Optimal Duct Design for MVDC Cables in All-Electric Wide-Body Aircraft

Power cables are a critical component of the electric power system in future all-electric aircraft (AEA). To optimize system performance and efficiency, achieving a lightweight design for both cables and their ducts is essential. During takeoff, AEAs require up to 25 MW of power at atmospheric pressure, while cruising at a lower pressure of 18.8 kPa, the demand decreases to 7.5 MW. However, at cruising altitude, power cables face significant thermal challenges due to reduced convective heat transfer. For the accurate design of lightweight cables, it is important to analyze bipolar cables under different ambient conditions. In our previous work, we developed a multilayer multifunctional electrical insulation (MMEI) system to address issues such as partial discharge, arc tracking, and thermal management. In this study, we design and analyze cylindrical and rounded rectangular duct configurations for bipolar cables under two operating conditions: 450 A at 18.8 kPa and 1000 A at 101.325 kPa. The results indicate that the rounded rectangular duct offers a more compact solution, with improved radiative and convective heat transfer. This duct configuration shows promise for future all-electric wide-body aircraft.