Electro-Magnetic Flux Imaging Scanner (EMFIS)

Development and testing of high-reliability and high-efficiency motors for aerospace applications is becoming a key dependency for the introduction of the More/All Electric Aircraft.

The project will develop real-time imaging of motor flux density characteristics, addressing an industry requirement for a scanner that can be modified to arbitrary stator/armature diameters. Research will focus on flux measurement control, scan rate of flux sensors and advanced post-processing techniques. The principal project output will be a marketable electro-magnetic flux scanner (EMFIS) which is unique in offering a linear response across a broad field range (pT-T) due to the use of an innovative graphene sensor.

An ability to interrogate the 2D/3D field characteristics of electric motors and other electromagnetic (EM) devices would offer significant tangible benefits throughout the design, manufacturing and qualifying process. There are currently no solutions for mapping the magnetic field produced by an energised stator or armature in 2D or 3D. Imaging the field configuration directly would lead to an inherently marketable scanner and push the aerospace sector towards lighter, more reliable and higher efficiency motors.

EMFIS development would generate manifold benefits, visualisation of the flux characteristics of an EM device for the first time (currently only possible with FEA simulations) would offer unprecedented insight into magnetic saturation, facilitating substantially improved motor efficiencies and power densities through enhanced design and allowing un-rivalled reverse-engineering and fault-finding services to be developed.

The technology would also lead to real-time health monitoring services through the use of embedded sensors, due to the robust nature of graphene and the small device footprint sensors could be integrated into aerospace motors, adding significant value to existing motor products.