Project description
Adapting aircraft engines to ethanol fuel
Most piston-engine aircraft run on leaded aviation fuel, or avgas, which makes such aircraft the largest sources of highly toxic lead emissions to the air. The EU-funded UECGA2 project is exploring the possibility of adapting piston engines so that they run on gasoline and bioethanol, a renewable transport fuel that is a safe alternative to lead in avgas and could assist in reducing the overall carbon emissions. Ethanol blended with gasoline could help reduce fuel costs for small aircraft by 30–40 %. Researchers will conduct a feasibility study to ensure that bioethanol use in aviation meets acceptable safety levels and can thus be certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Objective
Majority of piston engine powered General Aviation aircraft are running on aviation gasoline (Avgas) grades that are more expensive than Ethanol containing gasoline grades used by automobiles. In addition, most of the piston aero engines are still burning lead containing Avgas (100LL). No certified solution is available to allow operation of aircraft engines with Ethanol containing, EN 228 Standard fuel grade.
Consequently, the project aims to result in certified modifications of the common piston aero engines and small aircraft that allow use of Ethanol containing gasoline. It will reduce fuel cost (30-40%) for small aircraft, while it will not require replacement of old engines. Yet, it will involve replacement of some parts and changes to operational procedures leading to an economical solution. The project will also allow eliminating lead containing Avgas and introducing renewable energy using Ethanol. This will reduce greenhouse gas emission, combating climate change and contributing to environmental protection.
Introduction of Ethanol containing gasoline for aviation triggers safety risks that should be mitigated to reach an acceptable level of safety to gain certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA. Certification may be achieved if it is demonstrated that the modifications comply with the airworthiness requirements and will not lead to unsafe condition.
Technical feasibility will be verified through the analysis of the safety risks as well as the determination of the applicable airworthiness requirements and means of compliances, by means of the certification programmes accepted by EASA. Commercial feasibility will be shown through market research and analysis.
The feasibility study will pave the way to the modifications and completion of compliance demonstrations as well as certification, to allow safe operation with Ethanol containing gasoline.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels liquid fuels
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering aircraft
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry alcohols
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
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H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1016 BUDAPEST
Hungary
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.