High-Temperature, High-Efficiency Electrical Starter/Generator

The U.S. Navy SBIR topic addresses the need for improved electrical power generation systems (EPGS) for aerospace applications that are comprised of an electrical starter/generator (ES/G) and a generator control unit (GCU).  The primary objective of the effort is to develop a 200 kW continuous, 500 kW peak EPGS that improves over existing technology in terms of power capability, temperature / coolant capability, power density, efficiency, and heat load. The proposed EPGS solution consists of a surface-mount permanent magnet synchronous machine (the ES/G) coupled to a dc/ac inverter (the GCU) that connects to a 270 Vdc power distribution system.  The ES/G consists of a lightweight rotor assembly and high-performance lamination and winding materials to minimize weight and loss while achieving the desired power and torque capability with a high-temperature coolant.  The GCU utilizes several dc/ac inverter modules based on high-performance wide bandgap semiconductors to provide a compact, lightweight, and modular implementation.  Combined, these two components provide a high-performance high-power density EPGS package.