Signal processing solutions to detection and location of cable faults in aging aircraft wiring using reflectometry methods.

摘要

In any electrical system, wiring is most critical for various tasks such as interconnection, data flow, efficient grounding, etc. In the light of recent plane crashes, aging of aircraft wiring posed a serious problem that was never conceived as of such prominence. In short a cable is characterized by a copper conductor covered by a thin outer insulation. With the passage of time, the insulation may get damaged due to a variety of reasons such as vibration, friction, moisture, etc. This may expose the copper, giving rise to arcs, shorts, opens, and electromagnetic emission and interference. The Smart Sensor project at Utah State University is developing an in situ diagnostic system using reflectometer methods for finding the faults in such cables. This thesis primarily focuses on the application of signal processing techniques to the data obtained from the diagnostic system, which is effected with a number of factors like attenuation, noise, multiple reflections, etc. and develops algorithms for the detection and location of cable faults (open and short).