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…
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…