Although pneumatic systems that use air as a hydraulic fluid in place of oils have been widely used to solve the weight problem posed by hydraulic oils, the leakage problems, and the maintenance cost have persisted in plaguing the conventional aircrafts as argued by (Faleiro & Herzog, 2004). In an effort to completely solve the problems solved by the hydraulic and pneumatic systems, serious progress in electric powered aircraft myriad systems has progressively been adopted. Faleiro & Herzog (2004), points out that there is an increased trend of electric system in the aircraft industry gradually replacing the hydraulic.
As well as pneumatic system hence facilitating the realization of more comfort, improving the energetic efficiency as well as monitoring features. This latest innovation of technology is widely regarded as more Electric Aircraft, which simply means to drive all the aircraft subsystem by means of electric power (Faleiro & Herzog, 2004). According to Abdel-Hafez (2012), the idea of MEA was originally intended to enhance the military activities through reducing aircraft weight, better performance, lowering maintenance cost as well as higher and improved reliability.
Progressively civil aircraft adopted the technological for instance B787/A380 and A340 developed by air bus. MEA strategy has several advantages over conventional strategy of mechanical, hydraulic system and pneumatic system. Firstly, it eliminates the hydraulic systems as a way of powering the aircraft and it is replaced by electric power such as in Joint Strike Fighter and the Boeing 7E7. In this regard, such faults such susceptibility to leakages, high cost of maintenance (repairing the leakages, filtering and maintenance of contamination free hydraulic oils); the aircraft space is increases while the weight a critical parameter of aircraft is reduced.
Additionally, the introduction of an electric motor-driven pump in place of an engine bleed-system creates more efficiency and at the same time facilitate in the reduction of mechanism and complexity (Abdel-Hafez, 2012). The F/A-18 Hornet, for instance, was developed under MEA technology and it is said to be a reliable aircraft with extremely reduced weight and very low cost of maintenance (United State Navy, 2009). In fact, United State Navy (2009) noted that the aircraft could be repaired within a day and resumes its activities the following day with a lot of ease.
E-Fan electric aircraft developed by Airbus Company is equally an exotic aircraft which been developed under MEA technology hence enhancing its activity (United State Navy, 2009). With the MEA survivability is of an aircraft is enhanced even with engine failure given the power availability enhanced by the windmill option facilitated by the power generator by use of its fan shaft. In this regard, this method guarantee increased the reliability of an aircraft as pointed out by (United State Navy, 2009) compared to the conventional systems.
Further, MEA requires the use of the advanced magnetic bearing system and as such can creating an oil free as well as gear-free engine area an aspect that reduce weight and cooling of the engine among other merits. Indeed, MEA has revolutionized aircraft industry to a greater extent and has therefore facilitated in the creation of spacious aircraft. For instance, the A340 and the Boeing 787 Dream liner among others reduced and proper fuel consumption as well as re configurability. Equally, they have become easier to maintain and support and most importantly more reliability is highly achieved.
These have developed due to massive innovations in more fault tolerant mechanism hence enhancing the generation of power, processing, as well as distribution and management of power (Abdel-Hafez, 2012). Following electro mechanic and electro hydrostatical actuation, there has been more progress in power electronics technology hence enhancing safety and efficiency of the aircraft systems. The decade of between 1940-1950 28Vdc was widely used as the electric power.
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