MATISSE

Main Goals of the Project

Electrification of aircraft propulsion is a key enabler to reduce aviation emissions and to meet the EU Green Deal target of achieving carbon‑neutral air transportation by 2050. Reaching this objective requires a paradigm shift in both the choice of energy carriers and their onboard storage. This creates significant challenges for the electrification of propulsion systems in larger aircraft, particularly in the short-medium and long-range segments.

Multifunctional electrical energy storage systems, commonly referred to as structural batteries, are capable of storing electrical energy while simultaneously bearing mechanical loads. Such systems hold the potential to realize the promise of zero weight penalty energy storage, effectively enabling onboard energy storage with zero weight penalty.

This research initiative highlights innovative concepts that enable different levels of multifunctionality, ranging from material-level solutions to fully multifunctional structural configurations. Furthermore, the special issue explores airworthy structural battery architectures suitable for aeronautical applications, with the aim of closing the current gaps in research, technology development and certification pathways.

CIRA Activities in the Project

In WP3 CIRA lead the development a (Smart Battery) SB integration concept for sandwich laminates that integrates a core bonded between two solid laminate face skins with integrated smart SB battery cells, and introduces smart SB battery cells between the two face skins. Focus is given to the modelling of the adhesive attachment transmitting shear and axial loads to and from the core. CIRA will extend the numerical study of low velocity/low energy impact behaviour for the developed sandwich laminates with integrated cell concepts. The related low-velocity damage mechanisms will be investigated in sandwich structures to overcome the lack of accepted test methods and data, while a tailored damage model will be developed by assessing the influence of battery packs into sandwich laminates. The numerical models will be validated with experimental data generated in WP4.

The sandwich coupons are then integrated with fibre optics to monitor mechanical properties of during the curing and to measure the deformation response of the sandwich specimens during 4-point tests.  In WP5 CIRA will assist ONERA in the preparation of the 3D structural model for FEM analysis that resolve computational efficiency when analysing the large composite structure of the demonstrator. The proposed strategies will be used also to define hot spots which need to be well instrumented (e.g. with FBGS) during the final mechanical tests.

General Project Information

Funding Programme: HORIZON-CL5

Start Date: 01/09/2022; End Date: 30/06/2026

Official Project Website: https://www.matisse-project.eu/

Coordinating Organization: AIT, Austrian Institute Of Technology Gmbh

Partners: ONERA, CIRA, PVS, SCP, LT, KIT, IAI

CIRA Contact: Monica Ciminello, m.ciminello@cira.it