Advanced mechatronics devices for a novel turboprop Electric starter-generator and health monitoring system

Project Information

ACHIEVE

Grant agreement ID: 737814

DOI

10.3030/737814

Project closed

EC signature date 6 December 2016

Start date 16 January 2017

End date 15 July 2021

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 900 591,25

EU contribution

€ 900 591,25

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ACHIEVE (Advanced mechatronics devices for a novel turboprop Electric starter-generator and health monitoring system)

Reporting period: 2020-01-16 to 2021-07-15

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

This project has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 737814. The aim of ACHIEVE was to develop an innovative mechatronic system that is able to perform motoring, generating, power transmission, diagnosis and communications. The system provides efficient, reliable, compact and lighter and hence contributing towards higher performance, more efficient and greener turboprops.

The specific objectives were:
o To identify the system design specifications and requirements in terms of torque-speed performance, reliability and power density with the aim of developing an innovative mechatronic device for power system management;
o To perform a set of trade-off studies and conceptual designs in order to identify the best combination of electrical machines, power electronic converters and power management control to achieve maximum power density and optimized performance of the mechatronic device;
o To design and develop a novel electrical machine (structure/topology), with high robustness and mechanical strength, that can be easily integrated and manufactured;
o To develop and design a novel and integrated power electronics converter considering emerging semiconductor devices such as SiC and GaN and innovative thermal technologies with smart heat management in order to increase cooling performance and reduce power losses;
o To design an innovative and integrated cooling loop for the mechatronic device with efficient and intelligent thermal management with focus on minimisation of system weight and size;
o To develop an intelligent and advanced control algorithm to optimise the overall system performance;
o To manufacture at least two integrated mechatronic devices aiming for TRL5/TRL6 level;
o To perform extensive functional and environmental tests of the mechatronic system. The functional tests will include motoring, generation, power transmission, diagnosis and health monitoring, electromagnetic conduction as well as mechanical vibration, noise and heat generations;
o To develop functional and behavioural dynamic models of the power electronics converter, electrical machine and their interface with the mechatronic system to support the system design. The developed dynamic models will also be used to provide the ability to design and tune engine control laws in the future.

This project is important for reducing aircraft emissions during the taxi phase of flight as the ACHIEVE motor-generator would ultimately reduce reliance on jet fuel during this phase of a flight mission.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The ACHIEVE project has built a strong collabration of all the involved partners (UNOTT, NEMA and PST) and the topic manager (Safran Helicopter Engines) as well as strong support from the JU (special thanks to Miss R. TRILLO-RIVAS). It has been a long journey and finally, ACHIEVE has achieved what it is aimed for. Within this 4.5-year project, an innovative mechatronic device for future turboprop aircraft applications has been developed. The ACHIEVE mechatronic device allows turboprop “Green-taxiing ” when on ground with engine switched off. The same system can be used as power generation system and supplies electric power to electrical load on board. Some of the major challenges include: high power density, high-speed requirement and severe operation conditions. However, with the efforts from ACHIEVE team, the ACHIEVE system has demonstrated required performance successfully.
The main achievements are summarised below:
o The ACHIEVE system prototype has been successfully tested to its full power(20kW) and full speed (14,200rpm) in both motoring and generation modes
o The ACHIEVE system is with high power density is beyond state-of-the-art. For electrical machines, the power density is 35.3kW/L and 7.2kW/kg (active part); for power converter part (including cooling cold plate) achieved: 11.8kW/L and 9.2kW/kg.
o With 8 peer reviewed papers published in world-leading conferences including PEMD, ICEMS, EPE etc.
o One PhD student is graduated with the work scope within the ACHIEVE project and another PhD is in the writing up period
o The ACHIEVE project has been presented in various high-profile conferences incluidng CleanSky annual conference 2019 and more-electric aircraft conference 2021.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Progress beyond the state of the art is based around the following outcomes:
Multiple functionalities Compared with the state-of-the-art conventional brushed 28V dc generator, the developed mechatronic system within this project is brushless and with more functions including generator, motor, power transmission, diagnosis and signal communication.

Advanced electrical machine design Flexible multi-domain sizing tool for novel electrical machine types and topologies are used for trade-offs between weight, volume, efficiency and reliability. The tool can be conveniently interfaced with overall system models to ensure optimization at system level

Development of high-power density and fault tolerant electrical machines Permanent-magnet, induction, switched reluctance or flux reluctance machine have been considered. Different topologies (magnetic systems, novel materials) will be used for improved mechanical integrity, torque density, thermal management and fault tolerance.

High efficient and compact power electronic converters Optimised electronic converter design have been studied during ACHIEVE to ensure integrated design and increased power density. Emerging switching devices for power conversion (such as SiC and GaN) and advanced packaging technologies for high temperature devices have been considered during ACHIEVE to ensure reliability requirements.

Advanced thermal management A range of thermal management technologies have been considered including air cooling, oil spray cooling for the machine rotor, liquid cooling suing ducts in the machine stator and power electronics cooling using cooling plate with appropriate liquid. Advanced materials have also been used to improve conduction heat transfer and reduce weight. Optimised design of the cooling passage allowed maximum heat transfer.

Optimised integrated system Through integrated simulation between Finite-Element Machine models and controlled electronic converters, the system developed during ACHIEVE enables optimised system design and achieved maximum power density, minimum weight and volume of the developed mechatronic system.

Dynamic models The development of the ACHIEVE mechatronic system has been supported by intensive modelling effort using multi-level modelling techniques. As part of the project, a set of new models with different complexity/ accuracy level are delivered.

The ACHIEVE project has achieved what is expected in terms of functionality, performance and power density. It paves a way to a more-electric/hybrid-electric engine. The ACHIEVE project will be a milestone and key building brick for a hybrid-electric engine as quoted by the CleanSky’s Tech TP engine demonstrator project coordinator as quoted from the program manager Sebastien Detry:Readiness Level (TRL) 5 and 6 in the first half of 2020, and by the end of the year we expect to be able to add a mechatronic system to this demonstrator, called ACHIEVE (one of the Clean Sky technological bricks run by University of Nottingham). It is one of our sub-projects that enables us to have a more hybrid-electrical engine based on this Tech TP.”

Final prototype of ACHIEVE