Dynamic modelling of the electrical system of a hybrid-powered aircraft

The aim of this thesis work is to analyse the dynamic modelling of the electrical system of a hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft. The European HERA project, which envisages the construction of a regional transport aircraft with hybrid-electric propulsion by mid-2030, serves as a reference for this project. For the modelling of the system, the AMESim Simcenter simulation software was used. In the first part of the work, an analysis was conducted of the state-of-the-art demonstrators and technologies currently available for hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft. Subsequently, an in-depth study of the electrical system architecture of the reference aircraft was conducted, a crucial step in the development of the models in Amesim. Before proceeding with the modelling of the real loads, simulations were conducted to test the selected AC generator model, varying the value of the loads to assess the impact of these variations on the electrical quantities of the generator and to verify that the transients met the regulatory requirements. Once the verification was complete, the modelling of the AC and DC generation system was proceeded with, connecting the actual loads of the reference aircraft. The two systems were modelled separately. In view of the hybrid-electric propulsion system, the alternating current generation system was connected to a battery to assess the impact of the charging process on the generation system. In conclusion, the results of the simulations were reviewed in the final chapter, where the conclusions of the study were drawn and future developments discussed.