With the launch of the ACCEL project aircraft at Gloucestershire Airport, Rolls-Royce took an important step towards the goal of producing the world's fastest fully powered aircraft. Efforts to integrate the groundbreaking electric drive system will begin for the zero-emission aircraft to enter the book of records with the target of 2020+ MPS (300+ KMS) in late spring 480.
The aircraft is an important part of Rolls-Royce's “Accelerating Flight Electrification” (ACCEL) initiative and the strategy to become a leader in electrification. The project includes many partners, including electric motor and control manufacturer YASA and aviation start-up Electroflight. Half of the project funding is provided by the Aviation Technology Institute (ATI) in partnership with the Enterprise, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department and Innovate UK.
UK Trade Minister Nadhim Zahawi said in a statement on the subject: “The UK has a proud heritage and a worldwide reputation for envy in developments in aviation technology. The flight's electrification has the potential to revolutionize travel and change aviation in the coming decades. In this way, we will be able to travel the world with a low carbon footprint. Backed by government funding, Rolls-Royce will push the boundaries even further, revealing the fastest electric airplane ever. ” said
Rob Watson, Director of Rolls-Royce Electrical Systems, said: “The world's fastest electric aircraft is a revolutionary step in aviation. We are very happy to have the ACCEL project aircraft unveiled. This is not just a step towards the world record initiative. While expanding the capacity of Rolls-Royce, it will also play a key role in the transition to a low carbon global economy. ''
The ionBird test plane frame, which bears the name of the aircraft's electronic propulsion technology, is also on display. ionBird will be used for testing before the drive system is fully integrated into the aircraft. Tests for the next few months include full power operation of the propulsion system and checks for important flight availability.
"ATI is proud to partner with Rolls-Royce in the ACCEL program because we believe this will lead to exciting new developments in the electric drive system," said Gary Elliott, CEO of the Aviation Technology Institute. One of ATI's priorities is to make aviation more sustainable. ACCEL will be a critical step in our broader goals for the UK aviation industry of the electric drive system. We are excited to establish a new and innovative supply chain that includes cross-industry expertise, start-up energy and leadership in the field, bringing together the best of the UK. ”
ACCEL will have the most powerful battery box ever installed in an aircraft. The battery box will fuel 250 homes on a single charge, or provide enough energy to fly from London to Paris. 6.000 cells of the battery box minimize weight and provide thermal protectionzambeing put together to raise i level. The advanced cooling system provides optimum performance by directly cooling the cells during high power record trials.
The propeller is cooled by three axial electric motors with high power density. The speed of the propeller blades per minute is much lower than the standard aircraft. Thus, it provides a more stable and much quieter ride. When combined, more than 500 horsepower will be provided continuously for the record attempt. Completely powered power transmission system provides power with 90% energy efficiency and zero emission even in record attempt. (By comparison, a Formula 1 racing car can go up to 50% energy efficiency).
YASA CEO Chris Harris said: “YASA's electric motor technology is ideal for energizing the electric flight. The opportunities we see on the roads are much more prominent in air travel, where the reduction of size and weight becomes even more important for a given power and torque. We share the team's passion for engineering in Rolls-Royce. We are happy to partner with them in the ACCEL project, which has opened a new era in sustainable, electric flight. ” said.
The ACCEL project is just one of Rolls-Royce's initiatives to develop lower carbon energy. These initiatives include a partnership with Airbus on the E-Fan X technology test tool project, a significant step towards hybrid electric commercial aircraft on the scale of today's single-aisle jet family. Same zamCurrently working with Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, on a joint research program on zero-emission aviation. The program aims to electrify the airline's regional fleet of more than 2030 aircraft by 30.
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