Periodic Reporting for period 4 - TRIcEPS (Tilt Rotor Integrated Air Intake and Engine Protection Systems)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-11-01 al 2023-10-31
The NextGenCTR is called to safely operate in harsh environmental conditions, characterized by contaminated air-flow (dust, ash, sand, salt and moisture) and icing conditions. To achieve this goal, the Clean Sky 2 project TRIcEPS developed an air-intake with integrated engine protection systems, which was geared on two key enabling technologies:
• a removable thermoelectric ice protection system based on the heater layer technology.
• a vortex tubes filter for protecting the engine from ingestion of particles in harsh environment.
TRIcEPS low-power IPS was designed to protect the engine intake during flight in CS 29 Appendix C icing conditions and the total power for both nacelle was 10.6 kW, half of the power budget of similar applications . A scaled version has been manufactured and tested in the icing wind tunnel to verify its performances and to identify possible improvements. Two full systems have been delivered to LHD.
TRIcEPS vortex tubes filters were designed, manufactured, tested and delivered to LHD. During the qualification tests we achieved a separation efficiency of 97%, much higher than the 95% specified in the LHD technical requirements.
Finally, TRIcEPS designed, manufactured, and delivered three air intakes in CFRP, which included a by-pass mechanism, or flow selector, to activate either the dynamic intake for efficient forward flight or the filters to protect the engine against particles ingestion.
• a removable thermoelectric ice protection system based on the heater layer technology.
• a vortex tubes filter for protecting the engine from ingestion of particles in harsh environment.
TRIcEPS low-power IPS was designed to protect the engine intake during flight in CS 29 Appendix C icing conditions and the total power for both nacelle was 10.6 kW, half of the power budget of similar applications . A scaled version has been manufactured and tested in the icing wind tunnel to verify its performances and to identify possible improvements. Two full systems have been delivered to LHD.
TRIcEPS vortex tubes filters were designed, manufactured, tested and delivered to LHD. During the qualification tests we achieved a separation efficiency of 97%, much higher than the 95% specified in the LHD technical requirements.
Finally, TRIcEPS designed, manufactured, and delivered three air intakes in CFRP, which included a by-pass mechanism, or flow selector, to activate either the dynamic intake for efficient forward flight or the filters to protect the engine against particles ingestion.
During the first reporting period, TRIcEPS consortium characterized the performance of the baseline nacelle air-intake design provided by the Topic Leader. The baseline design does not include any engine protection system, but it has been optimized for ensuring the proper flow to the engine and introducing low losses. TRIcEPS consortium performed several aerodynamic, droplet impingement and structural numerical calculations, which have been used to refine the numerical workflows and to guide the intake design.
During the second reporting period, TRIcEPS consortium developed and presented a conceptual design of the air-intake with integrated engine protection systems employing the Vortex tubes filter, which satisfied TL's aerodynamic requirements.
During the third reporting period the preliminary design of air-intake concept has been concluded and the detail design started and is almost concluded. Procurement of the raw material for the system production started.
In the fourth and last reporting period, the detail design was concluded and CDR meeting has been successfully held. The TRIcEPS intake (and sub-systems) has been produced and the qualification tests (icing wind tunnel, filters performances, DO-160, bird strike and vibrational tests) have been successfully performed.
During the second reporting period, TRIcEPS consortium developed and presented a conceptual design of the air-intake with integrated engine protection systems employing the Vortex tubes filter, which satisfied TL's aerodynamic requirements.
During the third reporting period the preliminary design of air-intake concept has been concluded and the detail design started and is almost concluded. Procurement of the raw material for the system production started.
In the fourth and last reporting period, the detail design was concluded and CDR meeting has been successfully held. The TRIcEPS intake (and sub-systems) has been produced and the qualification tests (icing wind tunnel, filters performances, DO-160, bird strike and vibrational tests) have been successfully performed.
TRIcEPS will advance the NextGenCTR air intake technology by enhancing the capabilities of the air intake of its single components and sub-systems. At a system level, the IPS and the particle EPS for tiltrotors are not available on the civil aircraft market. SotA civil tiltrotor intake normally does not include an IPS, while only an integrated inertial particle separator is considered as EPS in civil application. Therefore, TRIcEPS innovation potential is expressed by the following proposed advancements:
• provide the civil market for tiltrotors with a fully electro-thermal solution for the IPS;
• provide the civil market for tiltrotors with a particle EPS with a separation efficiency above 96%, i.e. significantly higher than the present SotA (i.e. below 80%);
• almost match the performance, with respect to particle separation, of the military Bell solution but removing (or largely reducing) the icing protection requirements, the need of maintenance, and easing the flight certification of the system;
• perform a research study on compressor washing system for tiltrotor civil applications;
• reduce and optimize overall weight of the air intake and its systems by designing and employing advanced composite materials.
Concerning the potential impact, TRIcEPS holds the promise of delivering the engine protection system for the air intake of the NextGenCTR, contributing to strengthening the EU position in the global civil rotorcraft market and enabling expanding the market for heavy multi-engine civil rotorcraft. Being TRIcEPS focused on delivering a part of the NextGenCTR, i.e. the air intake and its ice and particle engine protection system, the impact of the project corresponds with the impact of delivering the aircraft for which the part is built.
• provide the civil market for tiltrotors with a fully electro-thermal solution for the IPS;
• provide the civil market for tiltrotors with a particle EPS with a separation efficiency above 96%, i.e. significantly higher than the present SotA (i.e. below 80%);
• almost match the performance, with respect to particle separation, of the military Bell solution but removing (or largely reducing) the icing protection requirements, the need of maintenance, and easing the flight certification of the system;
• perform a research study on compressor washing system for tiltrotor civil applications;
• reduce and optimize overall weight of the air intake and its systems by designing and employing advanced composite materials.
Concerning the potential impact, TRIcEPS holds the promise of delivering the engine protection system for the air intake of the NextGenCTR, contributing to strengthening the EU position in the global civil rotorcraft market and enabling expanding the market for heavy multi-engine civil rotorcraft. Being TRIcEPS focused on delivering a part of the NextGenCTR, i.e. the air intake and its ice and particle engine protection system, the impact of the project corresponds with the impact of delivering the aircraft for which the part is built.