Superconducting electromagnetic launch system for civil aircraft

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

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Abstract

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.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/831108
Additional Information: c2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works
Keywords: Biot-Savart law, Civil aircraft, Electromagnetic catapult, EML/EMLs, High temperature Superconductor, Linear synchronous motor, Magnesium diboride, Superconducting coil, Superconducting linear accelerator
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Engineering > Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2016.2598772
Depositing User: Burns, Rebecca
Date Deposited: 16 Nov 2016 10:52
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 18:23
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/38740

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