Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ICEPASS (innovative ICE Protection And Shielding System for HLFC Demonstrator)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2020-07-01 al 2021-12-31
The IcePass project is an innovation action that began in July 2020. SONACA is the topic manager of the action. At the moment of this report, it has been running for 18 months and, therefore, it stands in the middle of its foreseen total duration (36 months).
In the framework of the LPA program, IcePass project aims at covering two systems for the Leading Edge of the HLFC (High Lift Flow Control) wing demonstrator. In particular, it deals with the developing and manufacturing of electrical harnesses for power feed and monitoring lines of the Ice Protection System (IPS) and for the Shielding/Krueger actuation system as well as of the actuation system to deploy and retract the latter.
IcePass brings innovation to the activity by means of the introduction 3D printing for the manufacturing of brackets and supports, an innovative way to carry electricity, the so-called raceways, and the introduction of slip ring connectors in electric lines over movable parts. These innovative contributions are key issues to be solved in order to alleviate the lack of space in the HLFC leading edge and consequently, to pave the way to reduce industrialization risks in the introduction of the HLFC approach in a new generation of greener aircrafts.
In the framework of the LPA program, IcePass project aims at covering two systems for the Leading Edge of the HLFC (High Lift Flow Control) wing demonstrator. In particular, it deals with the developing and manufacturing of electrical harnesses for power feed and monitoring lines of the Ice Protection System (IPS) and for the Shielding/Krueger actuation system as well as of the actuation system to deploy and retract the latter.
IcePass brings innovation to the activity by means of the introduction 3D printing for the manufacturing of brackets and supports, an innovative way to carry electricity, the so-called raceways, and the introduction of slip ring connectors in electric lines over movable parts. These innovative contributions are key issues to be solved in order to alleviate the lack of space in the HLFC leading edge and consequently, to pave the way to reduce industrialization risks in the introduction of the HLFC approach in a new generation of greener aircrafts.
IcePass project has reached substantial progresses during the reporting period. The most relevant of them are:
POWER AND ELECTRIC LINES
A trade-off was made to study the different raceway geometries; finally finding the most viable one in terms of geometry, assembly, manufacturing, and bend radius.
Detailed analysis of the raceways' architecture and joints was performed including manufacturing considerations.
Manufacturing tests were carried out to analyse the suitability of the solution chosen.
The feasibility of the raceways routing through the leading edge was studied and confirmed once dependencies with the Shielding/Krueger actuation system were solved and requirements on harness redundancy for bird impact hazard, clearance and accessibility of spar for inspection of its composite parts were secured.
Two studies demonstrated the integrability of the whole system: one evaluating the feasibility of the routing along the whole wingspan and other considering additional raceways needed to route the cables of the HLFC compressor.
The monitoring architecture of the Shielding/Krueger actuation system and the IPS was successfully developed.
Raceways architecture for electric and monitoring lines were validated at PDR level by SONACA.
A new paradigm regarding raceways-shaped harness certification was proposed to SONACA.
SHIELDING/KRUEGER ACTUATION SYSTEM
Feasibility analysis of the actuation system proposal was proved regarding the last version of the Shielding/Krueger mechanism proposed by SONACA and after the open discussion about the maximum torque required by the actuation system ended with the definition of plausible value for the sizing of the actuator system.
A preliminary version of the actuation control software was depicted and has yet to be validated through a prototype.
Shielding/Krueger actuation system for the HLFC Ground Base Demonstrator (GBD) was designed and validated at PDR level with SONACA. This system was redesign post-PDR after having received changes in the kinematics of Shielding/Krueger actuation system and other comments from SONACA.
ICEPASS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
A Compliance Document containing a complete analysis of the requirements proposed by SONACA for IcePass project to be fulfilled was prepared at the end of the first reporting period. The document selects which of them will be considered by Adática for the IcePass project, which aims at TRL4 at its end, and which of them are proposed to be left for later development stages or even for certification.
POWER AND ELECTRIC LINES
A trade-off was made to study the different raceway geometries; finally finding the most viable one in terms of geometry, assembly, manufacturing, and bend radius.
Detailed analysis of the raceways' architecture and joints was performed including manufacturing considerations.
Manufacturing tests were carried out to analyse the suitability of the solution chosen.
The feasibility of the raceways routing through the leading edge was studied and confirmed once dependencies with the Shielding/Krueger actuation system were solved and requirements on harness redundancy for bird impact hazard, clearance and accessibility of spar for inspection of its composite parts were secured.
Two studies demonstrated the integrability of the whole system: one evaluating the feasibility of the routing along the whole wingspan and other considering additional raceways needed to route the cables of the HLFC compressor.
The monitoring architecture of the Shielding/Krueger actuation system and the IPS was successfully developed.
Raceways architecture for electric and monitoring lines were validated at PDR level by SONACA.
A new paradigm regarding raceways-shaped harness certification was proposed to SONACA.
SHIELDING/KRUEGER ACTUATION SYSTEM
Feasibility analysis of the actuation system proposal was proved regarding the last version of the Shielding/Krueger mechanism proposed by SONACA and after the open discussion about the maximum torque required by the actuation system ended with the definition of plausible value for the sizing of the actuator system.
A preliminary version of the actuation control software was depicted and has yet to be validated through a prototype.
Shielding/Krueger actuation system for the HLFC Ground Base Demonstrator (GBD) was designed and validated at PDR level with SONACA. This system was redesign post-PDR after having received changes in the kinematics of Shielding/Krueger actuation system and other comments from SONACA.
