The development of voltage and frequency regulators for aircraft electrical systems

The paper surveys the development of aircraft voltage and frequency regulators from early days to the present, as aircraft generating equipment progressed from third-brush d.c. machines to constant-frequency alternators. The development of generator driving systems is reviewed, and some early d.c. voltage regulators are described. The carbon-pile regulator is discussed in some detail, and various types of voltage and frequency regulators for d.c./a.c. inverters are described and criticized. Some account is given of regulating equipment for both variable-frequency and constant-frequency a.c. systems. The underlying problems of regulator design are outlined, with an indication of possible future developments.