Next Generation More-Electric Aircraft: A Potential Application for HTS Superconductors

TLDR

Sustainability in aviation demands quieter, more fuel‑efficient aircraft, which requires revolutionary electric propulsion and power densities that only superconducting machines can provide. The paper outlines the principal challenges of employing superconductors in aeropropulsion. The authors review a multidisciplinary feasibility study of superconducting electric propulsion designed to integrate the necessary engineering domains for electric aircraft. They conclude that superconductivity is the key enabling technology for future more efficient turbo‑electric aircraft.

Abstract

Sustainability in the aviation industry calls for aircraft that are significantly quieter and more fuel efficient than today's fleet. Achieving this will require revolutionary new concepts, in particular, electric propulsion. Superconducting machines offer the only viable path to achieve the power densities needed in airborne applications. This paper outlines the main issues involved in using superconductors for aeropropulsion. We review our investigation of the feasibility of superconducting electric propulsion, which integrate for the first time, the multiple disciplines and areas of expertise needed to design electric aircraft. It is shown that superconductivity is clearly the enabling technology for the more efficient turbo-electric aircraft of the future.