Hardware-based electric drive train fault detection unit enabling fail-operational capabilities for aviation applications
Kuhn L, Meindl M, Bentheimer C, März M (2026)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2026
Journal
Book Volume: 172
Article Number: 111681
DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2026.111681
Abstract
The aircraft electrification process imposes safety requirements to ensure the reliability and availability of the electric drive train. Integrating multiple three-phase structures in the motor and inverter is a possible solution to meet these prerequisites. A critical condition to successfully implement such multiple three-phase structures is the ability to isolate faulty subsystems effectively from the overall system. The usage of traditional melting fuses is limited due to possible low short-circuit currents, as they cannot guarantee reliable isolation in such a case. A solution is the use of an active fuse in the DC link of the drive train. For the actuation of such an active fuse, a system is required that detects possible faults in the electrical drive train. This leads to a hardware-based electric fault detection unit (FDU). Therefore, this work aims to develop and simulative evaluate a redundant hardware-based FDU for an active fuse, in this case, a pyrofuse. A new solution that closed the gap in large scale electric propalsion aircrafts fault management concepts.
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Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Kuhn, L., Meindl, M., Bentheimer, C., & März, M. (2026). Hardware-based electric drive train fault detection unit enabling fail-operational capabilities for aviation applications. Aerospace Science and Technology, 172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2026.111681
MLA:
Kuhn, Leonard, et al. "Hardware-based electric drive train fault detection unit enabling fail-operational capabilities for aviation applications." Aerospace Science and Technology 172 (2026).
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