The Need

Electrification trends in aerospace, transportation, and industrial systems demand electric machines with substantially higher power density, efficiency, and reliability. Conventional motor and generator architectures struggle at high frequencies and power levels due to skin and proximity losses, thermal constraints, and bulky, remotely mounted power electronics. These limitations result in lower efficiency, reduced scalability, increased system mass, and complex thermal management, particularly for megawatt-class and high-speed applications where compactness and integration are critical.

The Technology

OSU engineers have developed a fully integrated electric machine architecture that co-designs the stator windings, power electronics, and thermal management as a single system. The machine employs engineered multi-layer conductors optimized for high-frequency operation, integrated power electronics mounted within the stator, and advanced cooling pathways that directly extract heat from current-carrying and electronic components. The result is a compact, high-performance electric machine capable of operating efficiently at power and frequency levels beyond conventional designs.

Commercial Applications

• Aerospace electric propulsion motors and generators
• High-speed compressors, turbines, and industrial drives
• Electrified transportation powertrains (marine, rail, heavy-duty)
• Grid-scale or distributed power generation systems

Benefits/Advantages

• Significantly increased power density
• Higher efficiency at high frequencies
• Integrated power electronics
• Advanced thermal management