Today, the preliminary design process of power system architectures of civil aircraft is usually characterized by the separation into ATA (Air Transport Association) chapters. However, the complexity of an aircraft energy network, the large number of influencing design-parameters and system interfaces require a common and transparent process if a meaningful evaluation of different system architectures with regards to the overall aircraft efficiency is to be achieved. The development of a dedicated methodology, a simulation framework, and adapted modeling techniques is the objective of the presented research. This article focuses on the dedicated modeling approaches that are developed in order to analyze systems at aircraft-level. Three different modeling techniques illustrate on the one hand the effort required to develop adapted models to fit in the proposed analysis environment. On the other hand, the added value of such an integrated modeling approach is demonstrated with the examples of the electric generator sizing analysis and the link of power systems simulation to a global aircraft thermal model.

Today, the preliminary design process of power system architectures of civil aircraft is characterized by the separation into air transport association chapters. However, the complexity of an aircraft energy network and the large number of influencing design parameters and system interfaces require a common and transparent process if one is aiming at a meaningful evaluation of different system architectures with regard to overall aircraft efficiency. The variety of possible solutions requires a flexible tool that enables the system designer or aircraft architect to analyse the impact of system architecture changes at the aircraft level and the impact of aircraft level changes on system design. The outline of a simulation framework that fits these needs is presented in this paper.