HyDDEn – Hydrogen Demonstrator and Development Environment
In this project, a hydrogen-hybrid propulsion system for the AREA research drone is being developed, including a design environment and a conformable pressure vessel for hydrogen storage.
Project Partners
Chair for Helicopter Technology, Technical University of Munich
Duration
01.01.2022 – 31.12.2024
Funding authority
Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy
Motivation
For future vertical take off and landing (VOTL) aircrafts, for example for Urban-Air-Mobility (UAM) applications with high range, propulsion concepts with high energy densities are critical. To enable zero-emission aviation, a hydrogen-hybrid propulsion concept for a research drone is therefore being developed in the HyDDEn project. The current challenges are, on the one hand, the dimensioning of the propulsion concept in terms of performance, mass and reliability. On the other hand, it is also necessary to develop a hydrogen storage system that makes the best possible use of the available space in order to maximize the storage capacity on the one hand and minimize the air resistance on the other in order to be able to achieve a maximum range.
Method
In the project, on the one hand, the existing AREA research drone of the Chair for Helicopter Technology (see figure) will be converted from battery electric to hydrogen hybrid power supply. For this purpose, the hydrogen architecture will be modeled and a design environment for its dimensioning will be developed, taking into account the system's performance, mass and fail-safety. In addition, a pressure vessel adapted to the installation space will be developed for hydrogen storage. For this purpose, suitable concepts will first be compared or new ideas will also be developed. After a detailed design of the tank, several technology carriers will be manufactured from carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic tapes using the chair's own tape placement equipment. To validate the tank, a burst test will first be carried out before the tank is finally integrated into the "drone" system for system tests.
Acknowledgement
The Chair would like to thank the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy for funding the "HyDDEn" project as part of the "Holistic Air mobility Initiative Bavaria (HAMI) ". (funding code: ROB-2-3410.20-04-11-40/HAM-2109-0040).
Contact Persons
Christian Jäger, M.Sc.; Dr.-Ing. Swen Zaremba