One of the main challenges in transitioning to electric aviation, and ultimately to a hydrogen plane, is the weight of traditional copper wiring in aeroplanes. "That wiring is too heavy," explains UT researcher Marc Dhalle. "To distribute the required electrical power, about 40 megawatts for an Airbus 380, across an aeroplane at safe voltage levels, you need a lot of current. With copper wire, the cables become very thick." A quick calculation by Marc shows that you would need to carry around 5,000 kilograms of copper, equivalent to about 70 'passengers'. With superconducting cables, this weight is at least ten times smaller.
Revolution
Marc and his colleagues are researching a method to significantly reduce the weight of these cables using superconductivity. "However, this requires a new cooling method: cryogenic cooling. The expertise of his Energy, Materials and Systems (EMS) research group in designing and testing superconducting cables has been invaluable. Marc and fellow researchers Darja Gacnik and Roel Metsch are contributing to a revolution in aircraft propulsion. The potential to minimize losses and maximize performance is significant.
Turbulence
However, integrating cryogenic superconductivity into aviation also brings complex challenges. Marc says, "Thermal insulation requires careful engineering to ensure leak-free seals and optimized volume. Additionally, components such as superconducting motors and connectors must withstand the harsh conditions of flight. Think of turbulence, vibrations, lightning strikes, and similar situations." Despite these challenges, the feasibility of cryogenic superconductivity in aviation has recently been demonstrated. The ASCEND project, led by Airbus, achieved a significant milestone by successfully activating a 500-kilowatt system consisting of superconducting power cables and cryogenic motors.
Looking ahead, the integration of cryogenic superconductivity promises to improve the efficiency and performance of aircraft, especially those powered by hydrogen. Further research is needed to overcome the remaining challenges.
Prototype 2kA superconducting ASCEND cable with cryogenic feed-throughs.
