NASA LEAPTech and X-57 Prototyping

Sean Clarke, P.E.

X-57 Principal Investigator
 X-57 Participating Organizations
TMC Technologies
Joby of West Virginia
NASA Langley: Vehicle, Wing, Performance, NASA GRC
Controls IPTs
NASA Armstrong: Power, Instrumentation IPTs,
Flight Ops
NASA Glenn: Battery Testing, Thermal
Analysis
Empirical Sys. Aero.: Prime contractor
Scaled Composites: Mod 2 Integration (batteries,
motors, controllers, cockpit)
Joby Aviation: Motor & Controller and folding
NASA LaRC
prop development ESAero NASA AFRC Tecnam
Xperimental: Wing design and
manufacturing Electric
Electric Power Sys.: Battery development Power
Systems
TMC Technologies: Software certification Xperimental Scaled
Tecnam: Baseline COTS airframe Composites
without engines

Italy

2
HEIST/LEAPTech: Propulsion-Airframe Integration Validation
 LEAPTech Volume Constraints

• After wing close-out, operating space became very limited

• Troubleshooting was significantly hindered
• Hatch openings were particularly susceptible
• Speed controllers did not fit inside nacelles, reducing available volume inside
nacelles for lines and instrumentation
• Power and instrumentation wiring in close proximity has contributed to EMI
issues
Traction Bus
• Redundant traction buses. Each
high-lift motor alternates buses,
cruise motors pull 50% power
from each bus.
• Buses protected in separate
ducts for isolation, shielding and
protection
• Command and Instrumentation
systems routed and shielded
separately to avoid interference
and common failures

Xperimental, LLC
5
LEAPTech COTS Controller, advanced motor

6
 X-57 Cruise Motor Torque Controllers
Heatsink Uses Cruise Motor Exhaust
To Cool Inverter Gates
• Prototype Running at 200% of rated power
• Software initial release in preliminary verification and
validation testing
• Environmental screening (shake and bake) of prototype
unit in progress at AFRC

CMC Environmental Testing at NASA Communication, Power and Sensor Interface High Voltage DC (Input) and AC
(Output) Interface to the Inverter

7
 X-57 Cruise Motor Development
Mod II Integration Into Existing Cowling

• Flight motor fabrication in progress, first unit delivery in April

• Out-runner design further optimized for X-57 based on
prototype performance (demonstrated large margins)

Prototype Cruise Motor (Design Iteration J, Flight Units Will Be Rev K) Cruise Motor Inverter Environmental Testing at NASA

8
 LEAPTech Electromagnetic Interference / Compatibility

• Propulsion system generates EMI as a function

of controller power
• This impedes control and instrumentation buses
• Eventually, control commands over CAN Bus can
no longer be verified for transmission 9
 X-57 Traction Power Distribution
Isolated Ducts Protect Redundant Power Contactor Pallet Includes Smart Prechargers
and Command for Cruise and DEP Systems and "Primary Objective" Power Measurement
• Redundant bus design supports Mod
IV (branches to each high lift motor)
• Thermal model for traction bus
validates wire sizing and duct venting
• Custom "flat cable" for lower
inductance and Electromagnetic
Interference (EMI)
• EMI radiated emittance tests and
thermal dissipation tests performed at
the NEAT facility (Plum Brook Station)
X-57 EMI Testing At Plum Flat Cable Custom X-57 Design for
Brook Station/NEAT Electric Propulsion Systems

10
X-57 Mod III Wing Design
• NASA and Xperimental finalizing design (CDR March 7-8)
• Current design considerations: Mod III wing /
fuselage interface
– Load Test Plan: Full-scale test article vs. sub-assembly tests
– Aileron & flap resizing due to manufacturing concerns
– Analyses: Structural, classical flutter, whirl flutter analysis

Aileron, Flap, High Lift Nacelle Interface

(Nacelle's Empty in Mod III)

Mod III Spar/Rib Layout,

Power and Instrumentation Ducts
Remote Control Quick Look Stability & Control Model

11
X-57 Flight Controls and Simulation
• Synchronized with Vehicle Mass Properties Model for both Mod II and Mod III
• Models electric prop system dynamics in addition to vehicle stability and control
• Aero model validation plan is in work (CFD cases to validate
wind tunnel data and to build up uncertainty model Piloted Simulator at AFRC Includes Flight
Like Instrument Panels, Switches, MFD
• Includes failure scenario modeling (e.g. engine out)

Unpowered Stability and Control

Dynamics Test in the 12' Tunnel at LaRC

12
 X-57 Battery System
JSC Test Unit With Interstitial Barrier X-57 Battery Module (¼ Pack)
and Heat Spreader (Design Template) before Short Circuit Test

• 461 V nominal, 47 kWh capacity

• 790 lbs. (8 Modules, 95 lbs. each)
• 2 packs supports redundant X-57
traction system
• Battery destructive testing
conducted Dec 2016.

X-57 Thermal Runaway Unit One Battery Pack

(2 Trays; ½ Module) (4 Module, ½ Ship Set)

13
High Lift Folding Propellers 14
 Throttle Quadrant

15
Electric Motor Mount & Cowling Completed
Hybrid Electric Integrated System Testbed (HEIST)

SDB 1 SDB 2 SDB 3 SDB 4

DC Electric Power Legend

Battery (AV900) Power Source to Traction Bus

To motors 1 & 2 C-65 + AC/DC Converter to Traction Bus
Wing Trailer From Traction Bus to Switch Disconnect Boxes
SIS Dyno Trailer
From Switch Disconnect Boxes to Motors
(phase 3 only)
Phase 1 only
Traction Bus PDB
SDB = Switch Disconnect Box
To motors 3 & 4
SIS = Simulation Interface System
PDB = Power Distribution Box

SDB 5 SDB 6 SDB 7 SDB 8

Battery Trailer (phase 3

only)
AC/DC
• near Wing Trailer Converter C-65
AV900 (phase 1 & 2)
• stationed inside 4840 bay 5
Hybrid Electric Integrated System Testbed (HEIST)