ENFICA-FC - Environmentally Friendly, Inter City Aircraft Powered by Fuel Cells
Overview
Background & policy context:
Rapidly emerging hydrogen and fuel-cell power-based technologies can now be exploited to initiate a new era of propulsion systems for light aircraft and small commuter aircraft. In addition, these technologies can also be developed for the future replacement of onboard electrical systems in larger 'more-electric' or 'all-electric' aircraft.
The feasibility of this project depends on several key-enabling technologies including fuel-cell stacks and integrated systems, hydrogen fuel storage and a safe airport-based hydrogen-refueling infrastructure. Another important consideration is that it should demonstrate the path to future economic viability.
The primary advantages of deploying these technologies are low noise and low emissions - features which are particularly important for commuter airplanes that usually takeoff and land from urban areas. The possibility to takeoff and land within the noise abatement regulations set for small airfields, in urban areas and near population centres, will allow the use of these airfields late at night when noise abatement regulations are even more stringent.
Objectives:
The main objective of the ENFICA-FC project was to develop and validate the use of a fuel-cell-based power system for propulsion of more-/all-electric aircraft. The fuel-cell system was installed in a selected aircraft which would be flight and performance tested as proof of functionality and future applicability for intercity aircraft. It would also demonstrate that noise levels and pollutant emissions could be significantly reduced, or even eliminated, by more-/all-electric aircraft in the air and on the ground.
All the main objectives that were dealt with the ENFICA-FC project respond to the major challenges identified in the Strategic Research Agenda for European aeronautics:
- Research for strengthening the competitiveness of the aeronautical industry in the global market, responding to the challenge of delivering more economical, high performance and better quality products and services.
- Research for improving the environmental impact with regard to emissions and noise, responding to the challenge of meeting the society’s demand for sustainable transport.
The project offers opportunities for new operational concepts resulting in the following:
- Noise abatement friendly
- Low or zero pollutants
- Takeoff and landing from short airfields under 2000 feet.
Methodology:
The following work was implemented within the project:
- The feasibility study included:
- identification of requirements of specific applications for regional transport aircraft (APU, primary electrical generation supply, emergency electrical power supply, landing gear, etc.);
- preliminary definition of propulsion system including: fuel stack (comparison between PEM, SOFC, MCFC, etc.), hydrogen storage or direct onboard production, fuel-cell system, electric motor and power management system;
- definition of preliminary relevant systems and subsystems; integration of fuel-cell systems in the pressurised structure of aircraft operational behaviour;
- safety, certification, maintenance and installation
- reliability and maintainability concept definition; life-cycle cost evaluation.
- feasibility study of an all-electric propulsion inter-city aircraft (10-15 seat), completely powered by fuel cells, in order to assess the impact that could have a more silent and less polluting aircraft.
- a scale-size, electric motor-driven airplane powered by fuel cells has been developed and validated by a flight test.
- An existing, highly efficient design of a two-seater aircraft that has already been certified has been used. The fuel-cell system and the electric motor has been integrated onboard; the flight control system has been also converted into an electric system. The following items have been pursued:
- a fuel-cell unit was designed, built and tested in a laboratory ready to be installed onboard for flying;
- highly efficient brushless electric motors and power electronics apparatus were designed and manufactured ready to be installed onboard for flying;
- an efficiency of about 90% was obtained by an optimised aerodynamic propeller design;
- a study of the flight mechanics of the new aircraft was carried out to verify the new flight performance;
- a flight test bed of the aircraft, capable of remaining aloft for one hour, was the main goal of the project to validate the overall high performance of an all-electric aircraft system.
Share this page