Periodic Reporting for period 4 - GAM-2020-SYS (SYSTEMS ITD GAM 2020)
Período documentado: 2023-01-01 hasta 2023-12-31
While systems and equipment account for a small part of the aircraft weight they play a central role in aircraft operation, flight optimisation, and air transport safety, cost and environmental performance at different levels:
• Direct contributions to environmental objectives: optimised green trajectories, electrical taxiing, more electrical aircraft architectures, new alleviated composite structures which have a direct impact on CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, perceived noise, air quality, weight.
• Enablers for other innovations: for example, “bleedless” power generation and, actuators, are necessary steps for the implementation of innovative engines or new aircraft configurations.
• Enablers for air transport system optimisation: many of the major improvements identified in SESAR, NextGen and Clean Sky for greening, improved mobility or ATS efficiency can only be reached through the development and the integration of on-board systems such as data link, advanced weather systems, trajectory negotiation, and flight management predictive capabilities.
• Smart answers to market demands: systems and equipment have to increase their intrinsic performance to meet new aircraft needs without a corresponding increase in weight and volume: kW/kg, flux/dm3 are key indicators of systems innovation.
The Systems ITD in Clean Sky 2 addressed these challenges by working on specific topics to design and develop individual equipment and systems, demonstrate them in local test benches and integrated demonstrators up to TRL5/6.
The main technological domains : [1] cockpit environment and mission management, [2] aircraft communication platform and networks, [3] innovative wing systems (WIPS, sensors, and actuators), [4] landing gears, [5] the full chain of electrical power generation, distribution and usage and [6] Cabin and Cargo systems technologies.
The outcomes are demonstrated system architectures ready to be customized and integrated in larger settings. An important part of this work was to identify potential synergies between future aircraft at an early stage to reduce duplication.
• Hand-over of individual technologies or systems to the IADPs for customisation, integration and maturation in large scale demonstrators. This enabled fully integrated demonstrations in IADPs and the assessment of benefits in representative conditions, including the progress towards the CS2 high-level goals to be monitored through the Technology Evaluator.
• Transverse actions were also defined to mature processes and technologies with potential impact on all systems, either during development or operational use. Examples of these transverse actions are development tools and simulation, eco-design etc.
The SYSTEMS GAM successfully closed its activities by delivering most of its demonstrators. The pending ones - Nose Landing Gear, Primary in-Flight Ice Detection System and Electrothermal Wing Ice Protection System – have committed to complete their activities after the project’s closure. These demonstrators significantly contribute to the High Level Objectives of the programme.
• Direct contributions to environmental objectives: optimised green trajectories, electrical taxiing, more electrical aircraft architectures, new alleviated composite structures which have a direct impact on CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, perceived noise, air quality, weight.
• Enablers for other innovations: for example, “bleedless” power generation and, actuators, are necessary steps for the implementation of innovative engines or new aircraft configurations.
• Enablers for air transport system optimisation: many of the major improvements identified in SESAR, NextGen and Clean Sky for greening, improved mobility or ATS efficiency can only be reached through the development and the integration of on-board systems such as data link, advanced weather systems, trajectory negotiation, and flight management predictive capabilities.
• Smart answers to market demands: systems and equipment have to increase their intrinsic performance to meet new aircraft needs without a corresponding increase in weight and volume: kW/kg, flux/dm3 are key indicators of systems innovation.
The Systems ITD in Clean Sky 2 addressed these challenges by working on specific topics to design and develop individual equipment and systems, demonstrate them in local test benches and integrated demonstrators up to TRL5/6.
The main technological domains : [1] cockpit environment and mission management, [2] aircraft communication platform and networks, [3] innovative wing systems (WIPS, sensors, and actuators), [4] landing gears, [5] the full chain of electrical power generation, distribution and usage and [6] Cabin and Cargo systems technologies.
The outcomes are demonstrated system architectures ready to be customized and integrated in larger settings. An important part of this work was to identify potential synergies between future aircraft at an early stage to reduce duplication.
• Hand-over of individual technologies or systems to the IADPs for customisation, integration and maturation in large scale demonstrators. This enabled fully integrated demonstrations in IADPs and the assessment of benefits in representative conditions, including the progress towards the CS2 high-level goals to be monitored through the Technology Evaluator.
• Transverse actions were also defined to mature processes and technologies with potential impact on all systems, either during development or operational use. Examples of these transverse actions are development tools and simulation, eco-design etc.
The SYSTEMS GAM successfully closed its activities by delivering most of its demonstrators. The pending ones - Nose Landing Gear, Primary in-Flight Ice Detection System and Electrothermal Wing Ice Protection System – have committed to complete their activities after the project’s closure. These demonstrators significantly contribute to the High Level Objectives of the programme.
From 2020 to 2023, the activity progressed is in line with the SPD objectives and the most significant achievements are hereafter summarised.
The Extended Cockpit demonstrator reached TRL5 in 2021 for the main technology bricks the Integrated Modular Communications technologies achieved TRL5 in 2023.
The Connected Cabin demonstrator reached TRL5 for the main technology bricks. The cabin demonstrator was assembled and integrated. The Connected Cabin concept (connected seat, connected trolley & galley, power converter) reached TRL5 in 2022 and TRL5 review of the overall system was performed early 2023.
