Electric aircraft represent a promising low-emission alternative to conventional fuel-powered aviation, driving the demand for lightweight and reliable electrical powertrain architectures. This study presents a design process for an electrical power system with an emphasis on the cabling system and battery in all-electric aircraft (AEA). Design considerations for the cabling system in power distribution architectures are discussed, including cable insulation material selection, conductor choice, sizing, and weight reduction methods. The influence of different system voltages and operating temperatures on cable weight is analyzed to identify optimal design tradeoffs. A comparison of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) insulation materials, as well as aluminum and copper conductors, highlights their impact on weight and reliability, with PFA offering weight advantages under typical aerospace operating conditions. The batteries are sized based on the energy and power demands of a 90-seater AEA as a case study. After designing the components of the aircraft’s electrical power system, the electrical architectures are presented. Furthermore, a framework for evaluating the electrical power system architectures of AEAs is proposed, using two key criteria: reliability and weight. The weight of the electrical power system is then estimated based on aircraft performance requirements. The proposed framework provides practical guidelines for cable selection and architecture optimization in future AEAs. ... Read more

Reduced pressure at high altitude increases the susceptibility of aircraft cabling systems to partial discharge (PD) activity, which can accelerate insulation degradation and threaten system reliability. In this work, a high-voltage AC test platform (up to 10 kV) was integrated with a pressure-controlled chamber adjustable from 10 to 100 kPa. Phase-resolved partial discharge (PRPD) measurements were performed on perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) insulated aircraft cables designed for middle voltage aircraft power distribution systems. Experiments were conducted under reduced-pressure conditions at fixed normalized voltage levels. The measured parameters include partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV), partial discharge extinction voltage (PDEV), the repetition rate (RR), mean discharge magnitude, and phase span. The results reveal a clear pressure dependence of discharge activity, magnitude distribution, and phase characteristics. Reduced pressure leads to increased discharge activity and stronger discharge events due to enhanced ionization efficiency. The obtained PRPD feature trends provide insight into the pressure-dependent PD behavior of PFA-insulated aircraft cables and contribute to insulation design, reliability assessment, and monitoring strategies for electrical systems in future electric aircraft. ... Read more