The main goal of the HERFUSE project, coordinated by LEONARDO S.p.A, is development of the innovative fuselage devoted for hybrid electric reginal passenger aircraft (acronym HER), that will have positive influence on lowering greenhouse gas emission. Realization of lower footprint to environment by the new aircraft will be split in to several stages. HERFUSE project focuses on fuselage optimization strategies including design, new materials application, innovative manufacturing and assembly technologies. All those topics are need due to change of propulsion technology in to hybrid/electric type, that results in a need to adapt to battery packs, fuel cells, liquid hydrogen tanks and all its equipment, maintenance points with sufficient level of safety operation including thermal and electrical influence. Such wide change in propulsion configuration is affects whole aircraft structure and need new design concept. Many different topics for investigation influenced the HER program in the way of splitting it in to smaller tasks. Currently ongoing project name HERA is strictly connected with HERFUSE and both projects are going to share data exchange in order to deliver new configuration aircraft fulfilling all requirements. Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation is also a member of HERA project as one of consortium partner.
Institute in the HERFUSE project is responsible for conceptual and preliminary project of lower part of the fuselage. Planned works will include conceptual design phase on basis of first assumptions delivered at first stage of the project and results available from HERA project. Preliminary design phase will include also numerical investigation of proposed solutions. Next step will be devoted to obtain results from coupon testing of new materials and assembly technologies investigated as most promising in previous stages. Final result of the project will be technology demonstrator of the fuselage structure on TRL 5 level tested in lab environment. All involved partners will deliver their parts, that will be assembled and verified. Final tests will be done on full scale fuselage structure. The planned duration of the project is 3 years.
Project coordinator: Rafał Żurawski
E-mail: rafal.zurawski@ilot.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
Project duration: 02.01.2024 – 31.12.2026
Founding institution: European Commission
Program name: Horizon Europe, Clean Aviation
Consortium: LEONARDO – SOCIETA PER AZIONI (coordinator); AIRBUS HELICOPTERS ESPANA SA; AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SA; AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GMBH; EASN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION SERVICES BVBA; PANEPISTIMIO PATRON; MARE ENGINEERING GROUP SPA;
AEROSOFT SPA; CEIIA – CENTRO DE ENGENHARIA E DESENVOLVIMENTO (ASSOCIACAO);
ASCO INDUSTRIES N.V.; DESA SRL; C.I.R.A. CENTRO ITALIANO RICERCHE AEROSPAZIALI SCPA; FUNDACION AITIIP; FUNDACION CENTRO DE TECNOLOGIAS AERONAUTICAS; FUNDACION ANDALUZA PARA EL DESARROLLO AEROESPACIAL; IDEC; INGENERIA Y DESARROLLOS DE COMPOSITES SL; INSTITUTO DE SOLDADURA E QUALIDADE; SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ-INSTYTUT LOTNICTWA;
IDEKO S COOP; ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTE;
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT – UND RAUMFAHRT EV; AERNNOVA AEROSPACE SA;
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNICA AEROESPACIAL ESTEBAN TERRADAS;
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID; AIRBUS ATLANTIC; MECANIZADOS VITORIA SA; FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION, DESARROLLO Y APLICACION DE MATERIALES COMPUESTOS;
CT INGENIEROS AERONAUTICOS DE AUTOMOCION E INDUSTRIALES SL; CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D’ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA – RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENT