Battery pulse2/28/2023 ![]() Manufacturing and testing objectivesįollowing cell selection and subsequent design integration for EcoPulse, several prototype/specimen batteries will very soon be subjected to testing in Toulouse according to stringent aeronautical standards. In short there are currently no standalone off-the-shelf battery systems which can fulfill our needs in terms of safety and performance. Moreover, the majority of these are Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) based – which, under the EU’s REACH regulation, will soon have to make way for alternative environmentally-compliant battery chemistries, such as Lithium-Ion.Īs for the automotive industry, while there are indeed batteries currently used to power electric cars, these have been too bulky and heavy for aerospace use. Notably, the heavier batteries which are used today on aircraft are typically quite low voltage – 28Vdc – and their low energy density means that they are mainly used to start the APU and for emergencies. The battery’s high-voltage capability when applied in this context is unique since it is not available today either in aerospace or automotive industries. This helps to minimise maintenance thanks to its built-in test features and ability to highlight the charge status or whether the cells need to be rebalanced.” Furthermore, this battery system also includes a tailored Battery Management System. Another innovative part is the active cooling system which ensures the optimum temperature for normal operation. He explains some notable features: “Our design featured several thousand Lithium-Ion cells, incorporating various safety measures to prevent thermal runaway – such as connecting each cell with wire bonding. “We started to work on the high voltage Li-ion a few years ago,” recalls Julien Laurent, Battery Project Leader, and for this prototype we designed it entirely in-house.” So then, how was this battery developed, and what were the challenges and accomplishments in realising it? Airbus is exploring the latter separately as part of its “ micro-hybridisation” research, with the high-voltage battery concept being a key ‘technology brick’.ĭeveloping the high-voltage Lithium-Ion battery Not only is this power level sufficient for driving EcoPulse’s six electric propulsors, depending on the test conditions, but it also happens to be similar to what would be needed for an airliner’s non-propulsive secondary systems. The unit, as designed for EcoPulse, weighs around 350kg, is able to achieve 800 Volts DC and can deliver up to 350 kilowatts of power. The result of such incremental advances is this latest high-voltage Lithium-Ion battery. Less powerful high-voltage batteries were previously installed on CityAirbus and Airbus Helicopters FlightLab. Lightweight, compact, with very high battery power and energy density: the battery reaches these goals thanks to several years of research and development as part of Airbus’ aircraft electrification and sustainability initiatives. Julien Laurent, Airbus Battery Project Leader We started to work on the high voltage Li-ion a few years ago and for this prototype we designed it entirely in-house ![]() The battery is one of the two electric sources on the demonstrator, the other being an "e-Auxiliary power Unit" (e-APU) provided by Safran. It is mounted under the fuselage and integrated with a reinforced aerodynamic fairing. ![]() The battery itself is approximately 2.3m long by 75cm wide and 20cm deep. While not taking centre-stage visually, this new battery is nevertheless a very significant innovation which is central to the electrification demonstration with EcoPulse, especially as it is pushing the boundaries for high voltage batteries to be used in an aircraft. Now we focus the spotlight on another key enabler being finalised for the EcoPulse demonstrator : the high-voltage Lithium-Ion main battery system developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse. In 2022, the assembly of the demonstrator – a light aircraft platform supplied by Daher* – is well underway, paving the way for its first test flight later this year. These tests evaluated the performance characteristics of the propeller and the cooling process of the six ‘distributed’ electric propulsion units. I n June last year Airbus successfully performed the EcoPulse* wind tunnel testing at its facility in Filton, UK.
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