at high altitudes. In such cases, voltage rise can more easily lead to the appearance of electrical arcs. Forced dissipation is necessary for the proper management of thermal elements, as heat can affect the operation of semiconductors and plays a significant role in power electronics. However, this task is more complicated during flight than on the ground. The idea is to find technological solutions to these two problems.
The technology of diamond-based transistors for controlling electrical current flow is very innovative and offers technical advantages, such as higher breakdown voltage and lower energy losses compared to traditional semiconductors, which can improve the efficiency of aircraft electrification.
Currently, with the push for aircraft electrification, the operation of such systems at high altitudes poses a novel challenge. The low air pressure and density at that distance from the ground must be taken into account. At the same time, the unique requirements for safety and reliability must never be overlooked. The DCADE project will develop power electronics and electrical energy distribution technologies for arc detection that will address these challenges while exploring the potential of diamond-based semiconductors.
Benefits
The benefits obtained through this solution are significant:
- Cleaner Aviation: The DCADE project will contribute to the development of more electric aircraft and, ultimately, aviation with zero pollutant emissions, helping address concerns about climate change.
- Diamond Semiconductor Technology: Research on diamond semiconductors offers technical advantages, such as higher breakdown voltage and lower energy losses compared to traditional semiconductors, which can improve the efficiency of aircraft electrification.
- High-Altitude Power Distribution: The project seeks to solve technical challenges related to high-altitude electrical power distribution, allowing for better performance of electrical systems in flight.
- Increased Safety: Research into the detection of electrical arcs in high-voltage distribution systems will enhance the safety of electric aircraft.
Why Skylife?
Skylife Engineering stands out in the DCADE project due to its experience, expertise, and commitment to sustainable aviation, its ability to lead innovation, and its track record in strategic collaborations. The company's mission is to achieve high technology with a positive impact, hence its concern for the growing global demand for cleaner and environmentally-friendly aviation.
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