Hybrid Electric propulsion system for regional AiRcrafT

Project Information

HE-ART

Grant agreement ID: 101102013

DOI

10.3030/101102013

EC signature date 9 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 73 856 266,74

EU contribution

€ 44 103 443,00

Coordinated by

ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - HE-ART (Hybrid Electric propulsion system for regional AiRcrafT)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Air travel is an important supplement to other means of regional transportation and in some regions the only viable solution. However, the regional transport market is highly competitive, and air travel must demonstrate that it can compete with hi-speed trains, cars or coaches. One major issue is the perception of the high CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by planes for these short journeys. Hybridization of the propulsion system enables combining the technical components benefits, thereby achieving an overall efficiency improvement. It is a concept well understood by the general public, due to the hybridization of automobiles, and can bring a real impact on the reduction of GHG emissions.

While enabling rather than limiting new sources of energy in aviation, an ambitious path to reduction of greenhouse gases and the pathway to a cleaner and greener aviation for regional flights is built upon three pillars:
• Electric hybridization
• An ultra-efficient turboprop thermal engine
• 100% SAF compatibility

HE-ART will be a first step on the path to hybridization of regional aircraft and a reduction of GHG. This will be accomplished by achieving a strategic global objective of demonstrating, within 36 months, the viability of a hybrid electric thermal turboprop (e-TP) within the scope of a dedicated integrated ground test demonstrator. HE-ART will build on existing state of the art integrating the following technologies into the demonstrator:
• Core thermal engine
• Electric motor and power electronics
• Gearbox
• Propeller
• Nacelle and heat exchanger

This will be executed in conjunction with the Top-Level Aircraft Requirements that will be defined in parallel by other Clean Aviation research projects. To ensure that these requirements are met in full, HE-ART brings together the leading engine manufacturers, Rolls Royce and Safran with leading airframers, ATR, Airbus and Leonardo along with key manufacturers and research organisations.

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

2024 was dominated by several Preliminary Design Reviews which are almost closed and also by Critical Desing Reviews (CDR) where also most actions could be closed.

Furthermore, the Interface Control Documents were brought to high level which was pre-requisit for the CDR’s.

Based on this progress, many long lead items could be ordered already.

On project side, HE-ART successfully performed 2 reviews with external reviewers and held 2 general assemblies.

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 strategic objective of HE-ART is to research and prepare for flight test powerplant technologies, considered as key enablers for the entry into service of a Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft and for aviation hybridisation in general.

This will be achieved in 3 main steps.

1) To build the EIS 2035 vision:

Starting from 2020 state-of the art and TRA01 trade-off results, the first objective will be to define an ambitious but realistic technical vision, taking benefit of an exploration phase jointly performed by major airframers, engine suppliers and RTO’s.

2) To ground test and validate Key technologies:

With the major ambition to demonstrate, within 36 months, the viability of a hybrid electric thermal turboprop (e-TP) within the scope of a dedicated integrated ground test demonstrator.

To achieve this, HE-ART will bring together existing technologies, highly innovative COTS and advanced new designs for the component parts, into a fully integrated test bench that will demonstrate the flightworthiness of a hybrid e-TP motor.

Additionally, other key enabling technologies will be ground tested separately to confirm their enhanced capacities or to solve specific technological barriers.

3) To reconcile Ground test outcomes and EIS 2035 vision:

To confirm the relevancy of the technical vision, to demonstrate by mean of digital twin the scalability of the selected technologies and to foster synergies with other aviation sectors. This will be a solid way to maximize the impact of the research outcome and to set up realistic technology readiness roadmaps towards Flight Tests (TRL6) and EIS (TRL9).