Light helicopter powered with a diesel engine

1. Future Green Rotorcraft
Light Helicopter Powered
with a Diesel Engine
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Yves Favennec (Eurocopter)
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

2. Rationale for Diesel engines on helicopters (1)
What is stakes?
Aviation impacted by global CO2
=> ACARE target: -50%
emission problem
Operators’ business threatened by
=> fuel consumption per FH
soaring fuel cost
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Helicopter configuration
less energy-efficient Inherent to hovering capability
than fixed-wing A/C
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

3. Rationale for Diesel engines on helicopters (2)
What about engine fuel efficiency?
 Incremental fuel-efficiency improvements for small turbo-shaft engines
 Major improvement opportunity offered by Diesel technology:
Specific Fuel Consuption (g/kW/hr)
POTENTIAL:
typical turboshaft SFC
More than 30%
1000 fuel/CO2 economy
typical modern Diesel engine
on a typical H/C
Huge gain in mission profile
© 2011 – all rights reserved
cruise, descent
Sizable
gain at
Take-Off
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0% Output Shaft Power (fraction of MTOP) 100%
Even higher benefits in hot/high conditions 3
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Engine size effect
Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

4. Demonstration Project Members
Clean Sky Member / Topic Manager
HIPE AE440 Consortium (Clean Sky Partners)
Participant Project Coordinator
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Third Party Third Party
Sub-Contractor
Third Party 4
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

5. Demonstration Objectives
Specify, test & validate a Diesel engine prototype responding to
helicopter requirements
Existing General Aviation engines: too small and/or too heavy
 Identify & resolve major integration difficulties
Requires exploration of full flight envelope (maturity TRL 6)
Substantiate achievement of fuel &
© 2011 – all rights reserved
emission reduction targets
The demonstrator H/C will be a prototype of the
small single-engine EC120 which can most
conveniently be modified for that purpose. 5
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

6. Technical Challenges – Power Pack (1)
 Weight of Power Pack incl. cooling system &
ancillary equipments
 Engine core
strength & reliability
 Fuel consumption & gas emission
using standard Jet A1 fuel
© 2011 – all rights reserved
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 Engine control compatible with helicopter control 6
Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

7. Technical Challenges - H/C integration (2)
 Start, clutch operation
in typical H/C flight domain  Engine noise
exterior noise & cabin
 Torque oscillation alleviation  Engine vibration
© 2011 – all rights reserved
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

8. Technical Challenges - H/C integration (3)
 Pilot interface, pilotability, handling  Cooling system
qualities efficiency esp. in hover
 Aerodynamic drag
© 2011 – all rights reserved
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

9. Demonstration Plan
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Preliminary studies, specifs
Partnership Completed
Engine Design
Design of H/C proto mods CDR PDR
Engine manufacturing
Engine integration & bench tests
© 2011 – all rights reserved
FAI
H/C mods manufacturing
H/C integration & testing
Ground Flight
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

10. Demonstration Plan - Expected results (1)
Engine Power Pack
CO2 & fuel
SFC <230 g/kW/h
Weight Reliability (potential)
< 0.8 kg/kW TBO>2000 hr
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Design to Cost
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RC < turboshaft
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

11. Demonstration - Expected results (2)
Helicopter demonstrator integration (CS & beyond)
Environmental impact
-30% CO2 per operation
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Full flight
Payload-Range
envelope
assessed
explored
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Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011

12. Perspectives
Strong market expectation for fuel efficient helicopters
(EU & global)
 Advanced Diesel technology mature in automotive sector
 Adaptation to General Aviation in progress
 Still significant technical challenges ahead for adaptation to
vertical flight
 Broader market for very high performance Diesel engine:
General Aviation, UAVs, APUs.
© 2011 – all rights reserved
Helicopter industry & engine manufacturers agree to :
 Conduct a complete demonstration by 2014 ;
 Further develop & integrate Diesel techno on future light H/C 12
products. 12
Clean Sky –Round table “Future Green Rotorcraft », IPAS 23 Jun 2011