HTS Electrical System for a Distributed Propulsion Aircraft

As the commercial aircraft industry aims to meet the challenge of 2050 emissions targets, it becomes apparent that unconventional aircraft configurations may be necessary to achieve them. Distributed electrical propulsion offers opportunities for improving aircraft efficiency. However, the conversion and transfer of power could prove prohibitive when using conventional machines and conductors due to weight and inefficiency. An aircraft with distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion is considered in this paper, and the current view of the future of high-temperature superconductor technology as applied to aircraft is explained.