Abstract:
An aircraft power distribution architecture includes a power rail extending generally along the length of an aircraft for receiving power from a generator, and for distributing power through plug-in modules located along the length of the power rail.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2009 037 465.5, which was filed Aug. 13, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This application relates to a power distribution architecture for an aircraft, wherein power rails are utilized to eliminate the requirement of central distribution centers. 
     Traditional power distribution architectures for aircraft were either centralized, with both generator and APU power supplies coming in separately to a power center, and then outputs for primary and secondary distribution leaving the power center. This required relatively long connections between the power center and the several power components. 
     A second type architecture utilized distributed secondary power distribution networks. However, large, heavy primary distribution centers were still required. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aircraft power distribution architecture includes a power rail extending generally along the length of an aircraft for receiving power from a generator, and for distributing power through plug-in modules located along the length of the power rail. 
     These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  schematically shows a prior art aircraft. 
         FIG. 1B  shows a power distribution center architecture as utilized in the  FIG. 1A  embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  also shows a prior art power distribution architecture. 
         FIG. 3  shows the inventive power distribution architecture. 
         FIG. 4  shows a feature of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1A  shows an aircraft architecture  20  incorporating a power center  22 , which receives all power and then distributes power to various components such as an avionics computer  24 , a sensor  26 , a load  28 , and a relay  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , power from the generators  30  and  32  is delivered through separate lines into a power center  22 . Similarly, power from an APU generator  34  is delivered through a separate line into the power center  22 . From the power center  22 , power is distributed to various components  40 ,  42  along separate electric lines. 
     An external power supply connection  41  may also be included. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , another prior art architecture  50  incorporates power distribution center  60  which takes in power from the main generators  64  and  66 , and the APU  62 , all through separate lines, and delivers that power either directly through lines  65 , or indirectly through line  166  to secondary power distributions  67  to other components  69 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the inventive power distribution architecture  80 . In power distribution architecture  80 , power rails  90 / 88  are utilized, and distribute power along the length of the aircraft to be utilized by various components at different locations on the aircraft. The APU  86  delivers its power directly into the power rail, as do the generators  82  and  84 . An external power supply connection  100  may deliver power directly into the power rail. Generators  82 / 84  may be associated with the gas turbine engines powering the aircraft. The power rails are provided with a plurality of plugs  92  which can distribute power to a secondary distribution location  94 , which in turn distributes to a plurality of components  97 , or the plug-ins  92  can deliver power to a plurality of components  97  directly. Among the components may be a line  96  to a pump and line  98  to a galley. 
     As is apparent from  FIG. 3 , either power rail  90  or  88  receives power from the generators  82  and  84  at an intermediate position, and supplies power in both a forward and rearward direction relative to the aircraft. In addition, as is apparent, there are components utilizing the power located on the power rails at locations intermediate the APU  86 , and the generators  82 / 84 . 
     In the prior art, control components such as the generator control units, or transformer rectifier units, power converters, motor drives, solid state power converter modules, are all housed in the primary distribution modules or the power centers. In this invention, each of the control components are associated with the plug-ins, and provided as is necessary dependent on the components which are controlled by the particular plug-in. Thus, there are plural controls spaced along the power rails. In  FIG. 4 , the generator control units, transformer rectifier units, power converters, motor drives, and solid state power converter modules are schematically illustrated as C and are incorporated into the plug-in modules (or plug-ins), which are illustrated at  92 . 
     The present invention thus eliminates the need for redundant wiring, and provides direct power to the loads from the power rail which can extend along the length of the aircraft. The power rails can be utilized with either AC or DC current, and appropriate rectifiers and transformers provided to change the current as required. 
     Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.