Inverter Emulator as Multi-Purpose Test System for Aerospace Electric Power Systems

Abstract

Electrification significantly increases the complexity of aerospace electric power systems (EPS), as there is a transition from conventional aircraft to more electric aircraft (MEA) and all electric aircraft (AEA) [1]. This publication shows a novel method to use Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) based inverter emulator (PHIL-IE) as an efficient test tool along the product life cycle. In early R&D phase the PHIL-IE can already fully emulate the future target inverter with full power under real life conditions. The same PHIL-IE with a modified HIL model can be used to test the target inverter. Finally, the PHIL-IE with a more complex HIL model can function as test unit to emulate batteries, H2-Systems, machines and more within an iron bird. In addition, this method is perfectly suitable for co-simulations of real electric components and digital twins.