Cryogenic Power Electronics & Superconducting Motor Showcased by ASL at PEASA25

July 24, 2025

The Applied Superconductivity Laboratory was honored to participate in the esteemed Power Electronics for Aerospace Applications (PEASA25) workshop, hosted by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow on July 23rd-24th, 2025. This significant gathering provided a valuable platform for sharing cutting-edge research with global leaders in aerospace power electronics.

Dr. Yudi Xiao represented the laboratory, delivering a well-received oral presentation on two parts for project ZEST:
– Cryogenic Inverter for All-Electric Aircraft: Dr. Xiao presented the lab’s innovative inverter designed for cryogenic operation. This technology demonstrates exceptional competitiveness through remarkably low power loss and high power density. A key enabler, the gate driver specifically designed by Dr. Xiao, allows standard Silicon IGBTs to function reliably immersed in liquid nitrogen (77 K).
– Superconducting Motor under Project ZEST: Dr. Xiao also detailed the lab’s progress on superconducting motor design within the Zero Emission Sustainable Transportation (ZEST) project. Notably, our team successfully tested this motor at 1500 RPM. This Airbus-led initiative is strategically funded by ATI.

PhD Student Yuchuan Liao contributed a poster presentation highlighting promising research on nanocrystalline magnetic materials for high-frequency and cryogenic power electronics. His findings revealed that nanocrystalline materials exhibit higher magnetic permeability at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) compared to room temperature (300 K), while experiencing only a modest ~20% increase in core losses – a highly favourable characteristic for demanding cryogenic aerospace applications.

“We were delighted by the opportunity PEASA25 provided to showcase our novel research in cryogenic power electronics and superconducting motor technology for sustainable aviation,” commented a lab supervisor Prof Weijia Yuan. “The presentations generated considerable interest and fruitful discussions with researchers from numerous institutions and universities. We are deeply encouraged by this engagement and sincerely look forward to further deepening these dialogues and exploring potential collaborative opportunities with academic and industry partners in the near future.”

The Applied Superconductivity Laboratory extends its gratitude to the University of Strathclyde for hosting PEASA25 and to Airbus, ATI, and the ZEST project consortium for their vital support.