Electric and thermal insulation of superconducting busbar for aviation use

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (9212)

[EN] The new generation of TeDP planes require an electric power system to distribute the power between the superconducting generators and motors. The heaviest part of the electrical distribution system is the main bus-bar that has to be dimensioned for the full power required for the take off of the plane (50 MW). The estimation of the minimum required mass for this system, can give an insight of the electrical system viability for future aircraft. The analysis presented herein shows that the normal conductors (Al or Cu) require % 44 of the total mass of the electric distribution system, considered around 450 kg. The application of MTSC/HTSC is suggested instead, which leads to the definition of a initial cryogenic system that must maintain the bus-bar below a critical temperature ( 77 K or lower). A new theoretical methodology is proposed in this report for the derivation of the minimum mass required by the thermo-electric solid insulation of the superconducting system. The tool developed can be utilized for all the electrical system cables of the aircraft industry, but it must be developed further experimental data before. The results obtained shown that the solid insulation system is not a good option for the bus-bar system insulation. However, the application of multilayer system shows more interesting results reaching in the best case a minimum mass 0,027 kg/cm (Nomex+low-density aerogel). A first approach is also carried out for vacuum insulation, whose total mass required is still not a significant value, because it strongly depends on the dimension of the cryogenic system. The mass of the vacuum enclosure is considered the heaviest part of the system. This will increase in a not linear way with the inner radius of the vacuum enclosure. However, in general terms the vacuum based insulation displays a lower mass than conventional systems which makes it interesting to continue with further research. This report gives a first study of the future bus-bar system. It contains some suggestions of the future work that must be done for obtaining a lighter insulation system and shows some of the most important parameters that will affect the total mass of the system.