The generator that will be at the heart of what Rolls-Royce says is the most powerful hybrid-electric propulsion system in aerospace has been delivered.
The generator, and related power electronics, arrived at Testbed 108 in Bristol, U.K., from the Rolls-Royce facility in Trondheim, Norway, after completing an extensive development test program. It will form part of the 2.5-megawatt Power Generation System 1 (PGS1) demonstrator for future regional aircraft. In addition to hybrid-electric propulsion, the generator could also be used as part of a “more-electric” system for larger aircraft or within future ground or marine applications.
According to Rolls-Royce, the generator is about the size of a beer keg but produces enough electricity to continuously power around 2,500 homes.