Voltage Level and Wiring Weight for Aircraft Electrical Power Systems

摘要

A method for computing the wiring weight, conductor weight, and conductor losses as a function of system voltage is described for aircraft electrical power systems. It is indicated that if phase voltage at the load is considered as system voltage then the number of wire conductors is equal to the number of phases. Hence, wiring weight, (I squared)R losses, and the number of conductors are directly proportional to the number of phases in a system and, for the same loads, the system voltage is inversely proportional to the number of phases. A 345-volt (three times the present 115-volt, three-phase voltage) single-phase system voltage would reduce the wiring weight, copper losses, and number of conductors to one-third their present value (on the three-phase ac system). A significant point, or criterion, for optimum system voltage is reached at a system voltage where the system wiring weight divided by system wiring losses is a minimum. (Author)