| Project Detail |
General Electric Global Research will develop a 2 MW fully integrated all-electric aircraft powertrain and demonstrate a 350-kW lab-scale prototype to enable zero carbon emission narrow-body commercial aircraft with all-electric propulsion. The technology is supported by several key innovations such as a high-voltage, direct-drive, synchronous permanent-magnet motor with transformational embedded cooling of the windings using supercritical carbon dioxide and high-temperature, high-voltage electrical insulation; a modular inverter fully integrated into the motor to reduce component count with high-temperature, low-loss silicon carbide (SiC)-inverter modules; and an ultracompact thermal management system that services the motor and inverter. The design and use of novel manufacturing techniques will lead to significant mass reduction and thus increase specific power density while maintaining a very high electrical-to-mechanical energy conversion efficiency.
Potential Impact:
The ASCEND program has the potential to accelerate innovations and cause disruptive changes in the emerging electric aviation field. |
