Summary by ATFCars.com
Referenced article published on news.mit.edu on June 8, 2023 written by Jennifer Chu. Link to original article:
Megawatt electrical motor designed by MIT engineers could help electrify aviation
MIT engineers are making groundbreaking progress towards electrifying the aviation industry with the creation of a 1-megawatt electrical motor. Given that current all-electric planes utilize motors generating hundreds of kilowatts of power, this MIT project is set to revolutionize the industry by offering the possibility to electrify larger, heavier jets. The motor, designed to be size and weight competitive with current small aero-engines, combines a high-speed permanent magnet outer rotor, low loss tooth-and-slot stator, advanced heat exchanger, and integrated, high-performance power electronics.
The 1-megawatt motor can be paired with electricity sources like batteries or fuel cells for all-electric applications, or it can be combined with a traditional turbofan jet engine for a hybrid propulsion system. Zoltan Spakovszky, the MIT Professor leading the project, underscores that this motor technology will be a “key enabler for greening aviation,” no matter what energy carrier is used.
On the larger environmental scale, this project significantly advances the goal of achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, a crucial step in mitigating human-induced climate change. Electrification of aviation could substantially reduce the industry’s large carbon footprint.
In terms of application, the technology is quite versatile. The motor could power regional aircraft on its own or supplement conventional jet engines for hybrid-electric propulsion systems. By scaling up the design, larger passenger planes could be powered by multi-megawatt motors. This pioneering work from MIT could very well be a turning point in the age of flying cars, paving the way for eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and high-powered air travel.
