System and method for identifying a high-temperature condition of an electrical cable for an aircraft propulsion system

A method for identifying a high-temperature condition of an electrical cable of an electrical distribution system for an aircraft propulsion system, the method comprising:

• determining an initial zone temperature of at least one thermal zone;
• energizing an electric motor to drive rotation of a propulsor of the aircraft propulsion system by supplying electrical power to the electric motor with an electrical cable of the electrical distribution system, and the electrical cable extends through the at least one thermal zone;
• determining a zone temperature of the at least one thermal zone subsequent to energizing the electric motor and while the electric motor is energized;
• determining an electrical current flow through the electrical cable;
• estimating a temperature of the electrical cable within the at least one zone using the determined zone temperature of the at least one thermal zone and the determined electrical current flow;
• and
• identifying a presence or an absence of the high-temperature condition for the electrical cable by comparing the estimated temperature of the electrical cable to a high-temperature threshold, and wherein the presence of the high-temperature condition is identified where the estimated temperature of the electrical cable is greater than or equal to the high-temperature threshold.

An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, the assembly comprising:

• an electrical load;
• and
• an electrical distribution system including an electrical power source, an electrical cable, and a temperature protection assembly,
• the electrical cable electrically connects the electrical power source and the electrical load, and the electrical cable extends through at least one thermal zone between the electrical power source and the electrical load, and
• the temperature protection assembly includes a temperature sensor disposed within each thermal zone of the at least one thermal zone, and the temperature protection assembly further includes a controller, the controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• determine an initial zone temperature of the at least one thermal zone using a temperature sensor of each thermal zone of the at least one thermal zone;
• energize the electrical load;
• determine a zone temperature of the at least one thermal zone using the temperature sensor of each thermal zone of the at least one thermal zone subsequent to energizing the electrical load;
• determine an electrical current flow through the electrical cable using a current sensor;
• and
• estimate a temperature of the electrical cable within the at least one zone using the determined zone temperature of the at least one thermal zone and the determined electrical current flow.