Development of electric propulsion systems for aircrafts

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03783
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 21:Electrical and electronic engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Iwakuma Masataka 九州大学, システム情報科学研究院, 教授 (30176531)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 川越 明史 鹿児島大学, 理工学域工学系, 准教授 (40315396)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 電気推進 / 航空機 / 超伝導 / 回転機 / 液体水素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, by assuming a 120-200-seater, one-aisle narrow-body aircraft which corresponds to B737, the design of an electric propulsion system for the aircraft with a total thrust of 20 MW was studied. The propulsion system consisted of a superconducting generator / motor / cable, a gas turbine, an inverter, and a cooling device. The superconducting propulsion system was cooled with subcool liquid nitrogen. The fuel was liquid hydrogen, and this cold heat was used to cool the superconducting system. First, the transport characteristics and AC loss properties of REBCO superconducting tapes were actually measured. Applying our original low AC loss reduction and enhancement current capacity technique, we carried out numerical analysis to find the optimum structure of fully superconducting rotary machines for aircraft. Furthermore, the feasibility of the entire system such as energy and heat balance was verified.

Free Research Field

超伝導工学, 電気工学, 航空工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2021年 10月、IATA（国際航空運送協会）は、2050年までに、航空機からのCO2排出量を実質ゼロにすることを議決した。航空機の電気推進化はこのもっとも有力な手法として期待されているが、航空機に適用可能な軽量な電気推進システムは、本研究で検討を行った超伝導推進システムしか考えられず、本研究成果は航空機のゼロエミッション化の実現に大いに貢献するものである。また、REBCO超伝導テープ線材の実測データに基づく、液体窒素温度領域で動作する全超伝導発電機・モータの定量的設計検討は、世界で他に類を見ず、最先端の研究開発成果である。