SMR aircraft architecture and technology integration project

Project Information

SMR ACAP

Grant agreement ID: 101101955

DOI

10.3030/101101955

Project closed

EC signature date 13 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 30 June 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 60 357 026,35

EU contribution

€ 45 049 000,00

Coordinated by

AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SMR ACAP (SMR aircraft architecture and technology integration project)

Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The AirCraft Architecture Project (ACAP) is the most credible answer of an ambitious Consortium, engaged to deliver by early 2026 the first TRL3 (for the H2 configuration) and TRL4 (for the SAF configuration) for the pioneering aircraft able to bring to the fleet -30% of emission reduction from 2035 via the Short-and-Middle Range (SMR) class (reference 2020 aircraft).

The top-level objectives of the ACAP project will be the following:
- Provide to the SMR Clean Aviation community a collaborative framework, associated with a digital backbone approach, to enable the integration at aircraft level of the key identified technologies;
- Define the top-level requirements of the ultra-efficient and H2-enabled aircraft concepts, and cascade the target settings to the subsystems addressed in the parallel SMR pillar projects;
- Definition of absolute environmental targets or thresholds based on the planetary boundaries framework and other biogeophysical limits and the corresponding environmental breakdown on component and system level
- Management and establishment of central CA-SMR Life cycle inventory based on Clean Sky 2 - Eco Design activities and integration of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Data as central SMR Data Source for LCA work.
- Execute baseline LCA (mainly based on qualitative Data as Flow Charts, Design & Technology concepts, Bill of Processes and Materials etc) and Compile 1st issue of LCA results based on existing LCI datasets and result communication towards Demo Projects.
- Development of Environmental Co-Design approach for application in CA-Key technology demonstrators
- Identify the most promising technologies to be integrated in the future greener SMR, with a special focus within ACAP on the definition of relevant systems associated to propulsion and non-propulsive functions;
- And finally conduct the trade-off and down-selection of the most promising aircraft configurations with ultra-efficient airframe, both for SAF and H2-enabled energy carrier, up to a “pre-PDR” definition level of the aircraft, and including final impact monitoring.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The SMR ACAP activities carried out the activities for all the 7 work packages. As the overarching project in the SMR pillar, the project team has organised several alignment meetings (physical and also a lot of digital meetings) with other Clean Aviation projects. The SMR Integration Technical Review Meeting took place every quarter, with participation of the EASA.
During that quartal, the ACAP project delivered the bricks specification and architecture Trade for PE/NPE system. The Integrated Platform NEXTGEN LAB performed several releases.
The SMR ACAP project organised technical alignmeent meeting within the SMR Pillar, and presented the the initial Architecture Options for Ultra-Efficient Aircraft and the Initial H2-Enabled Concepts. The Impact Monitoring Committee kicked off, with strong involvement of ACAP. Furthermore, the ACAP Impact Monitoring provided the IM yearly report.
Activities around the LCI and LCA progressed with the delivery of the exploitation Plan for the Aerospace LCI database, and the kick-off of LCI / LCA with focus on CA-Demonstrator Project results
At the Clean Aviation Annual Forum and ILA Berlin airshow, some of the ACAP highlights could be displayed.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The workshop on Engine Emission and Noise Reference was organised and took place on 12.07.2023 with the Partners. The Impact Monitoring WP contributed to the SMR ACAP presentation and an overview of the current status was presented. Together with the CS2 Technology Evaluator, a lessons learnt session was organised. Several alignment meetings were required with engine manufacturers to converge on the Engine Noise Reference, with a specific workshop on 12.09.2023. It was agreed that public data form certification would be used. The intention is also to use the DLR D239 model for reference emissions. The link with the project proposal CLAIM with DLR was established, as it was selected for the CSA for Impact Monitor methodology and metrics.

The HG metrics and IM process were provided with D5-1 deliverable, which was analysed and integrated into an updated version. This version was merged with the D5-2 2023 Yearly Report and was delivered on 22.12.2023.

The ACAP project participated in the EC Workshop on aviation non-CO2 emissions on 13+14.12.2023 in Brussels and presented a comparison of “Clean Sky 2 Technology Evaluator and Clean Aviation ACAP Impact Monitor”.

In several discussions between engine specialists from DLR, Airbus and the engine manufacturers, an agreement on reference aircraft for non-CO2 en-route emissions has been found. While there is a good match for NOx and nvPM particle number, some uncertainties remain for the nvPM particle mass. This will need further monitoring.

The WP5 created a detailed planning for the 2024 M23 deliverable including detailed contributions from the partner projects including workshops with OFELIA, SWITCH and HEAVEN. This planning was revised and will be updated in the aftermath of the repositioning of the configurations that became necessary with the re-assessment of confidentiality of data.

ACAP and link to other CA projects