Topology Comparison of Superconducting AC Machines for Hybrid Electric Aircraft

Electric machines with very high power-to-weight ratios are inevitable for hybrid electric aircraft applications. One potential technology that is very promising to achieve the required power-to-weight ratio for short-range aircraft is using superconductors for high current densities in the stator or high magnetic fields in the rotor. In this work, an in-depth analysis of potential fully and partially superconducting machines is performed, taking into account all relevant physical domains such as electromagnetics, superconducting properties, thermal behavior as well as structural mechanics. For the requirements of the motors in the NASA N3-X concept aircraft, we find that fully superconducting machines could achieve 3.5 times higher power-to-weight ratio than partially superconducting machines. Furthermore, the model can be used to calculate the relevant key performance indicators such as mass, efficiency, and cryogenic cooling requirements for any other machine design.