Aeronautical ground lighting system study: field measurements and simulations

Abstract

Aquesta és una còpia de la versió author's final draft d'un article publicat a la revista [ Abstract: Aeronautical ground lighting (AGL) systems are single-phase series circuits where constant current regulators supply transformers and luminaires. These systems provide visual reference to aircraft during airport operations. There is a lack of AGL system models and measurements in the literature to study AGL system behaviour and predict their response to electrical events and future technological changes. The study contributes to AGL system modelling with an equivalent circuit useful to study AGL system concerns by Matlab/Simulink simulations. It also presents field measurements taken at Reus airport (Catalonia, Spain) for the validation of the proposed model and understanding of AGL system behaviour in the event of luminaire failure.

Harmonic Resonance Stability of Aeronautical Ground Lighting Systems

“…CCRs commonly use pulse width modulated (PWM) inverters based on insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) to regulate current, [5], and also include an output L-filter to reduce CCR current ripple and a power transformer to increase the output voltage and isolate CCRs from the AGL series circuit. CCRs are also usually fitted with earth fault detectors and lighting arrestors installed at their output terminals and output capacitors to mitigate high order harmonics of the PWM carrier frequency [5], [7]. These components are not included in Fig.…”

“…3 shows the equivalent circuit of AGL circuits where underground cables, transformers and luminaires are replaced by their corresponding models. AGL underground cables are modeled with a -equivalent circuit based on concentrated parameter model [7]. The cable conductance is neglected and the concentrated parameters Rc, n, Lc, n and Cc, n are obtained from the distributed parameters Rx, Lx and Cx and length dc, n of the cable (n = 1 to NL + 1), , ,…”

“…AGL luminaires are usually halogen lamps which are modelled as a resistance RL, n. This resistance is accurately calculated from the luminaire active power PL, n and the current rating of the AGL system highest brightness step, i.e., RL, n = PL, n/6.6 2 (n = 1 to NL) [7]. Nowadays, halogen lamps are being replaced by LED lamps in AGL systems due to energy saving policies.…”

“…and the inductive transformer characteristics. These resonances can be analyzed from the AGL system equivalent circuit and frequency scan simulations [7]. However, analytical expressions are much more effective in characterizing resonance frequencies as a function of system parameters.…”

“…A Matlab/Simulink application in a 68 luminaire AGL system is used to illustrate this study. PSCAD/EMTDC simulations with the AGL equivalent circuit in [7] are also used to validate the results.…”