Recently, Urban Air Mobility(UAM) has emerged as a promising solution to urbanization and traffic congestion, driving the rapid expansion of the UAM market and the active development of electric propulsion systems. Hybrid electric propulsion systems, ...
Recently, Urban Air Mobility(UAM) has emerged as a promising solution to urbanization and traffic congestion, driving the rapid expansion of the UAM market and the active development of electric propulsion systems. Hybrid electric propulsion systems, in particular, are seeing increased demand due to their potential to improve both flight range and energy efficiency. Within these systems, the generator serves as a critical component that converts mechanical power from a gas turbine engine into electrical power. Given the requirements for high-speed operation and high power density in aerospace applications, the rotor must be designed to be lightweight while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength.
This paper proposes a mechanical design and analytical procedure to ensure the structural stability of the rotor in an axial flux permanent magnet generator(AFPMG) for hybrid electric propulsion. First, the loads acting on the rotor and the resulting structural deformations and stresses are analytically derived. A 2D axisymmetric finite element analysis(FEA) is then performed to assess the effects of key geometric parameters on rotor deformation. Based on these findings, a baseline geometry meeting the target design specifications is established, and the structural adequacy of the final design model is validated through 3D FEA in terms of strength and stiffness. Finally, the reliability of the proposed analytical models and procedures is verified through drive tests on a manufactured prototype.