Actively Cooled Power Converter Technology

Emerging high power airborne weapon systems will require multi-megawatt electrical power at voltages approaching 100 kV. Although multi-megawatt airborne generators are currently under development, they will not be able to directly generate the very highvoltage(s) needed for some weapon systems. Power converter system development, in the past, has typically focused on power electronics but the power converter system in new systems will also require a high power step-up transformer to convert therelatively low generator voltage to higher voltages. The weight and losses of the transformer can easily dominate the design of the power conditioning system. Large commercial transformers are typically oil-filled, air-cooled, relatively heavy anddesigned for operation groundbased systems operating in one atmosphere of pressure. This program will develop a lightweight, high voltage, multi-megawatt transformer specifically designed for proposed airborne power and cooling systems. Design optionswill include both cryogenic and non-cryogenic transformers with integral power conditioning and cooling system, specifically designed to operate in airborne systems.This program will develop and test a novel lightweight, high voltage transformer withintegral cooling system. Immediate applications will be for high power military systems, but the design principles developed in this program will make their way into commercial applications, such as electric utility facilities in high population areaswhere minimizing equipment size is important and conventional transformer air cooling systems are difficult.