Modeling of a fault-tolerant electromechanical actuation system for helicopters using Modelica

The paper focuses on the modeling of an electromechanical actuation (EMA) system for a safety critical application such as controlling a helicopter swashplate. Based on an example system design, specific EMA system characteristics such as functionality, typical failure cases, reconfiguration mechanisms, and their effects on the electrical network are considered. The presented modeling approach aims towards an integrated template model for swashplate actuation using EMAs in different topologies. The implementation of the component failure cases in the model is described. A fault injection mechanism based on configurable scenarios is presented. Finally, some relevant simulation results are discussed.