NEWS
Raytheon Technologies partners with CPES to win ARPAe award
Aug 11, 2021
ARPAe's ASCEND program supports the development of innovative lightweight and ultra-efficient electric motors, drives, and associated thermal management systems (collectively referred to as the all-electric powertrain) that will help enable net-zero carbon emissions in single-aisle, 150-200 passenger commercial aircraft.
Speaking about collaborating with Raytheon Technologies, a CPES Member, CPES Director and PI of the project, Rolando Burgos, says, "one of the many benefits of CPES Membership is the opportunity to build strong collaborations with researchers at our member companies". Director Burgos continues, "as we get to know each other better, and mutual trust develops, we can much more effectively leverage our collective expertise on projects like this that truly push technological boundaries."
One piece of the envisioned system features high performance (12 kW/kg at 96% efficiency) electric to shaft power systems which include the motor, motor drive, cooling system and gearbox required to convert DC power to 5000 rpm shaft power.
Raytheon Technologies Research Center, with its partners Collins Aerospace, Virginia Tech CPES, Purdue University, University of Buffalo and Ames National Lab propose to develop the ULTRA-COMPACT system to improve the electric-to-shaft power electric drive train and demonstrate feasibility of a turbo-electric distributed propulsion-based electrified aircraft propulsion system. The ULTRA-COMPACT electric propulsion system leverages: (1) high-speed Permanent Magnet machines; (2) a series-parallel, multi-level silicon carbide (SiC) based motor drive topology; (3) an integrated and actively controlled thermal management system that provides coolant directly to the motor windings and power converter; and (4) a high-power density gearbox using lightweight composite. Combined, these four technology elements along with advanced materials pave a path to achieving PD (12.2 kW/kg) and efficiency (96.6%).
Burgos concludes, "We're pleased to support Raytheon Technologies on this new program, which follows up the successful collaboration under the ARPA-E CIRCUITS program that just concluded, where RTRC and CPES jointly developed model-predictive controlled SiC-based three-phase matrix converters for the aerospace industry that attained 99 % efficiency and a power density exceeding 15 kW/l."
