Project description
Assessing the potential of hybrid-electric technologies to be integrated in larger aircraft
Advances in electric power/propulsion technology are revolutionising the aviation sector, allowing for more integrated, sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. Hybrid-electric technology enables new aircraft concepts. Many research studies have confirmed the technical viability for the integration and operation of the main hybrid–electric techno-bricks in small commuter aircraft. However, the question arises: can these technologies be scaled-up from small general aviation airplanes to larger transport aircraft? The EU-funded CHYLA project, as part of the Clean Sky2 programme, will investigate which hybrid–electric drives can be scaled-up, which technologies are suitable for each category of aircraft when switching-points arise, and how different technologies can be combined to meet the demand for sustainable commercial aircraft.
Objective
"CHYLA - Credible HYbrid eLectric Aircraft aims to develop a landscape of opportunities and limitations of key radical hybrid-electric technologies (battery electric, fuel cell, but also considering non-drop in fuel technologies such as Hydrogen-H2, Liquified Natural Gas) and the ""switching points"" associated to scaling such technologies between different aircraft classes. These classes are: General Aviation, commuter aircraft, regional aircraft, short-medium range and large passenger aircraft, where the focus is on up-scaling the key-technologies. This landscape of design solutions is supported through a ""credibility assessment"" of assumptions underlying the application of these radical technologies, in different technology scenarios. Additionally, the impact of radical solutions will be assessed in terms of the viability of operations, economics and safety (certification). To achieve this, the project will use an approach of integrating novel airframe technologies with a hybrid electric energy network in order to apply credibility-based multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). In order to provide feasible starting points for this landscape and the MDO, an integrated aircraft design approach will be used with physics-based design methods for the subsystem technologies."
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringelectric energy
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomics
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraft
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energynatural gas
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
2628 CN Delft
Netherlands