News

2021-08-01

Collins Begins Electric Motor Fabrication for Airlander 10

The path to a zero-carbon Airlander 10 has picked up pace with Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, announcing it has completed critical design review and started fabrication of a 500 kilowatt electric motor for the aircraft under a partnership with Hybrid Air Vehicles and the University of Nottingham.

Airlander 10 is poised to offer a unique combination of low emissions, fuel burn, noise and operating costs. The preparation process is visibly on a smooth track. The flight qualification testing of the motor is expected to occur in 2023, followed by hybrid-electric operation of Airlander 10 by 2025 and all-electric, zero-emission operation by 2030.

The aircraft’s four fuel-burning engines will be replaced by Collins’ 500 kilowatt electric motors—beginning with the two forward engines in 2025 and the two rear engines in 2030.

Collins is designing and testing the motor at its Electronic Controls and Motor Systems Center of Excellence in Solihull, UK, where it recently invested US$18 million to expand the campus and strengthen power electronics and motor development capabilities.

Marc Holme, senior director, Electronic Controls and Motor Systems for Collins Aerospace, explained: “Airlander 10 has the potential to be the world’s first zero-emission aircraft, while pioneering game-changing electric flight technologies in the process. As the aerospace industry continues to look for ways to reduce its carbon footprint, electric propulsion offers a significant solution that will create a more sustainable future for our industry and our planet.”

It is all about a sustainable vision for aviation. Airlander uses a combination of proven aerospace technologies from a mixture of airships (hull fabric and helium), fixed-wing aircraft (composite structures, engines, and avionics), and helicopters (vectored thrust). It is this formula that makes Airlander a cutting edge aircraft with game changing capability.

Airlander’s helium-filled hull and low flight speed make it a low-vibration and low-G aircraft (a condition where the airframe is temporarily unloaded), which improves reliability. Airlander also has features that make it inherently safer than other aircraft. This is particularly true in comparison to helicopters, as it is not reliant on any single engine.

Using the buoyant lift of helium lessens the fuel burn required just to keep the aircraft airborne – most of the airframe’s weight is countered by the helium’s buoyancy. In its current configuration, Airlander 10 produces nearly 75 per cent fewer emissions than comparable aircraft in similar roles.

The Airlander programme is poised to address key goals of the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy: strengthening the UK’s aerospace capabilities, positioning the country for developing future generations of civil aircraft, and advancing a new generation of efficient propulsion technologies.

Research Project

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is committed to the zero-carbon aviation future, and Airlander is suited to achieving this goal. The aircraft has the potential to carry future battery and solar cell technology at the scale required to achieve ultra-low and zero-carbon operations. HAV has partnered with industry and research to develop electric engines suitable for Airlander 10.

The research project to develop the electric motor, E-HAV1, was co-funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme, a joint UK government and industry investment. It is delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK, and addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges.

E-HAV1 project, will deliver a full-sized prototype 500kW electric propulsor for ground testing and technologies ready for future production. These technologies will be directly applicable to a future Airlander 10.

Airlander 10’s ability to support a broad range of activities from passenger travel to fisheries protection makes it the ideal platform for pioneering electric propulsion in civil aircraft.

Mark Scully, the Aerospace Technology Institute’s Head of Technology – Advanced Systems & Propulsion, elaborated: “The Aerospace Technology Institute has clearly identified the importance of technology developments to support sustainable aviation through the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, Accelerating Ambition. The Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 offers a unique opportunity to deploy innovative, high performance motor technology from Collins Aerospace initially in hybrid propulsion and, in the future, all electric propulsion configurations. These technology developments will enable economic growth and jobs in the UK aerospace sector.”

Comments () Views (1114 ) Print

Send To Friend