The Smart Integrated Wing achieved its final results with TRL5 in 2022. Within the Innovative Electrical Wing activities, the Highly Integrated Electro Mechanic Actuators (EMA´s) for More Electrical Aircraft, validation activities at system level have been completed with TRL5 achievement
The Composite Brace Main Landing Gear (MLG) structure achieved TRL5 in 2022. Electro Hydraulic and Electro Mechanical Actuators for main landing gear, test bleeding and motor sleeve projects achieved their activities as expected. Electro Hydraulic nose landing gear system test bench was completed but modification of the hardware was needed after a first set of tests and before the high-speed taxiing tests to reach TRL6 in 2024. The low-cost pump trials encountered some unforeseen issues, but they will be completed and reach TRL6 in 2024.
In the field of Power Generation, all functions were validated before delivery at Airbus and all test campaigns were performed. The Innovative harness reached TRL5 including characterization activities. Electrical Distribution bricks procurement, integration and verification testing phases were completed for both Remote Controlled Circuit Breaker (RCCB) and Solid State Power Controller (SSPC) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC). Final HVDC system integration could not be fully assessed due to late availability of the bricks.
The final demonstration of the Adaptive Environmental Control System (aECS) was completed by tests of the system and its main components (Air Quality sensors, filtration and CO2 Scrubber solutions). All necessary assessments were performed on the Electrical Environment Control System (eECS) for Large Aircraft by means of calculations, simulation of the entire system behaviour and testing of the main enabling technologies allowing to successfully validate a TRL5 for the major components. The eECS virtual demonstration integrated into the aircraft air system was finalized.
For Small Air Transport the three axis Fly-By-Wire was fully integrated and tested in a flight simulator environment replicating real flight conditions, reaching TRL5. The Electrical Landing Gear demonstrator was also integrated and tested for actuation and braking, and reached TRL5. Avionic technologies were tested in-flight on an EV-55 (Evektor aircraft): Integrated Mission Management System (IMMS) reached TRL5 and Navigation Systems (NAV) reached TRL6.
The SYSTEMS ITD performed the following Dissemination & Exploitation activities:
- 110 number of scientific publications
- 234 number of dissemination activities other than scientific publications
- 115 number of communication activities
- 328 GAP publications.
The SYSTEMS ITD deposited a total number of 178 patents of which 129 were confirmed granted by the partners.
The Extended Cockpit demonstrator reached TRL5 in 2021 for the main technology bricks the Integrated Modular Communications technologies achieved TRL5 in 2023.
The Connected Cabin demonstrator reached TRL5 for the main technology bricks. The cabin demonstrator was assembled and integrated. The Connected Cabin concept (connected seat, connected trolley & galley, power converter) reached TRL5 in 2022 and TRL5 review of the overall system was performed early 2023.
The Smart Integrated Wing achieved its final results with TRL5 in 2022. Within the Innovative Electrical Wing activities, the Highly Integrated Electro Mechanic Actuators (EMA´s) for More Electrical Aircraft, validation activities at system level have been completed with TRL5 achievement
The Composite Brace Main Landing Gear (MLG) structure achieved TRL5 in 2022. Electro Hydraulic and Electro Mechanical Actuators for main landing gear, test bleeding and motor sleeve projects achieved their activities as expected. Electro Hydraulic nose landing gear system test bench was completed but modification of the hardware was needed after a first set of tests and before the high-speed taxiing tests to reach TRL6 in 2024. The low-cost pump trials encountered some unforeseen issues, but they will be completed and reach TRL6 in 2024.
In the field of Power Generation, all functions were validated before delivery at Airbus and all test campaigns were performed. The Innovative harness reached TRL5 including characterization activities. Electrical Distribution bricks procurement, integration and verification testing phases were completed for both Remote Controlled Circuit Breaker (RCCB) and Solid State Power Controller (SSPC) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC). Final HVDC system integration could not be fully assessed due to late availability of the bricks.
The final demonstration of the Adaptive Environmental Control System (aECS) was completed by tests of the system and its main components (Air Quality sensors, filtration and CO2 Scrubber solutions). All necessary assessments were performed on the Electrical Environment Control System (eECS) for Large Aircraft by means of calculations, simulation of the entire system behaviour and testing of the main enabling technologies allowing to successfully validate a TRL5 for the major components. The eECS virtual demonstration integrated into the aircraft air system was finalized.
For Small Air Transport the three axis Fly-By-Wire was fully integrated and tested in a flight simulator environment replicating real flight conditions, reaching TRL5. The Electrical Landing Gear demonstrator was also integrated and tested for actuation and braking, and reached TRL5. Avionic technologies were tested in-flight on an EV-55 (Evektor aircraft): Integrated Mission Management System (IMMS) reached TRL5 and Navigation Systems (NAV) reached TRL6.
The SYSTEMS ITD performed the following Dissemination & Exploitation activities:
- 110 number of scientific publications
- 234 number of dissemination activities other than scientific publications
- 115 number of communication activities
- 328 GAP publications.
The SYSTEMS ITD deposited a total number of 178 patents of which 129 were confirmed granted by the partners.
This Grant represents the continuation of the Clean Sky 2 programme’s Systems (Integrated Technology Demonstration) started in 2014 and planned to be lasting until end of 2023. The objectives include on one side direct contributions to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft systems during operations and production or maintenance. On the other side, the objective is in particular to enable new configurations and designs of aircraft that allow for a much lower fuel consumption (less CO2, NOx) and noise impact. In addition, the innovations created serve to foster the competitiveness of the European systems suppliers industry, as well as improve safety and comfort for all citizens taking advantage of air transportation. At the end of the programme all technologies have realised hardware prototypes that were tested. A majority of enabling technologies reached TRL5 to TRL6 at system level. They can be further maturated with airframers for commercial exploitation.