Hydrogen is seen as a promising energy source of the future, particularly in aviation. In order to store it efficiently on board commercial aircraft, it is liquefied, i.e. kept cryogenically at -253 °C. This minimises its volume. This minimises its volume, but the cold temperatures place high demands on the materials used. Depending on the…
Carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are used to reduce fuel consumption in aviation domain by reducing weight. But the fibre production is a high energy intensive process. Recycling of the fibres enables an extended usage of carbon fibres even beyond the first life cycle. This leads to a lower strain on the energy intensive production…
In battery electric vehicles and in the first small electric aeroplanes, energy is stored in conventional batteries, which require installation space and significantly increase the mass of the vehicle. Concepts with structurally integrated energy storage systems, on the other hand, offer a way of compensating for these disadvantages. By combining energy storage and load-bearing structure…
The UpLift project is developing and testing innovative hydrogen tanks for future short-haul aircraft. The focus here is on weight-saving composite materials, high-performance insulation systems and proof of safety and leak-tightness under real-life conditions. UpLift thus provides aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and decision-makers with a crucial basis for driving forward the climate neutrality of air transport…
The transonic cruise flight represents a compromise between the highest possible cruising speed and thus shorter flight time with the lowest possible fuel consumption. Aircraft manufacturers and airlines make this compromise in order to operate in a profit-orientated manner, particularly against the background of rising fuel prices and the pursuit of emission reductions in air…
Manufacturing defects pose immense challenges for the production of aircraft structures made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). One characteristic type of defect, for example, is undesirable fibre waviness. They have a significant influence on the resulting material properties. Innovative approaches are therefore required in order to fulfil the high quality requirements of modern aviation.…
Imagine a spacecraft leaving the atmosphere at top speed on its way into boundless space. It is exposed to extreme temperatures – from the icy cold conditions of space to the searing heat of re-entry into the atmosphere. Every material used in such a spacecraft must be able to withstand these temperatures undamaged. But how…
The rotor of a helicopter is the largest vibration generator. The resulting vibrations reduce the service life of mechanical and electrical components and, like noise, have a major impact on crew comfort and public acceptance. The internal structural design of a helicopter rotor blade not only has to withstand enormous loads, but also contributes significantly…
Hydrogen as an energy source is a promising solution for sustainable andCO2-neutral mobility. The storage of hydrogen as a fuel is an important basis for this. High-pressure tanks are already being used in some applications and are being continuously developed further. For aerospace applications, the storage of hydrogen in liquid form (LH2) is an interesting…
For the first time, we organised the ‘Competition for Innovation’ at the Institute for Lightweight Systems in 2024. The winners of the competition were teams that impressed with innovative technological proposals. These included: the cost-effective and precise production of moulds for fibre composite manufacturing from cardboard, a software solution for the simulation of fibre composites…