The generator, which will be at the heart of the most powerful hybrid-electric aircraft power and propulsion system in aviation, has arrived at Rolls-Royce's professional test facility for installation and assembly work.
The generator and associated power electronics were delivered from the Rolls-Royce facility in Trondheim, Norway, to the recently renovated Testbed 108 in Bristol, England, after completing an extensive development test programme. The generator in question will be part of the 2,5 megawatt (MW) Power Generation System 1 (PGS1) demonstrator program for future regional aircraft. In addition to the hybrid electric propulsion system, the generator could also be used as part of a "more electric" system on larger aircraft or in future land or sea applications.
The PGS1 is a key element of Rolls-Royce's sustainability strategy aimed at developing innovative electrical power and propulsion systems.
Rolls-Royce has also completed testing the AE2100 engine component, professional inspections and thermal management system on Testbed 108.
Adam Newman, Chief Design Engineer at Rolls-Royce Aviation Futures, said: “We are excited about the introduction of the generator to our new test facility and the start of PGS1 integration. Thanks to the work of the UK and Norwegian teams, this stage is an important milestone for this programme. While it is a great privilege for us to be involved in such a valuable work, developing innovative electrical power systems is part of our sustainability strategy for the future.
Our generator is the size of a cylinder about 40 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height, and should generate enough electricity to power an average of 2 homes uninterruptedly. This opens the door to a new era of what is physically possible. Upon completion of testing, we aim to have infrastructure that provides megawatts of power for future hybrid aircraft.”
Testbed 108 and PGS1 are supported by the UK Aerospace Technology Institute's MegaFlight project, while the design, manufacture and testing of 2.5 MW electric generators, engines and power electronics in Trondheim is supported by the EU Clean Sky 2 programme
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