Performance and Testing of a Helical Winding for HTS Electric Machines for Aircraft Propulsion

This paper presents a promising winding technique that enables higher power densities in high-temperature superconducting (HTS) electrical machines with a slotless stator, such as self-supporting windings. The concept of helical winding is first defined, followed by an explanation of the skew angle and how different winding configurations can be characterized as a function of this angle. A case study is then conducted to select the most suitable helical winding for a specific 2 MW HTS electric motor. Finally, the manufacturing and testing of the helical winding configuration for electric aircraft propulsion are evaluated, comparing the active part weight of the machine with its power density.