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Institute of Aviation Drive Systems
The IKON Institute of Aviation Drive Systems is researching innovative, lower emission and more electrified propulsion systems for civil transport aircrafts.
The focus is on an alternative, hydrogen-based flight, which could complement or replace conventional aircraft engines. Due to the significantly higher system complexity of hydrogen engines, high technical requirements have to be met. Their advantage, however, would be that they are significantly quieter and more climate-friendly than conventional aircraft engines.
Research will also be carried out on new materials for more powerful batteries and fuel cells. Quantum computer technology can be used for this purpose.
For such novel drive concepts, it is not only important to develop sophisticated control systems that guarantee efficient and safe operation, but also to develop appropriate certification rules in cooperation with partners and the responsible authorities in order to meet international requirements in aviation.
Research activities
The Institute of Aviation Drive Systems deals with the modeling and further development of elements of novel propulsion systems, in particular their energy conversion and integration. The available mechanical, electrical and auxiliary component technologies are extensively modeled and described and then analyzed in their interrelationships. The aim is to combine the most convincing drive elements into new types of drive systems that meet previously defined performance and safety requirements. The operating parameters of such drive systems must be based on performance requirements in different flight phases. For this purpose, concepts and technologies are developed for optimized operational control.
The review of the newly developed theoretical models and the evaluation of the expected uncertainties can only be carried out correctly trough experimental tests. The Institute of Aviation Drive Systems with its infrastructure is responsible for the construction operation and continuous adapting of the experiments for the investigation of newly developed air-drive systems. The focus of the experimental work will be on selected system components and on system integration activities.
Contact
IKON Aerospace Center
Institute of Aviation Drive Systems
Freilagerstrasse 32
8047 Zürich
Info_ILA[at]ikon.aero
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