High Power Density Superconducting Motor for All-Electric Aircraft Propulsion

TLDR

NASA is advancing aeronautics through all‑electric aircraft research, highlighting the need for compact, high‑power‑density motors and noting that existing high‑temperature‑superconducting motors fall below 1 HP/lb. This paper presents a preliminary electromagnetic design of a 200 HP high‑temperature‑superconducting motor optimized for power density. The authors propose a synchronous motor with a nonconventional topology employing HTS bulk material, engineered to deliver 200 HP at 2700 RPM for a Cessna 172.

Abstract

NASA conducts and funds research to advance the state of the art in aeronautics, including improvements in aircraft design leading to enhanced performance in areas such as noise, emissions, and safety. A particular initiative involves development of an all-electric aircraft requiring significant improvements in certain technologies. NASA has started a new project with one of the objectives being the development of enabling technologies for an all-electric aircraft. Electrical aeropropulsion requires the design of more compact and efficient electrical motors. In order to increase the power density, the weight/size must be minimized and the air gap flux density must increase significantly: the use of superconducting materials is an obvious choice. Existing HTS motors are proof-of-principle demonstrators and exhibit power densities lower than 1 HP/lb, which is too low to be considered in mobile systems. This paper deals with a preliminary electromagnetic design of a 200 HP high temperature superconducting motor optimized in terms of power density. The presented configuration is a synchronous motor with a nonconventional topology enhanced by HTS bulk material. The design targets the Cessna 172 propulsion requirements that are 200 HP at 2700 RPM.