Retroflight Alpha - A novel eVTOL charging infrastructure platform

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The aim of this industrial research project, named Retroflight-Alpha is to develop the physical and digital infrastructure to support future flight objectives. This includes both a highly reliable 600kW charging capability utilising Petalite's 3-Phase SDC patent and Vanti's smart building operating system (Smart Core(tm)), required to serve electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in high density urban environments (HDUE). Ultimately reducing the associated high cost of ground works due to "peak loads" and traditional hardware reliability issues which would make these landing sites financially unviable. Without the right charging infrastructure in place eVTOLs cannot become a feasible form of transportation.Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft power demands create unique charging challenges: due to frequent short trips and limited time to charge between them. They will endure hundreds of charging cycles in their lifetime located in high density urban environments (HDUE) and require huge amounts of power and high reliability for vertical take-off and landing.Petalite have addressed the integration challenge of new air vehicles by partnering with Vanti, a Systems Integrator with deep experience in integrating proprietary technologies into wider building systems landscapes. At the anticipated power loads of eVTOL charging, wider building automation and systems orchestration are essential to ensure existing electrical supplies can be utilised but are simultaneously monitored to eliminate the risk of them being overloaded and users of buildings being disrupted. As well as commercial buildings other locations for this essential infrastructure will include repurposing the tops of car parks, existing helipads and even EV charging stations.To meet these unique charging demands, Petalite have invented a?patent pending charging?platform?for an innovative new way of charging "3-Phase SDC" Supercharging, with_?a true single stage topology, with 30-50% less components, higher reliability, longer working lifetime (up to 4x MTBF) compared to existing Full-Bridge topologies._ Petalite's Charging as a Service (CAS) business model offers 4 x ROI potential.Petalite's current system meets the battery charging standards for train, tram and buses, further development of the switching algorithm is needed to fully comply and communicate with eVTOLs. This is an evolution of a successful 1-phase SDC Innovate UK (IUK) project (2019) in the rail industry which will invent SDC systems in a laboratory environment and develop them (TRL4-6) to comply with eVTOL CCS standards.The modular design of the 3-Phase SDC will enable rapid growth and unlimited scalability across the eVTOL charging network nationally, while Vanti's open source and open protocol smart building operating system will enable site operators to manage peak energy consumption and minimise impact on existing electrical infrastructure, which is a crucial element of the eVTOL charging requirement.