Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB

Aviation Electronics

Motivation

Making use of more than 20 years of experience in delivering complete prototype systems for automotive applications, IISB is able to provide technologies for the complete high voltage “backbone” of a more/all electric aircraft, ranging from non-/isolating DC/DC converters and AC/DC motor/grid inverters to complete battery systems and DC grid control technologies. The novel WBG semiconductors with their reduced losses together with advanced low-inductive system designs and innovative cooling solutions enable power-densities far beyond state-of-the-art, paving the way towards more and all electric aircrafts.

Full-custom System Development

We offer full-custom system development and realization of extremely lightweight and integrated power electronic systems – from the first concept to testing and delivery of the complete prototype system. Making use of our experiences with DC grid management, we are able to deliver solutions for complete drivetrain system architectures for aviation applications, with voltage range from 60 V – 3 kV and power range from 1 kW to several MW:

  • Multiphase traction drive inverters
  • Isolating and non-isolating DC/DC converters
  • Bidirectional AC inverters for multigrid coupling
  • Custom battery systems & battery management
  • Medium voltage multilevel designs
  • Thermal CFD simulation chain for customer specific air and liquid cooling solutions
  • DC grid management & control functionalities
  • High gravimetric power density
  • Custom made power electronics for special applications and requirements

More and detailed Information will be given upon request, and starting a technical discussion about your specific application is highly appreciated. The IISB is your research partner in power electronics for next generation avionic applications, either in collaboration in public funded research projects, or in bilateral developments under complete NDA.

Project Example: Cryogenically Cooled Drive Inverter

First cryogenically cooled drive inverter for electric flight in the 500 kW class operated entirely at -196 °C

ASCEND Program

Compact and lightweight electric drives are essential for future electric aviation. A suitable solution would be superconducting systems where the electric current flows virtually without resistance and hardly any losses. This enables maximum performance in terms of efficiency, weight, and installation space. Many electrical conductors are only superconducting at cryogenic temperatures. This is why all drive components - including the complex inverter - must be designed for such conditions. The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB in Erlangen demonstrated a cryogenic 500 kW drive inverter for the first time. It is cooled with liquid nitrogen at 77 Kelvin (K), corresponding to -196 °C. The cryogenic inverter is the result of a cooperation with Airbus UpNext. As part of its ASCEND program, Airbus is now building a prototype of a fully cryogenic electric aircraft powertrain. This is possible for the first time with the IISB drive converter in the 500 kW power class.

ATLAS - Air Transport Analysis and Technology Synergy Study

The ATLAS project is a national research initiative within the German Aviation Research Program LuFo VII-1 KTF. The project runs from November 2025 to October 2028 and focuses on the development of simulation and evaluation environment for air transportation system, providing guidelines for low climate impact long-range aviation (EIS 2040-2045) and establishing a national scouting process for disruptive technologies from the global landscape that are potentially applicable to aviation in the long term.

Project objective

Objective of the project is to provide the simulation and evaluation capabilities at all three system levels: Air transportation system, aircraft and individual technology through:

  • the development of a publicly accessible simulation and evaluation environment for the air transport system,
  • the derivation of transparent and concrete recommendations for action regarding technologies, their combination, and resulting aircraft concepts for the next generation of long-haul aircraft with an EIS of 2040–2045, and
  • the establishment of a national scouting process for new/radical individual technologies.

The role of the IISB

The contributions to the ATLAS project are coming from the Aviation Electronics and E-Machines research groups.

  • Numerical and simulation-based design of an HTS-based cryogenic powertrain
  • Setup of a co-simulation environment
  • Development of characteristic curves for the performance of the HTS drive system
  • Study assessing the installation space and mass requirements of the HTS drive train
  • Potential analysis for the use of superconducting materials and for cryogenic cooling of other powertrain components

Partners

ATLAS is a collaborative network of 12 national research partners: RWTH Aachen University (ILR), Technical University of Berlin (TUB), Technical University of Braunschweig (TUBS), Technical University of Dresden (TUDD), Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDA), Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH), Technical University of Munich (TUM), University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich (UniBW), University of Stuttgart (USTUTT), Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. (BHL), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Fraunhofer Society (FHG)

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