HTS System and Component Targets for a Distributed Aircraft Propulsion System

Distributed propulsion for aircraft is a radical concept in which the generation of thrust is decentralized from the main power sources. Various implementations of this concept are being considered as ways of reducing aircraft fuel burn and noise impact in the future, many relying on electrical transmission. However, the power required for aircraft propulsion is orders greater than the present electrical systems on aircraft. Efficiency and weight of the electrical components will be crucial for the feasibility of an aircraft with distributed propulsion and thus, HTS technology is of strong interest. This paper explains the interest in the technology and possible means of implementation in an aircraft, including considerations of the means of cryogenic cooling. Technology targets are presented on the basis of an aircraft that uses distributed propulsion to enable boundary layer ingestion and produces 50% of its thrust electrically.