The overall goal of ETHAN (Elecktrische und Thermische Netzwerke für Hybrid-Elektrische Antriebssysteme) is to develop a new, coupled electrical and thermal system architectures for hybrid-electric aircraft to achieve the goals of environment friendly aviation formulated in the European strategy document "Flight Path 2050".

Mainly involved in thermal network modelling and optimization of the electric component cooling system design. Technical objectives include a complete description of all thermally relevant network components, i.e. the components of the cooling system and in particular those of the electric drive system. Thermal networks for different system configurations are to be developed using the component models and subsequently steady-state and transient operating conditions are to be analyzed. Optimization strategies will be used to find the best possible designs according to the requirements.

Start date: 2022

Responsible researcher: Karunakar Reddy Konda

Heat exchangers are critical in aerospace applications and in mission-critical aviation. Development of heat exchangers for hybrid electric applications are an emerging field. My research involves the development of a multi-scale, structurally loaded heat exchanger model for the ETHAN project (Elecktrische und Thermische Netzwerke für Hybrid-Elektrische Antriebssysteme). The overall goal of ETHAN is to develop a new, coupled electrical and thermal system architectures for hybrid-electric aircraft to achieve the goals of environment friendly aviation formulated in the European strategy document "Flight Path 2050".

The technical objectives of my research include the thermomechanical modelling of the transient operating states of the heat exchanger model, the mechanical or structural design including operation and maintenance considerations, and manufacturing considerations involving cost estimates.  The above will be coupled with results from heat transfer and pressure drop analysis to determine the overall functional heat exchanger model. My work also serves to understand the basic failure modes of the heat exchanger in accordance with ARP4754 safety standards and CS23 certification standards. Finally, optimization strategies will be used to find the best possible designs according to the requirements and problem specifications.

Start date: 2022

Responsible researcher: Akilan Mathiazhagan

ETHAN project deals with the design, management and system testing of highly integrated electro-thermal systems. In this project, FTD is involved in the construction of a thermal network for the purpose of thermal management of the hybrid-electric propulsion system. In this thermal management system, the thermal behavior of those components whose temperatures need to be constantly monitored should be modeled and the interaction of them should be studied at the system level. The choice of cooling concepts, which will eventually influence the architecture of the entire thermal management system, will be carefully studied in this project. All possible failure situations during flight and the resulting behavior of the thermal management system will be examined for a safe and reliable mission.

Start date: 2022

Responsible researcher: Dikshant Sharma

Virtual Engine Development VI
This research project, undertaken in collaboration with university and industrial partners, focuses on numerically based design processes in gas turbines, specifically targeting the thermo-mechanical behavior as well as crack initiation and propagation in modern shroudless high-pressure turbine blades made of single-crystal materials.
A critical aspect of this research is the investigation of the flow conditions at the tip of shroudless turbine blades. These conditions fluctuate due to variations in the blade-casing clearance, which in turn affect mass flow, pressure, and temperature. Understanding these changes is crucial for accurately analyzing the temperature and stress factors that influence the blade's cracking behavior.

Start date: 2024

Responsible researcher: Dongsuk Kim

Virtual Engine Development VI
This research project, undertaken in collaboration with university and industrial partners, focuses on numerically based design processes in gas turbines, specifically targeting the thermo-mechanical behavior as well as crack initiation and propagation in modern shroudless high-pressure turbine blades made of single-crystal materials.AI will be employed to identify conditions that may lead to blade tip cracking, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms. The insights gained from this research will pave the way for improved turbine blade designs, ensuring greater reliability and performance in high-pressure environments.

Start date: 2024

Responsible researcher: Abdulla Fathalla