Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and Collins Aerospace (Collins), both Raytheon Technologies businesses, today announced the launch of a new hybrid-electric technology demonstrator program applicable to future advanced air mobility vehicles. The Scalable Turboelectric Powertrain Technology (STEP-Tech) demonstrator extends Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace’s longstanding collaboration on hybrid-electric technology development, which is a core element of both companies’ strategies for powering sustainable aviation and enabling customers to achieve the goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
“The STEP-Tech demonstrator will be based at the Raytheon Technologies Research Centre in East Hartford, CT,” reports the press release “and will focus on developing high voltage distributed turboelectric hybrid-electric propulsion concepts in the 100-500kW class, with potential to scale to 1MW and beyond. The modular and scalable nature of the STEP-Tech demonstrator platform enables a wide range of configurations to be rapidly prototyped and demonstrated. Having completed proof of concept studies earlier this year, ground testing with the platform is targeted to commence in late 2022.
“The STEP-Tech demonstrator platform will include full end-to-end system capabilities, including a high-efficiency turbogenerator, energy storage, power electronics and modular electrically driven propulsors. Successfully demonstrated technology could be implemented in a range of novel aircraft applications, including high speed eVTOL, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and small to medium sized commercial air transporters.”
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(Image: Pratt & Whitney)
