Magnetization and Losses for an Improved Architecture of Trapped-Flux Superconducting Rotor

Abstract

A hybrid electric configuration for aircraft propulsion yields several advantages, such as reducing the fuel consumption and take-off distance, improving control, and decreasing emissions. For such a scenario to occur, advances designed to increase the power-to-weight ratio of actual electric motors must be developed. Superconducting technologies offer the prospect of achieving such performances but at a cost of increased design and construction complexities. In that sense, stacks of high temperature superconductors have proven to trap high-current vortexes that provide a source of magnetic flux density for torque production without the need of current leads or other equipment in the rotor. However, these macroscopic currents must be induced prior to operation and remain undisturbed by variations in the magnetic flux density of the airgap, such as the ones caused by heating and demagnetization. This work presents the results of numerical computations on a new rotor architecture designed to facilitate the magnetization of stacks from a superconducting stator and prevent their demagnetization during torque production. The machine performance is assessed, and the expected survivability of the trapped-flux in stacks is compared to laboratory measurements.