Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2025 - 16

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
X-Division Spreads Helix e-Propulsion to More Markets & OEMs
on F1 power units. He returned to IP, now Helix, in 2018. The XBS
project took an existing SCT motor configuration and adapted it to
suit a 38mm through-shaft. The through-shaft architecture enables
considerable versatility and optimization for multiple aerospace
applications. Mounted to a piston engine, for example, the motor
could augment engine power in a parallel hybrid arrangement.
Alternatively, a propeller could be driven from one end of the
motor via a gearbox, while the other provided an auxiliary drive to
generators, pumps and other ancillaries. Integrated mechanical
cooling pump and advanced sealing technology further enhanced
the XBS demonstrator. The integrated mechanical cooling pump
removed any requirement for a separate motor, cables, brackets
and other items associated with an external cooling pump, while
X-Division employed advanced sealing technology to retain Helix's
patented rotor cooling in the design.
Helix' X-Division specializes in developmental projects for new epowertrains.
Designers
of high-performance products for e-mobility are getting
to know the Helix brand, launched in 2022 to spread the electric
propulsion technology of Integral Powertrain Ltd of the UK to
more automotive and motorcycle OEMs while also positioning
into aviation, marine and aerospace markets. From its roots in
designing propulsion systems for motorsports, Helix has emerged
as an established series manufacturer of the power-dense motors,
inverters and e-powertrains that it develops.
Its hallmark Scaleable Core Technology (SCT) platform has three
product levels -- stock, configured and custom. But its X-Division,
focused on developmental projects in automotive, motorsport,
aerospace and marine applications, leads the push into new electric
powertrain designs. In two recent projects, Helix has designed
a direct drive scaleable aerospace electric propulsion demonstrator
and developed a revolutionary 650kW continuous output
low-inductance motor for a new hypercar project. Both are based
upon the company's core technology in radial-flux motor topology
and specialized inverters.
" With our seal technology the demonstrator
ran up to 15,000rpm, developing high
power from a relatively small package diameter, "
says Jordanou-Bailey. " We could
easily adapt it to drive a gearbox, gearing
down to propeller speed. We ran it at
310kW continuous, 380kW peak - geared
to drive a shaft at 2,500rpm that means
huge torque suitable for driving a largediameter
propeller and a significant mass
saving over a larger direct drive motor of
the same power. "
Chief Engineer Derek
Jordanou-Bailey
The 650kW Helix SPX177 continuous
output low-inductance motor
and twin inverter
At the conclusion of a robust
test program, the demonstrator
had proven its reliability
and performance. Compared
to a piston aeroengine or
turbine delivering power in a
similar range, the XBS was
an order of magnitude lighter,
considerably smaller and virtually
maintenance free.
The hypercar project led to
development of the company's
SPX177 motor. Weighing only 28kg and capable of delivering
650kW of continuous power, it is the most powerful pure battery
electric vehicle motor the company has ever produced.
The demonstrator came out of a collaboration with the Midlands
Aerospace Alliance and the University of Nottingham, Helix
designed, built and tested the Direct Drive Scaleable Aerospace
Electric Propulsion Demonstrator. Known internally as XBS, the
project involved the company's X-Division which focuses on taking
its Scalable Core Technology (SCT) in three product levels
--Stock, Configured and Custom -- a step further, developing
innovative solutions that push performance beyond established
boundaries.
Helix' participation in the project was guided by Chief Engineer
Derek Jordanou-Bailey, whose back story includes seven years
at Integral Powertrain, from which Helix evolved in 2022, before
a stint at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains working
16 Magnetics Business & Technology * January/February 2025
High power density is the standout feature. The radial flux configuration,
differing from the conventional axial flux configuration,
aligns the magnetic field perpendicular to the rotation axis. Their
compact form factor makes them an impeccable fit for applications
in the marine, aerospace and automotive sectors. But that's just
the tip of the iceberg. The motors flaunt efficient power transfer,
ensuring that a significant portion of electrical energy is converted
into mechanical energy. The optimized magnetic flux paths in the
radial design further enhance their efficiency. This results in a
motor that delivers robust performance, providing reliable torque
generation and smooth operation across a range of speeds.
" The SPX177 motor uses the 'top end' in materials and reaches
back into our motorsport heritage, " says Jordanou-Bailey. " Our
SCT is intended to deliver products that are tailored to customer
requirements and easily manufactured in large production runs,
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Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2025

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