This paper deals with the possibility of applying superconducting motors and hydrogen fuel cells to electric aviation propulsion systems (APS) for the development of next-generation APS. Instead of the conventional fossil fuel-based power generation system, the APS using hydrogen fuel cells and superconducting motors was conceptually designed. The proposed APS consists of a superconducting motor, a hydrogen fuel cell, a liquid hydrogen tank, and a battery. For specific power comparison, the proposed APS capacity was the same as that of a commercial APS, and the capacity and weight of the hydrogen fuel cell and battery were calculated. The 5 MW superconducting motor was designed and analyzed focusing on magnetic field distribution, thermal load, mechanical stress, efficiency, weight, and specific power. As a result, the proposed APS is expected to reach the level of performance applicable to aircraft in the near future, given the recent development trend of battery and liquid hydrogen technology. These results are expected help in a future-oriented APS design.

As the demand for eco-friendly energy increases, hydrogen energy and liquid hydrogen storage technologies are being developed as an alternative. Hydrogen has a lower liquefaction point and higher thermal conductivity than nitrogen or neon used in general cryogenic systems. Therefore, the application of hydrogen to cryogenic systems can increase efficiency and stability. This paper describes the design and analysis of a cryogenic cooling system for an electric propulsion system using liquid hydrogen as a refrigerant and energy source. The proposed aviation propulsion system (APS) consists of a hydrogen fuel cell, a battery, a power distribution system, and a motor. For a lab-scale 5 kW superconducting motor using a 2G high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire, the HTS motor and cooling system were analyzed for electromagnetic and thermal characteristics using a finite element method-based analysis program. The liquid hydrogen-based cooling system consists of a pre-cooling system, a hydrogen liquefaction system, and an HTS coil cooling system. Based on the thermal load analysis results of the HTS coil, the target temperature for hydrogen gas pre-cooling, the number of buffer layers, and the cryo-cooler capacity were selected to minimize the thermal load of the hydrogen liquefaction system. As a result, the hydrogen was stably liquefied, and the temperature of the HTS coil corresponding to the thermal load of the designed lab-scale HTS motor was maintained at 30 K.

This paper presented a comparison study result on the design of direct-driven type superconducting wind power generators using MgB2 and YBCO wires. Detailed features of MgB2 and YBCO wires were investigated and 4 MW superconducting generators were designed using MgB2 and YBCO wires. The magnetic field distributions of the generators were analysed using a 3D finite element method program. The total length of the wires, the volume, and weight of the designed generators were compared. As a result, the weight and volume of the generator using the YBCO wire were lighter and smaller than the generator using the MgB2 wire. The required length of the MgB2 was shorter than the YBCO wire which is much more expensive than MgB2 wire. It is therefore necessary to select the appropriate superconducting wires considering cost, weight, and volume issues when designing superconducting generators.

This paper presented the design and performance analysis of a dynamo-type HTS flux pump for a 10 kW superconducting generator. The HTS field coil of a 10 kW superconducting generator was designed and fabricated. The induced DC current, output voltage, and dynamic resistance of the flux pump connected to the HTS field coil were estimated using electric circuit equations. They were tested at various rotational speeds and air gaps, and the test results were compared with the estimated results. The performance was confirmed by applying a flux pump to the 10 kW superconducting generator. As a result, as the rotational speed of the flux pump increased, the induced DC current of the flux pump connected to the HTS field coil increased proportionally. As the air gap of the flux pump increased, the induced DC current decreased. A sufficient current was induced in the field coil to produce a 10 kW output.

Electric motors tend to be large in size because they have low speed and high torque characteristics. A superconducting motor (SCM) can be a key technology used to solve these problems. Using the characteristics of a superconductor, the SCM can reduce the volume and weight. This paper deals with the design and characteristic analysis of a 1 MW SCM for ship propulsion. An effective design of the SCM was suggested considering the electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties of the motor. The SCM was designed using Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) wires focusing on size, operating filed current, magnetic flux density, heat load, and mechanical stress. The current leads were also designed to minimize the heat loss in the motor, and the thermal contraction and mechanical force were calculated to design the torque tube. Electromagnetic, mechanical, and thermal characteristics were analyzed using a 3D finite element method program. As a result, the size of SCM was minimized, and the heat loss was also reduced by an effective current lead design. The designed torque tube was structurally stable with a 70% stress margin. These results will help to expand the electric propulsion motor capacity and improve the efficiency of the ship propulsion system.

Large-scale High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) wind generators produce strong electromagnetic force and high torque due to the high magnetic load of the machines, which is produced by HTS coils with high excitation current. Therefore, in order to properly maintain the mechanical strength of the HTS coil part, the torque and Lorentz force of the HTS wind generator must be scrutinized and reflected in the design. The authors proposed a method for assessing mechanical and electrical stability of a large-scale HTS wind generator based on a Performance Evaluation System (PES) that has the same characteristics as some of the pole-pairs of the HTS generator. The generator and the PES were analyzed using 3D finite element method. The performance of the HTS coil was evaluated by comparing the tangential, radial force and magnetic field distribution of the 10 MW HTS generator with the PES. The tangential and radial forces of the 10 MW HTS generator were 73 kN and 11 kN, respectively. The tangential, radial forces and magnetic flux density of the HTS coils in the PES were equal to one pole in the 10 MW HTS generator. Therefore, the proposed PES-based generator characteristic evaluation method can be used to estimate the mechanical stability of the generator under a high magnetic field and high torque before manufacturing the HTS wind turbine.