Overview
Within the last years the pressure of the European society to improve the environmental performance of aviation has grown significantly. Different approaches have been made to address this problem in a proper manner and especially within the Clean Sky program different projects are planned, which yield in a significant reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Until now, for aviation engines the main technology is based on turbine engine technology. Such turbine engines are light and have a very high power to weight ratio. Unfortunately, these engines have high fuel consumption and consequently tremendously high CO2 emissions. Therefore this call asks for a possible solution using a reciprocating Diesel engine. Whereas these engines are already successful in market in the general aviation fixed wing application this technology has not found the way into the helicopters up to now. The reason can be found by two major items, first the already known reciprocating Diesel aviation engines have not more than 200 kW and second these engines have a power to weight ratio which is far below the existing helicopter engines.
Both problems were addressed in the presented proposal. The proposal presented an engine which fits perfectly into the power to weight requirement of a helicopter. Within this engine the advantages of high-end race technology were combined with the safety needs of aviation engines. Beyond this it was shown that the presented engine technology had the necessary growth potential for future applications.
All together it was shown that the proposed solution presents the achievable optimum under consideration of all constraints required within the Call for Proposal. Furthermore it was obvious that with the presented solution a big step was done in the direction of green technology in the aviation world and moreover the European position in manufacturing and rulemaking would be strengthened in a significant way as well as demonstrating it in flight to the public.
Funding
Results
Executive Summary:
The Green Rotorcraft ITD program that supported Airbus Helicopters’ research project is part of the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative, which is Europe’s most ambitious aeronautical research program ever. Clean Sky’s goal is to develop breakthrough technologies that significantly increase environmental performance of the air transport sector, resulting in quieter and more fuel efficient aircraft and rotorcraft. Environmental targets of Clean Sky are to reduce specific fuel consumption by 30%, CO2 emissions by 40% and NOx by 53%.
HIPE AE 440 high-compression piston engine activity began in 2011, followed by company bench tests and system simulations, including Iron Bird successful tests in February 2014. Ground runs with the H120-equipped helicopter were performed during February and March of this year, leading to the first flight on Friday, November 6th, at Marignane Airport. Development Partners for this HIPE AE 440 high compression engine Project within Clean Sky are TEOS Powertrain Engineering and AUSTRO ENGINE GmbH.