UC3M | Aviation safety: how to detect electric arcs on hybrid aircraft

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Electric hybridization in aircraft will be a reality within a few years. The main objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using electric motors as back-up propulsion powered by batteries. This development requires increasing the power of the aircraft's electrical system, which poses numerous challenges. One of them is the possibility of electric arcing that could endanger the integrity of the aircraft. The DIAMAT research group of the UC3M Department of Electrical Engineering is developing an arc flash detection system within the framework of the European HECATE project involving 37 partners in companies, universities and research centers across Europe. During the demonstration in the laboratory you will discover how electric arcs will be generated for testing and you will be able to see the acquisition system, sensors, instrumentation and signal processing that we use for the detection of the phenomenon. In the near future, it will be Artificial Intelligence that will help decide if an arc is active and alert the aircraft safety system. This activity is developed within the HECATE (Hybrid-electric regional aircraft distribution technologies) project funded by the European Union (GA 101101961). The views and opinions expressed during the activity do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CAJU (Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking). Neither the EU nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The activity is supported by CAJU and its members.