Nuha Nawash started her career 22 years ago as a research assistant for the Embedded Control System Laboratory at Cleveland State University, where she got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical and control engineering. After a long career in the field of Electrical and Control Engineering, divided between NASA’s contractors and the private sector, Nuha converted to being a civil servant in 2019 and accepted the position of ATS Power Systems Engineer with the Power Management and Power Distribution branch at Glenn Center, Cleveland, Ohio. Nuha accepted a detail position as an Electrified Aircraft Powertrain Tech Lead in January 2023. Outside of work, Nuha enjoys walking and practicing yoga, reading, and cooking different cuisines from different cultures.
When it comes to high-power megawatt (MW) electrified powertrain systems, there is a great deal of responsibility that must be taken when designing the proper protection devices/isolation to keep the system running under all load demands with fault-free detection. Fault conditions endanger not only system components, but also people. As a result, AC/DC fault management devices are critical components for enabling a safe operational system at the MW level.
As the demand for MW scale electric aircraft propulsions systems grow so will the need for high voltage DC breakers. These devices will need to have high specific power density, fast response, and have high efficiency.
For the reasons stated above, fault management should include the ability to detect and identify the faults quickly to avoid and isolate hazardous failures in the system, mainly if the system is a DC power system. As we know, the AC can be turned off when the power level reaches zero during a cycle—the zero-crossing point of a sine wave, which serves as the foundation for breakers, which protect modern power equipment from substations to home installations. Since the DC power system lacks alternating cycles, there are no convenient times to turn off the power; thus, circuit protection breakers must interrupt fault currents and isolate faulty parts in a concise period. In addition, a DC ground fault is an undesirable condition in which current flows through the equipment grounding conductor in DC power circuits (before the inverter). Ground faults can cause serious safety problems like arc faults and, in the case of high voltage, arc flashes.
This presentation will summarize the importance of high-power DC switchgears in MW electrified powertrain systems. Briefing the audience on NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology’s work to develop high-power DC breakers, which will lead to a slew of benefits for all airborne high-voltage DC (HVDC), hybrid, and turbo-electric propulsion vehicles. The presentation will cover essential performance metrics, the challenges faced, and current state of the HVDC breakers.
This presentation will summarize the importance of high-power DC switchgears in MW electrified powertrain systems. Briefing the audience on NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology’s work to develop high-power DC breakers, which will lead to a slew of benefits for all airborne high-voltage DC (HVDC)
