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Hybrid ElectriC regional Aircraft distribution TEchnologies

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Enabling technologies for hybrid-electric regional aircraft

Aviation needs to transition towards hybrid-electric regional aircraft to meet European Green Deal targets. This step change can only be accomplished with power distribution networks that can safely handle the high power and high voltage levels, ultimately up to several MW. The EU-funded HECATE project will address the challenges of system weight and power density, high voltage issues with lightning arcs and electromagnetic interference, as well as the issue of optimised thermal management. Additionally, it will use digital twins for the digitalisation of the design process. The project will deliver a set of enabling technologies and provide a scalability roadmap towards CAJU Phase 2 flight demonstration and exploitation in a 2035-built hybrid-electric regional aircraft.

Objective

Aviation needs to meet the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal. This means a step change is needed towards hybrid electric regional aircraft to significantly reduce the fuel burn. This can only be accomplished with power distribution networks that can safely handle the high power and high voltage levels, ultimately up to several Megawatt. The HECATE project will address the associated challenges of system weight and power density, high voltage challenges with lightning, arcing and electromagnetic interference as well as optimized thermal management, in addition to digitizing the design process with digital twins. This will lead to transformative technology bricks, which are holistically optimized at system integration architecture level. The HECATE project will demonstrate a >500 kW architecture in a copper bird at TRL5. This will provide a clearer understanding of high voltage challenges and how to mitigate them, with a scalability roadmap towards CAJU Phase 2 flight demonstration and exploitation in a 2035 new built Hybrid Electric Regional aircraft. Also, environmental impact and LCA will be assessed. For optimal alignment and ensuring certifiability, HECATE will establish relationships with other Clean Aviation projects (e.g. HER-01 for MW propulsion, HER-02 for thermal, TRA-01 for architecture, TRA-02 for certification) and authorities and standards groups (e.g. EASA, EUROCAE).
As a set of key enabling technologies that are well integrated, HECATE will contribute to the Clean Aviation SRIA and its expected impacts, and fully fulfill the call's expected outcomes. The 37-member consortium mobilizes key EU based industries throughout the entire existing supply chain: from aircraft OEMs to system integrators, to system and subsystems suppliers, 5 of which are SMEs. 17 RTOs, complement and reinforce the industries, which also ensures knowledge gained is embedded in future research and education programs. HECATE requests 34 210 348€ of grant.

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Topic(s)

Call for proposal

HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2022-01

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

IA - Innovation action

Coordinator

COLLINS AEROSPACE IRELAND, LIMITED
Net EU contribution
€ 2 361 035,00
Address
Penrose quay penrose wharf penrose business centre fourth floor
T23 Cork
Ireland

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Region
Ireland Southern South-West
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Other funding
€ 1 011 873,00

Participants (33)

Partners (3)

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EC signature date 9 December 2022
Last update: 16 December 2022

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101101961

European Union, 2023