Superconducting Highly efficient And power Dense mOtor for aeronautiCs – SHADOC

This project is part of the global effort to reduce and manage energy consumption in aircraft, both military and civilian. In 2019, global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record 52.4 Gt CO2eq. Although the COVID-19 health crisis led to a decrease in emissions in 2020, those in 2021 nearly returned to pre-crisis levels. The transport sector accounts for about 25% of energy-related CO2 emissions, with aviation being the second-largest contributor, responsible for 11% of the total, or 920 Mt CO2 in 2019.

Despite its seemingly moderate contribution, the climate impact of aviation remains a concern. The sharp increase in revenue passenger-kilometers (RPK) since 2013—up 50% by 2019—has only been partially offset by gains in energy efficiency, which have achieved just an 8% reduction in CO2 emissions per RPK. As a result, the share of civil aviation in global emissions is expected to grow.

To reduce these emissions, the aviation sector is primarily focusing on improving aircraft energy efficiency. Increasing the bypass ratio of turbofan engines—such as the LEAP type introduced in 2014—has led to significant progress. At the same time, electrifying propulsion functions, as seen in the automotive sector, represents a major lever. The presented project specifically focuses on studying a superconducting machine for aeronautical applications and developing a prototype.

The approach consists of two main phases: first, integrating superconducting components into an electric motor that meets aeronautical specifications, for validation purposes; second, extending the results to higher-power systems. The goal is to achieve a technological breakthrough in aircraft electric motors, with emphasis on design, manufacturing, and onboard or ground-based cryogenic cooling.

The project’s technical targets align with the needs of electric propulsion systems for aircraft: power levels from 500 kW to several MW, and rotational speeds between 2,000 and 5,000 rpm. Feasibility hinges on the machine’s efficiency and power density, with targets of 99% efficiency and 10 kW/kg—key conditions for competing with conventional propulsion systems.

The project's core objective is to develop a machine with a superconducting armature for aeronautical use. This choice enables a substantial gain in power-to-weight ratio and an improvement in efficiency beyond 99%, reducing both fuel consumption and the weight of components upstream of the engine. Several similar projects exist worldwide, particularly in Europe with industrial partners from the aviation and defense sectors, but none in France. It is therefore strategic for French industry to gain mastery of this technological building block.