Impact of Current Density and Cooling on the Weight Balance of Electrical Propulsion Drives for Aviation

Jan Hoffmann, Wolf-Rüdiger Canders and Markus Henke
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Jan Hoffmann: Cluster of Excellence SE²A—Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
Wolf-Rüdiger Canders: Institut für Elektrische Maschinen, Antriebe und Bahnen, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Markus Henke: Cluster of Excellence SE²A—Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-22

Abstract: Through applying an exemplary design study, the dependencies between current density, temperatures, and weight in an electrical drive system for a small range aircraft with conventional electrical fan or propeller drives are evaluated. This study applies a combined numerical (Finite Element Method FEM) and analytical approach to the machine design, calculation of temperatures, and cooling system design (cooler, pumps, piping). A design scenario was defined using start and climb flight in a warm tropical surrounding as the worst load case. The design has to move between two fixed temperature limits: The maximum allowable temperature in the machine insulation and the ambient temperature. The implemented method facilitates a comparatively fast-medium depth design of the drive system. The derived results show, in fact, a minimum of weight at a certain current density, which is one of the key interests for the designers of the electrical machine. The main influences on this minimum are the temperature drops in the machine, the heat transfer to the cooling fluid, the heat transfer to the cooler wall, and the remaining heat rejection to the ambient. Method and results are transferable to other types of airplanes with different ratings.

Keywords: electrical aviation drives; lightweight machine design; high current density design; direct slot cooling; minimum weight; polysiloxan cooling fluids; surface cooler (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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