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3 - Megawatt-Scale Electric Machines for Electrified Aircraft Propulsion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2022

By
Tim C. O’Connell  and
Xiaolong Zhang
Edited by
Kiruba Haran ,
Nateri Madavan  and
Tim C. O'Connell
Kiruba Haran
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Nateri Madavan
Affiliation:
NASA Aeronautics Mission Directorate, NASA
Tim C. O'Connell
Affiliation:
P.C. Krause & Associates
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Summary

This chapter identifies the specifications of megawatt (MW)-scale electric machines (EMs) that facilitate electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP). Because their specific power (SP) must increase by an order of magnitude over the current state-of-the-art (SOTA), a review of conventional EMs for EAP is presented, focusing on approaches for mass reduction and SP increase. Design challenges associated with high specific power (HSP) MW-scale machines are identified, and a review of EAP powertrain architectures and how HSP EMs enable them is provided. Next follows a description focused on propulsion motors, high speed generators, and system considerations unique to the EAP powertrain. Design principles for high power, lightweight, MW-scale EM development are discussed, and a comprehensive survey of over 50 SOTA HSP machines is presented. Common HSP machine features are identified and promising options for further weight reduction are discussed. Despite their SOTA classification, the surveyed machines fall well short of the lofty requirements necessary for next generation components, and some emerging technologies that may help to remedy these shortcomings are described.

Keywords

megawatt-scale electric machinehigh specific powerelectric machine classificationpropulsion motorhigh-speed generatorsizing equationelectromagnetic loadingcooling systemhigh speed indexpower scaling
Type
Chapter
Information
Electrified Aircraft Propulsion
Powering the Future of Air Transportation
 , pp. 49 - 87
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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