Powering the future of aviation Reducing carbon emissions is an increasingly urgent priority for the airline industry, while operators are also investigating ways to improve operational efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. The I²MPECT project aims to develop an innovative power converter which could have a significant impact on the airline industry, as Karl Weidner and Oliver Raab explain The airline industry
is under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and improve efficiency in line with wider goals around limiting the impact of climate change. Making greater use of electrical technologies could have a significant impact in these terms, an issue that researchers in the I²MPECT project are investigating. “One of the core aims of the I²MPECT project is to improve the efficiency of the airline industry. One possible way to achieve this is by moving away from burning fossil fuels towards greater use of electrical power,” explains Oliver Raab, the project’s coordinator. Funded under the Horizon 2020 programme, the project brings together nine partners from across Europe, aiming to develop next generation power electronic converters for use in aircraft. “We’re looking at the components of the converter itself and how we can improve the efficiency of those parts,” says Karl Weidner, principal engineer at Siemens. A number of factors need to be taken into consideration into this work, with researchers in the project looking at each of the building blocks of the electrical converter. The shared goal is to develop efficient power converters and demonstrate their effectiveness even in harsh environments, while also looking to reduce the cost of production. “In reducing the cost of these building blocks, we can reduce the cost of manufacturing the system overall,” points out Raab. Based himself at Siemens, Raab says one of his
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company’s key roles within the project is to investigate the reliability of each of the different components within the power converter, which is of course a key issue in terms of their potential applicability in aircraft. “We compare different semiconductors, as well as packaging and assembly techniques in terms of their performance and durability,” outlines Raab. “Coming from that point, we’re looking to make the power modules, the heart of a converter, more efficient, more safe and more reliable.”
he outlines. A third key point is that these chips can withstand higher temperatures, leading to a less heavy cooling system, which is an important issue in terms of the eventual application of a power converter in an aircraft. “A converter has to be very reliable, very safe and lightweight to be used in an aircraft. This is something that we are working on – together with Safran Electrical & Power who are furthermore responsible for assembling and testing the overall converter system,” Raab states.
improve the efficiency of the airline industry. One possible way to achieve this is by moving away from burning fossil fuels towards greater use of electrical power One of the core aims of the I²MPECT project is to
Semiconductor components The project’s agenda also includes research into novel semiconductor components for the power module, especially silicon carbide (SiC). These offer some significant benefits in comparison to conventional silicon chips, according to Weidner. “The main reason for using these new semi-conductor technologies is that they are much more efficient than conventional silicon chips. You can drive those chips at a much higher frequency – so you can transform electrical energy in a much smoother way, and therefore improve the efficiency of the overall energy conversion system,”
The project’s work in developing an innovative planar technology holds clear potential in these terms. Raab and his colleagues are closely involved in building up a planar interconnect technology, part of the wider goal of developing a compact and intelligent power electric converter. “The modules which we at Siemens and Dynex Semiconductors are developing are very compact, offer low inductivity and a good thermal behaviour” he explains. Different circuit topologies will be considered as researchers look to identify the best approach in terms of power density, efficiency and robustness. This down-selection process is supported by specialists of Airbus Group
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