Size, Weight and Power Aware Electrical Power System Component Sizing for Aircraft Conceptual Design

Accurate size, weight, and power (SWaP) estimation is critical during the conceptual design phase of aircraft electrical power systems (EPS). This paper presents improved sizing methodologies that go beyond fixed specific power and density approximations, combining physics-based modeling with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component databases. Tailored sizing algorithms are provided for key EPS components (electric machines, batteries, cables, converters, inverters, rectifiers, mechanical contactors, and solid-state power controllers), across common aircraft voltages (28Vdc, 270Vdc, 115Vac) and scalable to higher voltages. Each component method balances computational speed with accuracy and includes assumptions, constraints, and database references. These individual models are integrated into the High-Level Integration Sizing Tool for Electrical Architectures (HighLITE), a MATLAB/Simulink-based tool for rapid SWaP evaluation and trade studies. This work aims to support early design decisions by providing traceable, realistic component-level estimates, enabling more reliable architecture evaluations and reducing costly redesigns later in development.