Journal
SENSORS
Volume 22, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/s22020492
Keywords
aircraft power systems; low pressure; solar-blind sensors; ultraviolet radiation
Funding
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion de Espana [PID2020-114240RB-I00]
- Generalitat de Catalunya [2017 SGR 967]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Unpressurized aircraft circuits can cause severe incidents and accidents due to electrical discharges. This study analyzes the feasibility of using inexpensive non-invasive solar-blind sensors to detect these discharges at an early stage. The experimental results demonstrate that these sensors can be applied in unpressurized aircraft environments for on-line detection of electrical discharges, enabling predictive maintenance strategies.
Unpressurized aircraft circuits facilitate the initiation of electrical discharges in wiring systems, with consequent damage to related insulation materials and safety hazards, that can and have already caused severe incidents and accidents. Specific sensors and solutions must be developed to detect these types of faults at a very incipient stage, before further damage occurs. Electrical discharges in air generate the corona effect, which is characterized by emissions of bluish light, which are found in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible spectra. However, due to sunlight interference, the corona effect is very difficult to detect at the very initial stage, so the use of solar-blind sensors can be a possible solution. This work analyzes the feasibility of using inexpensive non-invasive solar-blind sensors in a range of pressures compatible with aircraft environments to detect the electrical discharges at a very incipient stage. Their behavior and sensitivity compared with other alternatives, i.e., an antenna sensor and a CMOS imaging sensor, is also assessed. Experimental results presented in this paper show that the analyzed solar-blind sensors can be applied for the on-line detection of electrical discharges in unpressurized aircraft environments at the very initial stage, thus facilitating and enabling the application of predictive maintenance strategies. They also offer the possibility to be combined with existing electrical protections to expand their capabilities and improve their sensitivity to detect very early discharges, thus allowing the timely identification of their occurrence.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available