Dr Min Zhang has been awarded a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Research Fellowship to further her groundbreaking work into the use of High Superconductors (HTS) for future electrical aircraft.
RAEng Research Fellowships are designed to promote excellence in engineering by supporting early career researchers to develop successful academic research careers. As a key member of the University of Bath’s Applied Superconductivity Group, Dr Zhang will use the Fellowship to explore long term collaborations with industry leaders such as Rolls Royce and Airbus.
Dr Zhang, Lecturer in the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, said, “Electric aircraft is the game changing technology to reduce the aviation industry’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels. By addressing one key challenge for the propulsion system, this fellowship will effectively advance superconductor technology and provide an essential route to tremendous new opportunities for future aerospace applications.”
European governments have set ambitious targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 – and the development of electrical aircraft will be instrumental in meeting these targets. The key technical challenge for large electrical aircraft is developing advanced electrical drives with power densities rivaling jet engines.
Dr Zhang is currently growing an interdisciplinary research team to explore exciting new low-carbon technologies. Her recent activities include investigating Carbon Nanotube (CNT) wires for developing light electrical machines.
