Safety-critical design of electromechanical actuation systems in commercial aircraft

Research is increasingly focusing on the incorporation of electromechanical actuators into future More Electric Aircraft. For an actuator to be feasible in a commercial aircraft, the most critical design factor is attaining the strict safety requirements. The electrical drives used in More Electric technologies must also be suitable for the conventional power supply and control arrangements of aircraft, otherwise feasibility of a new technology may be reduced. This study discusses the generic design requirements for electromechanical actuators from a safety perspective, including the application of fault-tolerant electric drives. Later, two prototype electromechanical actuators, developed by the authors are discussed, comparing the different topologies.