AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO POWER SYSTEM CONTROL AND PROTECTION FOR SPACE PLATFORMS

The paper presents a distributed, integrated approach to implementing power system control and protection for large, permanent space platforms. The work focuses on an architecture that provides the function associated with centralized control and the advantages of distributed protection. The philosophy is to have the load center controllers (LCCs) performing functions at multiple levels in the control hierarchy. Each LCC is responsible for monitoring and directing the physically attached remote power controllers (RPCs), handling the RPCs attached to any failed LCC, and performing central control functions in conjunction with the other LCCs. This is achieved through extensive use of high speed communications comparable, but not limited, to an Ethernet. Typical functions to be performed at the load center and system-wide levels are described. More importantly, the upgrade path for software and hardware is defined. Example load center controller and remote power controller hardware is described, taking advantage of modularity and off-the-shelf components where possible.

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO POWER SYSTEM CONTROL AND PROTECTION FOR SPACE PLATFORMS Conference Paper