Since our establishment in 2018, aerospaceHV has been working with partners across the aerospace industry to ensure their 540V/800V product offerings include insulation systems that help deliver safe and reliable performance at acceptable levels of power density. Our existing test / analysis capabilities have supported over 15 companies based in the UK as they develop products ready for the marketplace. In the 800V sector we are seeing the early stage development work now move to larger/longer test programmes seeking to provide evidence that the products are fit for flight. The aerospace industry expects the operating voltage of aircraft electrical systems to continue increase in the future as a result of the deployment of all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems. Existing aircraft operate in the kW power level class, with megawatt levels a goal for a number of demonstrators within the short term. Initially, "more electric" aircraft are planned, with "all electric" being a longer-term goal. Within a 40-year time frame, power levels of over 10 MW are anticipated to be delivered commercially. Power densities of electrical systems are expected to increase from the 6.6 kW/kg in present day to 19.7 kW/kg by 2030 for non-cryogenic systems. If operating currents remain between 600 and 2000 A (based on the need to manage system weight), system voltages will increase to values between 3 and 24 kV. Our project will deliver a state-of-the-art facility for the UK, underpinning the efforts of the aerospace industry to deliver high value electrical systems for use in future aircraft. The provision of leading high voltage test capabilities to the UK sector will ensure that advances in the next generation of aircraft components can be underpinned by an improved understanding of best high voltages can be managed in the aerospace environment.

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For the UK to be able to design, develop and manufacture the next generation of power electronic machines and drives we need to ensure we have engineers skilled in the use of insulation systems to manage the challenges associated with the use of higher voltages. This project would deliver a training portal to enable PEMD engineers to design safe, reliable and power dense high voltage electrical systems. Critically, through use of a subscription based, on-line portal, engineers will have real time access to training and design tools when they need it, compared to traditional classes, when knowledge is often forgotten but the time it's needed. The new training system will be unique as it will support engineers in safely extending product capability beyond what is catered for within existing standards as we move to DC bus voltages of 800V and beyond. Unlike lower voltage systems where insulation is typically chosen on the basis of mechanical and thermal requirements, higher voltages see the electrical properties of the insulation start to dominate failure modes. Reliable yet compact insulation systems are therefore required throughout all components used in power electronic and electrical machine systems. The design of the insulation system ultimately impacts the safety and power density of products, however feedback from our clients, including Rolls Royce and GE Aviation highlight that there is a lack of training provision to support engineers working in this field. To meet this need, aHV has established a range of specialist training courses focusing on the design and test of insulation systems. The feedback received from the trainees is excellent. However, the delivery of in-person training in its current form cannot be scaled up given it is primarily reliant on the availability of our Technical Director. This project will see us develop a digital format of our training that reflects the quality of our in-person offering with mass market reach. The training materials will include on-line video material, demonstrations of testing and problem based learning materials. Within the project we will also package our existing proprietary excel design calculators into a standalone software tool that trainees can access to accelerate their design workflows. We have the commitment of a number of companies working in the PEMD sector, who see value in the training resource, and who have agreed to commit resource to a steering committee and to act as BETA users of first release training packages.

"This project seeks to develop a measurement technique that would maximise our ability to detect partial discharge when it is produced by the voltages from a power electronic converter. This will support the development of a test technique that could ensure the reliability of aerospace high voltage systems. The project is focused in a way that would see it add value to aerospace systems as they continue to see higher voltages being deployed. However, the project would also provide significant benefit to related applications such as automotive and marine electrical systems. The key innovation we are seeking to develop is an antenna design that maximises our chance of detecting partial discharge in insulation systems operating at the pressures expected in an aerospace system."