March 12
@
12:00 PM
–
1:00 PM
4610 Engineering Hall
Electrical Drive Systems: Lightweight and Scalable Propulsion for Aerospace and Sustainable Energy
Abstract:
As AI and machine learning revolutionize software and computing, as our transportation is being electrified, global energy needs are growing dramatically. At the core of energy conversion and motion systems, electrical drive systems are the unsung heroes—powering everything from the wheels of electric cars to the propellers that lift air taxis into the sky to the emerging humanoid robots. This presentation will outline the developments to shape the next era of electric drive systems for air vehicle electrification and sustainable energy.
Join this talk to explore how non-traditional axial flux machines are pushing the boundaries of electric powertrain technology, achieving an unprecedented 14.8 kW/kg power-to-mass ratio—nearly three times the state-of-the-art 5 kW/kg benchmark of commercial systems today. This breakthrough is made possible through a
multidisciplinary integration of electric machine design, advanced thermal management, and next-generation manufacturing techniques, delivering over 94% efficiency at the takeoff for an aircraft flight profile and redefining what’s possible for electric transportation in the future.
Beyond aviation, electrification of transportation presents new challenges, including geopolitical concerns surrounding rare-earth materials. This talk will introduce the development of rare-earth-free motors, a transformative step toward sustainable electrification—impacting not only traction motors but also renewable energy applications like wind turbine generators. This innovation builds upon conventional wound-field synchronous machines but eliminates the need for additional mechanical or electrical exciters. Instead, by leveraging existing stationary coil sets and systematic harmonic injection, the excitation magnetic field is generated on the rotor without the use of brushes or permanent magnets. This novel approach merges the fundamentals of conventional electric machines with a modern harmonic excitation approach and simple and robust rotating power electronics.
The presentation will conclude with a summary of upcoming research trends and opportunities.
Bio:
Dorsa Talebi earned her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2024 under the supervision of Prof. Toliyat. Her research focuses on advancing unconventional electric machine designs, with integrated cooling systems, particularly axial flux machines, to enable hyper-efficient,
lightweight solutions for aircraft propulsion, drones, robotics, and more. During her graduate studies, Dorsa gained industry experience in powertrain R&D through internships at Tesla and Lucid Motors and co-invented a rare-earth-free electric machine, addressing material sustainability challenges while achieving high-performance electric drive systems for electric traction and renewable energy applications, supported by Texas A&M’s Advancing Discovery to Market (ADM) funding. Her expertise spans electric machine design and the multidisciplinary co-design of power electronic converter, thermal management systems, and structural components.
Dorsa holds multiple issued U.S. patents and patent applications and has authored multiple papers published in various IEEE conferences and journals. Her achievements include several awards and scholarships, such as the Texas A&M Energy Institute Graduate Fellowship. Dorsa is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Advanced Electrical Machines & Power Electronics (EMPE) Lab at Texas A&M University.