This week RTX completed a successful demonstration of a solid-state circuit breaker for hybrid-electric propulsion system aircraft for NASA, and saw the opening of a $50 million Rockford, Ill., campus for its subsidiary Collins Aerospace’s advanced electric power systems lab.
The demonstration was a potentially big moment for future aircraft, fitting in with efforts to get the aviation industry to net zero emissions by 2050. Hybrid-electric propulsion systems will demand increased voltage and power draws compared to modern aircraft, necessitating new, higher load circuit breakers. RTX’s model would be able to handle up to five times the power of the largest circuit breaker flying today, and the company noted that it would have the ability to interrupt thousands of amps of current during an electric fault in less than 100 microseconds.
“Without new circuit breakers that can manage higher loads, hybrid-electric aircraft won’t be possible,” Andreas Roelofs, RTX vice president of research and RTRC director, said. “We’re leveraging the combined expertise of the RTX enterprise in power electronics, protection and integration to create a lightweight, power dense solution that will help enable the next generation of hybrid-electric and all-electric platforms.”
RTX Technology Research Center, Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney are jointly developing the solid state technology under NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP). Together, they have completed design, functional and altitude testing, and intend to pursue further refinements through system integration and flight demonstration at Collins’ new electric power systems lab, also known as the Grid.
The Grid will be used to develop and test the solid state breaker and other key components for hybrid-electric propulsion and more. Electric motors, controllers, generators and distribution systems will all be on the table. It boasts 25,000 square feet of space and an initial test capability of 8 MW.
“Hybrid-electric aircraft will help our industry significantly reduce carbon emissions, and with The Grid, the most sophisticated lab of its kind, we are investing to help these aircraft take flight,” Henry Brooks, president of power and controls for Collins Aerospace, said. “In the coming years, we will use The Grid to break new ground in the development of electric systems that are more powerful, more efficient and lighter than ever before. And in doing so, we will help create a new generation of green aircraft that operate more sustainably with reduced impact on our environment.”
The facility opened with the display of a 1MW motor and unveiled a new 250 kW motor, part of a family of electric motors that could be scaled up or down over time to meet various aircraft needs.
RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, owning businesses that include Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon.