Speaker
Description
We present the design, assembly and commissioning of a modular test bench to investigate the electrical and thermal performance of aviation-relevant power cables and terminations under a wide range of steady-state or dynamic loading conditions.
Particular focus is placed on demountable custom cryogenic flanges and high current feedthroughs, providing a high degree of flexibility for the test bench.
A promising route towards sustainable aviation combines LH2, fuel cells, and compact electric motors linked by a low-weight cryogenic distribution network that may consist of high-purity aluminum (hyper-conducting) or of superconducting cables. To validate the design of such cables and auxiliary technology under operational conditions and to test their resilience to various failure scenarios, a dedicated forced-flow GHe test bench is built, allowing for tests at temperatures between 50 to 100 K; at He gas pressure levels up to 10 bar; and He flow rates up to 50 g/s.
The closed-loop GHe flow is driven by a cryofan and re-cooled with a single-stage cryocooler. Its pressure and temperature are measured at multiple locations and compared to model predictions of the cable-, heat exchangers- and joints behavior. Also cable current and voltage are monitored to evaluate its electrical stability and AC losses, while inductive antennas are used to analyze the current distribution within the cables.
| Submitters Country | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Are you a student? | Yes |
| Author Affiliations & Email Addresses | I confirm that valid email addresses and affiliations have been added for all co-authors. |
| Co-Author Affirmation | By clicking here, I, the submitting author, affirm that all co-authors know of and concur with the submission of this abstract. |