Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ELECTRA (Efficient and Light Electrical Compressor for Tilt-Rotor Aircraft)
Período documentado: 2022-02-01 hasta 2023-03-31
The ELECTRA project objectives are to develop an optimal architecture for a bleedless cabin air compressor system, and to develop, manufacture, test and qualify a cabin air compressor pack, to be tested on the Leonardo next-generation tiltrotor technology demonstrator aircraft during a flight test campaign. The technical objectives for the pack are minimal weight and power consumption, leading to improved aircraft fuel consumption, and minimal air temperature rise, leading to sizing and efficiency benefits in the aircraft’s cabin cooling system. An economy mode designed into the system allows reduction of the fresh air flow at lower aircraft occupancy, leading to energy consumption benefits. In addition, the oil-less compressor eliminates the risk of smoke or fume-in-cabin events associated with engine bleed air offtakes.
The ELECTRA system concept was determined in the beginning of the project, by system trade-off studies. The concept was matured into a preliminary design using extensive system simulations in MATLAB and in SimScape, and the design was optimised specifically for the target application using a multi-parameter optimisation platform for electric compressors, yielding optimal weight, power consumption and outlet air temperature. The design for the electric air compressor pack was realised in hardware and a dedicated system test rig capable of testing two packs was developed. The system was tested on the system test rig, in environmental test labs, and is available for later flight testing on the Next-Generation Civil TiltRotor (NextGenCTR) for the Fast RotorCraft (FRC) platform of the Clean Sky 2 JU.
The ELECTRA system concept was determined in the beginning of the project, by system trade-off studies. The concept was matured into a preliminary design using extensive system simulations in MATLAB and in SimScape, and the design was optimised specifically for the target application using a multi-parameter optimisation platform for electric compressors, yielding optimal weight, power consumption and outlet air temperature. The design for the electric air compressor pack was realised in hardware and a dedicated system test rig capable of testing two packs was developed. The system was tested on the system test rig, in environmental test labs, and is available for later flight testing on the Next-Generation Civil TiltRotor (NextGenCTR) for the Fast RotorCraft (FRC) platform of the Clean Sky 2 JU.
In the beginning of the project, the system concept of the aircraft electric compressor system was determined after a broad trade-off analysis of architectures and reviews with experts from Leonardo Helicopters, the Topic Manager for ELECTRA. Subsequently, the concept was advanced into a preliminary design using extensive system simulations in MATLAB and in SimScape, and the design was optimised specifically for the target aircraft application using a multi-parameter optimisation platform for electric compressors, yielding optimal weight, power consumption and outlet temperature rise. After the preliminary design review, the design was matured into a detailed design of the complete aircraft electric compressor pack, suitable for flight test. After the critical design review by the team together with Leonardo Helicopters, manufacturing of the components started, yielding the engineering model of the cabin air compressor pack (see photo), the dedicated test rig and all associated documentation including test planning. Testing started after a test readiness review of the engineering model. Goal of the engineering testing was the discovery of any functional deviations from the requirements and any performance shortcomings so that they could be fixed in the subsequent design iteration for the flight model. Testing included pre-compliance testing of environmental effects. Through testing, the necessary modifications were identified, designed and then reviewed at the critical design review for the flight model. The agreed modifications were manufactured and implemented on the compressor packs, converting them to qualification / flight models. Readiness for testing was reviewed at the test readiness review for the qualification model.
The project results, consisting of detailed insight into aircraft compressed air applications, advanced pack models and hardware design, valuable information from performance and qualification testing, allow further development of this technology towards commercial products: cabin air compressor packs for conventional aircraft as originally foreseen in the project scope, and also cabin air compressor packs for new aircraft with electric motors which inherently do not provide bleed air. In addition, the packs can be redesigned for compressed air delivery to fuel cells used for aircraft propulsion.
The pack has been on display at the Farnborough Air Show 2022 and the Paris Air Show 2023.
The project results, consisting of detailed insight into aircraft compressed air applications, advanced pack models and hardware design, valuable information from performance and qualification testing, allow further development of this technology towards commercial products: cabin air compressor packs for conventional aircraft as originally foreseen in the project scope, and also cabin air compressor packs for new aircraft with electric motors which inherently do not provide bleed air. In addition, the packs can be redesigned for compressed air delivery to fuel cells used for aircraft propulsion.
The pack has been on display at the Farnborough Air Show 2022 and the Paris Air Show 2023.
The electric cabin air compressor system promises significant benefits for direct application in aircraft such as the next-generation tiltrotor because of improvements in efficiency, flexibility, maintainability and purity of its air output, in comparison to bleed air systems. In addition, electric cabin air compressors will become a necessity in future pressurized aircraft if they are based on (battery or fuel cell) electric propulsion.