Partial Discharge at Altitude

July 27, 2021 Laura Wishart

PD is not a simple phenomenon to model as there are many environmental factors that have influence. Factors such as heat, humidity, pressure, are some that can change the voltages required to initiate and extinguish PD within a wire/cable’s insulation. This article specifically discusses the influence of altitude on partial discharge events. The consideration of the operational altitude effect on partial discharge is particularly necessary for aerospace applications as aircraft tend to spend a lot of operating time at high altitudes.

Addressing the Big Questions of Partial Discharge

June 11, 2021 Michael Traskos

In this high-voltage present, wires and cables must address new challenges, perhaps the most notable is partial discharge (also referred to as corona). This article discusses the fundamentals of partial discharge, its impacts on wiring design, and test methods used to assess a component’s partial discharge performance. The PD may occur between (1) the conductor and insulation, (2) within void in the insulation, (3) between insulation layers, or (4) between the insulation surface and shield. Read more

To Shield or Not to Shield – A Question on High Voltage DC Cables

June 21, 2024 Michael Traskos

Shielding on aerospace cables offers several benefits but can introduce some drawbacks that must be considered. In this article, we explore the pros and cons of using shielded cables on aircraft. Read more

AS50881 and Connectors

June 3, 2024 Michael Traskos

Amidst the vast amount of aerospace standards, AS50881 stands out as a comprehensive guide to requirements to ensure wire termination safety specifically in connector installation and design. In this article, we discuss some of the important guidelines for connector installation, separation, and identification covered by AS50881. Read more

Creepage and Clearance

October 13, 2023 Chris Wollbrink

High voltage systems on aircraft will be more commonplace as the eVTOL market “takes-off.” One safety aspect that often comes up is the separation of the high voltage; often, this comes down to creepage and clearance distance of these systems. Read more

Voltage, Current, and Thermally Rating Connectors

September 13, 2023 Michael Traskos

While electrical component qualification is nothing new to the aerospace industry, the emerging trend toward full aircraft electrification requires every component to be electrically connected; for most equipment, this means incorporation of electrical connectors. Weight, cost, reliability, and performance are the four most common elements initially considered in connector selection, but the finer details of electrical connectors use must also be considered. Here, we discuss how one might go about qualifying an electrical connector, specifically, to address its voltage, current, and thermal limitations. Read more

HV Connector Failures and Part Selection

June 2, 2023 Michael Traskos

With the current shift toward hybrid and electric aircraft, deeper understanding of high voltage connectors and their potential failure modes is required. In this article, we discuss failure modes and selection criteria for high voltage connectors on aircraft. Read more

S&T 2022 Meeting Report

April 6, 2023 Michael Traskos

As in any scientific industry, aerospace across the globe benefits from the sharing of information and research. The annual S&T Electrical Systems and Wiring Inter-Agency Meeting is held each December with exactly this goal. The following are some highlights from the presentations and discussions from the 2022 meeting. Read more

The Special Little Wire – Holiday Season 2022

December 14, 2022 Lectromec Team

“The Special Little Wire” is a story about a cheerful 24AWG wire journey to achieve his dream of being installed on an aircraft. But will he be able to become part of an aircraft Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS). Read more

EWIS High Voltage Certification

April 14, 2022 Michael Traskos

With the gradual industry implementation of high voltage EWIS systems in aviation, the demand for HV-specific safety standards is rapidly growing. High voltage OEMs currently use available industry standards, as applicable, but are still left with the task of developing and justifying their own system requirements. The SAE’s AS50881 standard, often considered the ‘go-to’ standard for OEMs, could benefit from proposed updates made to address the gaps for high voltage systems. Read more

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