Designing an Advanced Electrical Motor for Propulsion of Electric Aircraft

Abstract

A prototype motor rated for 500 kW 3,000 rpm has been developed for aircraft electric propulsion. The design of the motor was optimized using a coupled parameter problem of electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal performances. A high power density of over 5 kW/kg is demonstrated without resorting to intensive direct liquid cooling. The design process considered variables including the winding conductor type, pole/slot combination, dimensions, winding layout and power electronics requirements. The final chosen design is a $3\times 3$-phase 30-pole 36-slot surface permanent magnet motor with Cobalt-Iron laminations, Sm2Co17 Halbach array magnets and litz wire for an optimum performance.