Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft

This paper considers the feasibility of different superconducting technologies for electromagnetic launch (EML) to assist civil aircraft take-off. EML has the potential of reducing the required runway length by increasing aircraft acceleration. Expensive airport extensions to face constant air traff...

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Main Authors: Bertola, Luca, Cox, Thomas, Wheeler, Patrick, Garvey, Seamus D., Morvan, Herve
Format: Article
Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38740/
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author Bertola, Luca
Cox, Thomas
Wheeler, Patrick
Garvey, Seamus D.
Morvan, Herve
author_facet Bertola, Luca
Cox, Thomas
Wheeler, Patrick
Garvey, Seamus D.
Morvan, Herve
author_sort Bertola, Luca
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper considers the feasibility of different superconducting technologies for electromagnetic launch (EML) to assist civil aircraft take-off. EML has the potential of reducing the required runway length by increasing aircraft acceleration. Expensive airport extensions to face constant air traffic growth could be avoided by allowing large aircraft to operate from short runways at small airports. The new system positively affects total aircraft noise and exhaust emissions near airports and improves overall aircraft efficiency through reducing engine design constraints. Superconducting Linear Synchronous Motors (SCLSMs) can be exploited to deliver the required take-off thrust with electromagnetic performance that cannot be easily achieved by conventional electrical machines. The sizing procedure of a SCLSM able to launch A320 in weight is presented. Electromagnetic and thermal aspects of the machine are taken into account including the modelling of ac losses in superconductors and thermal insulation. The metallic high temperature superconductor (HTS) magnesium diboride (MgB2) is used and operated at 20 K, the boiling temperature of liquid hydrogen. With modern manufacturing technology, multifilament MgB2 wires appear to be the most cost-effective solution for this application. Finally the impact of the cryocooler efficiency on the machine performance is evaluated.
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spelling nottingham-387402020-05-04T18:23:21Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38740/ Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft Bertola, Luca Cox, Thomas Wheeler, Patrick Garvey, Seamus D. Morvan, Herve This paper considers the feasibility of different superconducting technologies for electromagnetic launch (EML) to assist civil aircraft take-off. EML has the potential of reducing the required runway length by increasing aircraft acceleration. Expensive airport extensions to face constant air traffic growth could be avoided by allowing large aircraft to operate from short runways at small airports. The new system positively affects total aircraft noise and exhaust emissions near airports and improves overall aircraft efficiency through reducing engine design constraints. Superconducting Linear Synchronous Motors (SCLSMs) can be exploited to deliver the required take-off thrust with electromagnetic performance that cannot be easily achieved by conventional electrical machines. The sizing procedure of a SCLSM able to launch A320 in weight is presented. Electromagnetic and thermal aspects of the machine are taken into account including the modelling of ac losses in superconductors and thermal insulation. The metallic high temperature superconductor (HTS) magnesium diboride (MgB2) is used and operated at 20 K, the boiling temperature of liquid hydrogen. With modern manufacturing technology, multifilament MgB2 wires appear to be the most cost-effective solution for this application. Finally the impact of the cryocooler efficiency on the machine performance is evaluated. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2016-12-31 Article PeerReviewed Bertola, Luca, Cox, Thomas, Wheeler, Patrick, Garvey, Seamus D. and Morvan, Herve (2016) Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft. IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 26 (8). ISSN 1558-2515 Biot-Savart law Civil aircraft Electromagnetic catapult EML/EMLs High temperature Superconductor Linear synchronous motor Magnesium diboride Superconducting coil Superconducting linear accelerator http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7539345/ doi:10.1109/TASC.2016.2598772 doi:10.1109/TASC.2016.2598772
spellingShingle Biot-Savart law
Civil aircraft
Electromagnetic catapult
EML/EMLs
High temperature Superconductor
Linear synchronous motor
Magnesium diboride
Superconducting coil
Superconducting linear accelerator
Bertola, Luca
Cox, Thomas
Wheeler, Patrick
Garvey, Seamus D.
Morvan, Herve
Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title_full Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title_fullStr Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title_full_unstemmed Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title_short Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
title_sort superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft
topic Biot-Savart law
Civil aircraft
Electromagnetic catapult
EML/EMLs
High temperature Superconductor
Linear synchronous motor
Magnesium diboride
Superconducting coil
Superconducting linear accelerator
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38740/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38740/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38740/