HELACS is based on:
i) previous results of end of life aircraft management projects (such as PAMELA or AIMERE),
ii) the review of recommendations and standards for aircraft disassembly and aircraft materials recycling (such as the developed for the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association - AFRA) and
iii) the experience and support of the biggest Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) entity in Europe, Teruel Airport (PLATA), to implement a cost-competitive and energy efficient solution for dismantling and recycling Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) components.
To do this, stakeholders of multiple areas of the aircraft designing, manufacturing and recycling value chain have collaborated during the project, through a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) approach, to i) define the current framework, ii) co-construct an effective solution, iii) monitor the project progress, iv) define recommendations for an effective implementation and v) collaborate in the exploitation, communication and dissemination activities.
Thanks to this multiactor approach, HELACS includes the European Industry necessities when the current dismantling and recycling processes will be improved to properly manage CFRP components, now and in the future, by transferring innovative technologies and systems in two main pillars:
• Flexible and Portable Robotic Platform with machine learning capabilities and dedicated tools for CFRP cutting and debonding (i. Hydro-jet cutting tool for any CFRP and ii. Resistance welding [bonding/debonding] tool for thermoplastic CFRP, new comers in the aeronautic sector)
• Recycling and valorisation technologies based on optimised pyrolysis processes for improving carbon fibre recycling yield and sizing formulation for improving carbon fibre functionalities (i. sizing agents for mechanically enhancing of recycled carbon fibres and ii. sizing agents for enabling debonding capabilities in carbon fibres for thermoplastic CFRP (debonding via ultrasounds or induction heating technologies).
During HELACS, these processes have been developed, validated and demonstrated in the Teruel airport facilities to improve the recyclability of CFRP components by 40%, increase workforce safety and satisfaction by 70%, allow the value retention of recycled carbon fibres by 85%, reduce the CO2 emissions by 50% and increase the profitability by 30%. Finally, the exploitation and dissemination of HELACS results will mobilise more than 30 € million and generate more than 750 new direct jobs by 2030 by transferring the new dismantling and recycling processes to the European Aeronautic value chain.
