X-57 Electromagnetic Interference Design, Integration, and Test Consideration

X-57 is NASA’s first all electric aircraft that utilizes existing airframe of Tecnam 2006P GA aircraft integrated with new all electric power train. The objective of the project was to deliver high performing distributed electric propulsion system while developing US industry in the area of EAP. The project was divided into three distinct flight mods, each serving as a risk reduction efforts to final mod where full distributed power train with highly modified wing structure would be tested in flight.
Flight weight, efficient power electronics are enablers for distributed, electric aircraft propulsion systems, and GRC team has developed high power and highly efficient SiC based converters for both cruise and high lift systems on the aircraft. Both controller’s development efforts demonstrate a means to achieve an in-the-nacelle controller with purely passive cooling while maintaining high efficiency. This paper describes the lessons learned on design, integration, and testing challenges that X-57 faced while developing these novel technologies.