Load banks aid aerospace testing

Smiths Aerospace uses load banks from REO to test assemblies to such standards as MIL-STD-704F and SAE AS5692.

Smiths Aerospace is a major supplier to manufacturers of military and commercial aircraft, spacecraft and ground vehicles around the world.

It designs, develops and manufactures equipment such as electrical power systems, vehicle management systems, data management technology and in-flight refuelling systems.

A key aspect to the work is testing at all stages to appropriate international standards.

Helping to fulfil these test requirements, to such standards as MIL-STD-704F and SAE AS5692, are three load banks from REO UK.

Two are currently employed on projects for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and the third is being used to help with the development of a new solid state circuit breaker for the aircraft industry to facilitate electrical fault detection.

According to Steve Curwen, JSF EPMS Systems Team Leader for Smiths Aerospace, the two REO load banks enable his team to test the various systems under development at high power and high voltage.

The third unit, which is in fact three units in one, was designed to support the development of arc fault protection and verify aircraft circuit breakers performance.

The two load banks used on the JSF programme, which are rated at 9.36kW, are used at nominal voltages of 28 and 270V DC, but offer maximums of 60A and 400V DC, respectively, with peak load currents of 25A at 350V and 50A at 35V.

The third unit provides a variable load bank for a AC or DC voltage power source used in conjunction with specialised arc generation equipment and a desktop rapid electrical fault identification development system.

Resulting algorithms are considered to be essential for helping to maintain the health of aircraft, particularly with the move towards the all electric aircraft.

"Engineered specially for us by REO", said Mike Bailey, Programme Manager, Aircraft Systems Prognostics and Health Management (AEPHM), "this load bank offers three different voltage options: 28V DC, 115V AC and 270V DC.

Normally three separate units would be required but this one permits us to select the appropriate voltage via a switch".

"The space saving is also a major bonus for us".

Algorithms resulting from the tests performed will facilitate detection of arc faults, such as parallel faults between adjacent cables arising though insulation breakdown due to chaffing/abrasion, series arcs which are a result of loose connections that interrupt the supply when aircraft experience vibration, and wet arcs caused by a combination of damaged cables and an electrolyte.

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