28 n MOTORS May 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com Next-gen propulsion test rig is powered by 2MW motor A 2MW dynamometer test rig has been installed at the University of Nottingham to develop and test sustainable propulsion systems for all forms of transport, with aim of reducing the sector’s environmental impact. The facility expands the facilities of the University’s Power Electronics and Machine Centre (PEMC), which is also the home of the Midlands Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centre. It joins existing electrical machine and drives design and manufacturing capabilities that cover the whole development cycle for future propulsion systems under one roof. The Nottingham team’s research focuses primarily on hybrid and electric demonstrators for air, land and marine transport. The dynamometer – an electromechanical system with fourquadrant power conversion that can emulate thrust loads dynamically – is designed to test and validate MW and kV class electrical drive systems for low- to high-speed (800-30,000 rpm) motors and generators for hybrid electric propulsion systems. It can emulate loads such as propellors, gas turbine generators, and mechanical transmission systems. It can apply torque and thrust concurrently, for instance, to simulate the loads on a propeller in flight, or can be set up to test the output and performance of engines. The test rig is an important step towards making the UK a leader in developing highpower aerospace electrical systems. “The rig has four gearing stages and so covers a huge testing envelope for power, speed and torque,” explains the facility’s manager, Chris Varley. “Previously our highest-power test stand was 800kW, so the 2MW rig more than doubles our power capabilities, and allows us to test more representative loads. “Research in this area can be a slow process,” he adds, “but with the enhanced capabilities that the new rig brings, we aim to accelerate the pace of change. We want to be able to offer all the testing needed for qualifying electrical systems for flight.” Northampton-based Torquemeters designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned the dynamometer, which consists of a drive and motor, a multipleoutput parallel-shaft gearbox, a lubrication system, a proprietary in-line phase-shift torque meter, high-speed low-mass couplings, and a health monitoring system. A reconfigurable power supply can emulate energy sources such as batteries, fuel cells or APUs (auxiliary power units). A major challenge in designing and building such systems is managing the dissipation of heat. Traditionally, such facilities have been built near large bodies of water which they use for cooling. They need complex infrastructures to cool the heated water in a closed system. The Nottingham system, by contrast, is using a regenerative drive, which can absorb excess power and then recirculate it, improving efficiency, and reducing the amount of cooling infrastructure needed. This, in turn, has cut the investment required. “One of the big advantages of a regenerative system is that, once started, they’re very efficient at recirculating power The University of Nottingham has installed an advanced dynamometer rig for testing aviation propulsion systems. The rig, powered by a 2MW motor and drive, will help open up new possibilities for the future electried propulsion systems. The Nottingham dynamometer is powered by a 2MW machine that acts both as a motor and a generator
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