Lightweight Small-Scale Turbine Generator
Project Description
The proposed innovation is a power conversion technology that will help achieve NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program (FAP) goals of reducing emissions and increasing fuel efficiency for high speed flight. NASA's objective to increase the specific power of high efficiency electric components in order to make a 10 mega-watt onboard power generation and/or utilization feasible for propulsion requires the development of sub-scale technologies to support the development and validation of newer turbo-electric aircraft and embedded boundary layer electric propulsion systems. Compact and lightweight turbine generators scaling from the kW to MW class are needed to transition high speed aircraft to hybrid electric propulsion systems. Metis Design Corp is developing a lightweight, compact, gas turbine generator that draws on recent innovations in the fields of permanent magnet generators and turbomachinery, to achieve a target power density of over twice the state-of-the-art and the potential to scale to 100's of kW. The proposed turbine engine uses a lightweight, two-spool configuration that eliminates the need for the heavy reduction gearbox required by state-of-the-art systems. Phase II of this SBIR effort will develop a detailed design, then fabricate and test the complete turbine generator sub-system in a laboratory environment.
More »Anticipated Benefits
There are three basic areas of potential applicability to NASA. The first is for experimental aircraft programs, both manned and unmanned. This technology will give the ability to develop hybrid-electric aircraft with extended range and endurance vs. electric only aircraft, and more generally help NASA characterize hybrid-electric aircraft technologies. The second is for "Green taxiing" systems that are critical to NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program goals of reducing emissions and increasing fuel efficiency for high speed flight. The system uses two 50kW electric motors integrated onto the breaking systems of each of the two main landing gear. Finally, NASA's FAP objective to increase the specific power of high efficiency electric components in order to make a 10 MW onboard power generation and/or utilization feasible for propulsion requires the development of sub-scale technologies to support the development and validation of newer turbo-electric aircraft and embedded boundary layer electric propulsion systems.
There will be many commercial applications for this technology beyond NASA. First would likely be to provide additional electrical power for new electronic warfare systems on existing aircraft platforms. Second would be new DoD aerospace applications such as hybrid electric aircraft, UAVs and UCAVs. Outside of DoD there are other commercial applications such as auxiliary power units for business jets, regional jets and commercial rotor-craft. Potential automotive applications include backup generators for battery electric vehicles (range extenders).
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metis Design Corporation | Lead Organization | Industry | Boston, Massachusetts |
Armstrong Flight Research Center
(AFRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Edwards, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Massachusetts
