Arc-faults, caused by water dripping on to a live wire, pose a serious fire hazard in an aircraft. Prevention of electrical arcs is a specialist business and TDG Aerospace (Hall 4, Stand C13-4), a leader in the field, is showcasing new detection and prevention devices.
The company has brought a new product to Farnborough 2004, which it claims breaks the mould of traditional arc-fault products.
Instead of using a single current sense transformer, the Universal Fault Interrupter (UFI) 3000, has three current sensors, one for each phase.
Data port
Also new on the UFI 3000 is the inclusion of a data port that allows a technician to access fault and history data.
The interrupter can detect imbalance in line-to-line, line-to-ground and arc faults. It prevents arcing by immediately shutting down the circuit as soon as the fault is detected.
UFI 3000 can be custom-programmed to operate with varying loads and fault detection scenarios, and protects an aircraft's electrical systems and components both in the air and on the ground according to TDG Aerospace.
The device, which is not yet in production, can be installed in seconds and retrofitted in older aircraft.
Source: Flight Daily News