ICEPASS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
A Compliance Document containing a complete analysis of the requirements proposed by SONACA for IcePass project to be fulfilled was prepared at the end of the first reporting period. The document selects which of them will be considered by Adática for the IcePass project, which aims at TRL4 at its end, and which of them are proposed to be left for later development stages or even for certification.
IcePass project introduces an innovative way to carry electricity.
Traditional electric design implies classic harnesses, where a limited number of cables are group together, supported by P-clamps and sheet metal supports. In the leading edge, where the IPS and shielding system have to coexist, along with other structures and components and the HLFC system, the space is very limited and the routing design will present complex solutions.
The innovative concept presented starts deconstructing the classic harness configuration and its support installation going to a more integrated solution and less space consuming. The solution consists of aranging the harness not in a cylindrical way but by putting all the cables in a flat pattern disposition. With this flat configuration, all the cables will be installed inside an innovative tailor made electric raceway; this innovative raceway will act as integrated support structure suppressing the need of other installations.
The innovative raceway will be replaceable by installing it attached to the front spar by means of screws enabling the mount / dismount operations easily. This methodology will lead to an easy and fast installation as far as the operator only needs to place the raceway in place and join to the front spar.
The manufacturing technology selected for the innovative raceway is additive manufacturing. AM will enable complex shape design and tailor made applications like this one.
Also the innovative raceway will enable a better EMI protection, plating or using ESD polymers enabling the raceway to convert in a faraday box (this is further explained in the following paragraphs).
IcePass also introduces an innovative way of connecting harnesses in movable parts.Usually the solution adopted is to give extra length to the wires enabling the parts to move without the interference of the cable. This solution is usually a trade-off and not ideal because the harness is free to move in an uncontrolled way. IcePass proposes, along with the innovative raceways proposed before, the use of electrical slip ring connectors in the movable parts enabling the harness to turn over the connectors.
Slip Ring connectors enable to turn freely one side of the connector from the other enabling smarter solutions suppressing the extra length of the harnesses and releasing the harness from possible torsion stresses. This solution will improve significantly the performance of the shielding system power and monitoring feed lines, giving the following advantages:
o No need of extra length in the harnesses
o More stable system, no free cables
o More integrated solution with the innovative raceway
The impacts expected at the end of the project are distributed in the following axes:
COMPETITIVENESS:
+ Better peerformace of the aircraft by a reduction of weight in the electrification of the IPS and Shielding systems and by a reduction of the space required for overall electrification lines compared to traditional ones.
+ Cost reduction related to manufacturing of harnesses and to the time for assembly, inspection or substitution of harnesses.
ENVIRONMENTAL: less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions due to a positive contribution to the drag reduction of the HLFC wing demonstration, due to the employ of additive manufacturing, which reduce material wastes and due to the contribution of IcePass to make possible the electrification of aircrafts
SOCIAL: Creation of qualified jobs free of gender bias, which have a direct correlation to improvement of living standards
INNOVATIION: Development of and European Industrive in Additivie Manufacturing
Traditional electric design implies classic harnesses, where a limited number of cables are group together, supported by P-clamps and sheet metal supports. In the leading edge, where the IPS and shielding system have to coexist, along with other structures and components and the HLFC system, the space is very limited and the routing design will present complex solutions.
The innovative concept presented starts deconstructing the classic harness configuration and its support installation going to a more integrated solution and less space consuming. The solution consists of aranging the harness not in a cylindrical way but by putting all the cables in a flat pattern disposition. With this flat configuration, all the cables will be installed inside an innovative tailor made electric raceway; this innovative raceway will act as integrated support structure suppressing the need of other installations.
The innovative raceway will be replaceable by installing it attached to the front spar by means of screws enabling the mount / dismount operations easily. This methodology will lead to an easy and fast installation as far as the operator only needs to place the raceway in place and join to the front spar.
The manufacturing technology selected for the innovative raceway is additive manufacturing. AM will enable complex shape design and tailor made applications like this one.
Also the innovative raceway will enable a better EMI protection, plating or using ESD polymers enabling the raceway to convert in a faraday box (this is further explained in the following paragraphs).
IcePass also introduces an innovative way of connecting harnesses in movable parts.Usually the solution adopted is to give extra length to the wires enabling the parts to move without the interference of the cable. This solution is usually a trade-off and not ideal because the harness is free to move in an uncontrolled way. IcePass proposes, along with the innovative raceways proposed before, the use of electrical slip ring connectors in the movable parts enabling the harness to turn over the connectors.
Slip Ring connectors enable to turn freely one side of the connector from the other enabling smarter solutions suppressing the extra length of the harnesses and releasing the harness from possible torsion stresses. This solution will improve significantly the performance of the shielding system power and monitoring feed lines, giving the following advantages:
o No need of extra length in the harnesses
o More stable system, no free cables
o More integrated solution with the innovative raceway
The impacts expected at the end of the project are distributed in the following axes:
COMPETITIVENESS:
+ Better peerformace of the aircraft by a reduction of weight in the electrification of the IPS and Shielding systems and by a reduction of the space required for overall electrification lines compared to traditional ones.
+ Cost reduction related to manufacturing of harnesses and to the time for assembly, inspection or substitution of harnesses.
ENVIRONMENTAL: less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions due to a positive contribution to the drag reduction of the HLFC wing demonstration, due to the employ of additive manufacturing, which reduce material wastes and due to the contribution of IcePass to make possible the electrification of aircrafts
SOCIAL: Creation of qualified jobs free of gender bias, which have a direct correlation to improvement of living standards
INNOVATIION: Development of and European Industrive in Additivie Manufacturing