Hybrid Modeling Capability for Aircraft Electrical Propulsion Systems, Phase I

The most immediate NASA applications for this technology are the NASAÔøΩs CAS and NEAT programs. While one will likely be selected as the testbed system for the Phase I, the other is similar in nature, and PCKA has existing models for both systems, which would ease transition of the modeling capability. The technique could also be applied to the Exploration Augmentation Module or International Space Station power systems, both of which are dc systems based on solar arrays with battery energy storage. These systems were modeled by PCKA under a prior NASA SBIR Phase II effort. In short, the proposed modeling technique is applicable to a wide range of electrical power systems and could be applied to virtually any NASA spacecraft or aircraft design. As the technology matures, its mathematical origin would allow it to be applied to other types of dynamic systems as well. While the proposed effort is focused toward N+3 generation aircraft electric propulsion systems, other types of power systems can take advantage of the modeling architecture. The underlying mathematical formulation can be applied to essentially any type of power system. One example is instance terrestrial microgrid based systems that incorporate renewable energy sources (such as military operating bases or large office buildings). It should be noted that these systems can be either ac or dc in nature; however, the overall modeling environment and control structure can be largely the same. In fact, the initial focus on aircraft electrical propulsion systems (that combined ac and dc) will set the stage for this technology to be rapidly applied to other systems. Another application with large potential impact is traditional power grids. While load flow solvers such as HELM are used for daily planning and unit commitment, transient simulations are typically too computationally intense for short-term decision making. Analysis based on transient models is performed weeks or months in advance with estimated load profiles. The proposed hybrid modeling capability could provide a more efficient framework with which to incorporate transient modeling into short-term analysis of power grids. More »