AN INTEGRATED ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEM
Quantum Drive is a modular pulsed electromagnetic platform designed around an integrated energy and control chain.
Its architecture combines several complementary technologies: electrical power supply, energy storage, power electronics, electromagnetic field generation, HTS superconductivity, cryogenics, high-speed instrumentation and centralised control.
The entire platform is designed as an integrated system in which each function is coordinated and synchronised with the others.
1 — ENERGY SOURCE
The energy chain begins with an onboard electrical power source based primarily on lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries.
Their role is to supply the system, power auxiliary equipment and support the recharging of the intermediate energy-storage systems.
This separation between primary energy supply and pulsed-energy delivery avoids requiring the batteries alone to provide the most demanding transient power conditions.
2 — ENERGY STORAGE
Energy required for the electromagnetic sequences is transferred to a dedicated storage stage.
The architecture under development incorporates an SMES — Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage — system, enabling energy to be stored magnetically within a superconducting circuit.
Depending on experimental requirements and system dimensioning, this architecture may be combined with other rapid energy-storage technologies, including supercapacitors.
The objective is to provide an energy reserve capable of controlled delivery to the different electromagnetic modules.
3 — POWER ELECTRONICS & SiC SWITCHING
Between the energy-storage system and the electromagnetic modules lies the high-speed power-switching stage.
Quantum Drive incorporates wide-bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor technology within a dedicated control architecture.
These components manage the controlled switching and distribution of energy to the different sections of the system.
This power electronics stage forms the essential interface between stored energy and its conversion into synchronised electromagnetic sequences.
4 — MODULAR ELECTROMAGNETIC ARCHITECTURE
The Quantum Drive tunnel consists of successive electromagnetic modules that can be independently controlled.
This architecture enables the electromagnetic conditions to evolve progressively along the system while allowing each section to be characterised independently during experimental testing.
Its modular design also facilitates the progressive development of the demonstrator, with each module capable of being instrumented, tested and optimised before full-system integration.
5 — HYBRID HTS / ELECTROMAGNETIC ARCHITECTURE
At the core of the system are two complementary electromagnetic functions.
The outer circuit uses bulk HTS superconducting elements maintained within a controlled cryogenic environment. These form the superconducting component of the system and contribute to establishing and stabilising the required magnetic conditions.
The inner circuit provides the dynamic electromagnetic function.
Two architectures have been investigated: an HTS-based configuration and an alternative based on conventional electromagnetic windings.
For the experimental phase, separating the outer bulk HTS circuit from an independent inner electromagnetic circuit provides a particularly relevant reference architecture, allowing both functions to be characterised and controlled independently.
6 — CRYOGENIC SYSTEM
Superconductivity requires dedicated thermal management.
Quantum Drive therefore incorporates a cryogenic system designed to maintain the HTS components within their required operating range while continuously monitoring their thermal condition.
Cryogenics is treated as a complete subsystem, incorporating thermal insulation, cryogenic-fluid management, instrumentation and operating-condition control.
It is directly integrated with the central supervision architecture.
7 — SENSORS, METROLOGY & ECU
The complete platform is supervised by a central Electronic Control Unit — ECU — connected to the different subsystems.
A network of sensors monitors essential parameters including electrical states, electromagnetic fields, temperatures, cryogenic operation and module behaviour.
These measurements allow the power-control system to be synchronised with the actual physical state of the platform while providing the experimental data required for validation.
The demonstrator therefore becomes a highly instrumented system capable of continuously comparing measured physical behaviour with the existing scientific and numerical models.
8 — THERMAL MANAGEMENT & SAFETY
In addition to cryogenic management, the architecture incorporates thermal management for the power electronics, electrical connections and associated subsystems.
The modular design also enables monitoring, electrical isolation, protection and safety functions to be progressively incorporated throughout experimental development.
Energy, electromagnetic and thermal management are therefore addressed as parts of a single integrated system.
A COMPLETE FUNCTIONAL CHAIN
The Quantum Drive architecture can be summarised through the following functional chain:
LiFePO₄ BATTERIES
↓
ENERGY STORAGE — SMES / RAPID ENERGY STORAGE
↓
POWER ELECTRONICS — SiC SWITCHING
↓
MODULAR ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
↓
ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEMS + BULK HTS
↓
CRYOGENICS + THERMAL MANAGEMENT
↓
SENSORS + METROLOGY
↓
ECU — CONTROL & SYNCHRONISATION
Together, these technologies form an integrated architecture in which energy, electromagnetic fields, cryogenics and control are managed as interconnected components of a single system.
ONE PLATFORM — TWO APPLICATION AREAS
DEFENCE — COUNTER-UAV / COUNTER-UAS
The platform is being investigated for applications designed to counter and neutralise the electronic systems of hostile drones and contribute to the protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive sites.
CIVIL — SPACE APPLICATIONS
The same technological architecture is being investigated for electromagnetic assistance in the acceleration and launch of microsatellites and small space payloads.
FROM ARCHITECTURE TO VALIDATION
Quantum Drive is currently positioned at TRL 3–4: the system architecture has been defined, modelled and documented, and the principal technology families required for its implementation have been identified.
The next stage is to progressively build and instrument these technological building blocks, compare their measured performance with the existing models, and integrate the validated subsystems into a representative demonstrator.
TRL 3–4 → Technology Building Blocks → Experimental Validation → System Integration → TRL 5
Detailed engineering architecture and technical documentation are available to qualified industrial and scientific partners under an appropriate confidentiality framework.