Within the framework of the Priority 2030 program, scientists from Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU) are developing a protection and control control unit, a device for maintaining the output voltage of a three-stage generator at a preset level, which is used as the main source of electricity to power the aircraft's on-board systems.
Earlier, NSTU-NETI scientists developed, released and transferred to the repair plant a universal control, protection and management unit (CPMU). The CPMU is designed to regulate, protect and control an alternating current generation system based on a three-stage synchronous generator. This unit is the next step in the development of classical control systems for aviation generators and is a voltage converter with the possibility of digital control. The unit combines not only improved weight and size indicators, but also allows integration into modern generation systems due to the availability of digital control, communication interfaces, and monitoring functions. For the introduction of CRMU into the power system of domestic aircraft, a gradual transition to a domestic range of elements is necessary. The voltage regulation unit is a step towards creating a device consisting entirely of Russian components.
Currently, scientists at the Institute of Power Electronics of NSTU-NETI are working on a voltage regulation unit. This device performs the function of regulating the current of the excitation winding of the exciter when the stator current of the main generator changes. According to Dmitry Vedernikov, a graduate student at the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the Faculty of Radio Engineering and Electronics, a distinctive feature of the device is the integration of the control and power components on a single board using a modern element base and advanced circuit solutions. "The device is a hybrid assembly with an analog control circuit and acts as a base unit for various types of aviation voltage regulators that currently exist," he said.
It is important to note that the prototypes are tested on a specially designed simulator of a three-stage synchronous generator. According to Maxim Zharkov, Director of the Institute of Power Electronics at NSTU-NETI, Candidate of Technical Sciences, the simulator allows you to reproduce the operating characteristics of the generator under various operating modes of the generation system without using expensive electromechanical stands. The simulator can also be configured for various types of generators, both domestic and foreign, which can be useful not only for scientific research, but also for solving the problems of industrial partners.
The results obtained from the development of the voltage regulation unit demonstrate the efficiency of the adopted design and algorithmic solutions, and their versatility makes it possible to use them for a wide class of aviation generators. In 2026, it is planned to create and refine constructive solutions for the voltage regulation unit without using foreign components.