Vienna Aviation Days 2024

Organizer

• exFan (Horizon Europe Project)
• University of Technology Vienna (TU)

From the 8th to the 9th of July 2024 the Vienna Aviation Days congress had its premiere: more than 100 participants per day and 24 expert speakers came together to share knowledge, results and discuss challenges of hydrogen hybrid electric propulsion. As extreme climate events such as droughts, wildfires, hurricanes and prolonged heat periods become more frequent, the common goal is clear: To enable climate neutral aviation!

This goal however cannot be achieved in individual efforts. For this reason, the Vienna Aviation Days brought together the representatives for aviation research of the Austrian, German and Dutch governments, the European Commission as well as the Clean Aviation Partnership.

The panel discussion made clear that the use of synergies is an important tool for collaboration. On transnational level, synergy is only possible as long as both countries benefit from it. For this reason, the German aviation research program LuFo and the Austrian counterpart Take-Off offer to have joint projects.

In order to streamline efforts of different EU member states, there should be a framework that connects national projects to international efforts such as the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking.

Currently, synergies between national and European funding projects are problematic from a legal perspective. It is believed that there is enormous existing potential in unexploited synergies – also when considering non-aviation specific research that may have an application in hydrogen electric aircraft.

Hydrogen and hydrogen-electric propulsion represent a promising path towards achieving zero emission aviation. When produced from clean electricity, hydrogen has no CO2 emissions over its life cycle. Hydrogen can be combusted through modified gas-turbine engines or converted into electrical power that complements the gas turbine via fuel cells. The aviation industry and governments jointly foster disruptive innovation combined with sustainability.

The Vienna Aviation days are organized through the Horizon Europe project exFan (Grant Agreement number: 101138184). The aim of this congress is to establish a platform to enable an exchange of green aviation topics for aviation research projects and build a connection between the different projects, programmes and policy makers. The topics of the projects contribute to future Hydrogen/Hybrid electric aircraft propulsion systems.

At the event, the participating projects will present their activities towards hydrogen propulsion. The audience can gain an insight into the tasks and challenges of the individual projects. This will serve as a basis for discussion and subsequent one-to-one meetings and pave the way for possible cross-project collaboration or to create ideas and cooperation for new projects.

Day One (8. July 2024)

• 12:30 Registration
• 13:00 Moderation & Opening
  Hanns Amri (ADT Engineering)
  
• 13:10 Introduction Speech
  Jens Schneider (TU Wien)
  Michael Weigand (TU Wien)
  Martin Berens und Michael Weigand (TU Wien)
• 13:30 Block 1: Policy, strategies
  First hydrogen powered aircraft are expected to reach market readiness by 2035. Potential deployment will focus on regional and single aisle aircraft. European and national policies foster and support the maturation of this technology. This block covers the strategies and challenges presented by the public sector.
  Speakers:
  • Michail Kyriakopoulos (European Commission) tbc
  • Janik Fernandez (Clean Aviation)
  • Ingrid Kernstock (Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology - BMK)
  • Kai Wagner (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz)
  • Ron van Manen (The Netherlands, Luchtvaart in Transitie)
  • Panel discussion
• 15:00 Break
• 15:30 Block 2: Challenges & Opportunities
  The successful transition towards hydrogen propulsion faces different challenges and opportunities. Those include future aircraft emissions such as non-CO2, contrails or noise as well as ground infrastructure.
  Speakers:
  • Johannes Hartmann (Airbus) - Project FAME
  • Peter Rostek (Airbus): "Experimental Research for Sustainable Aviation"
  • Feija Yin (TU Delft) - Project BeCoM, project HOPE
  • Michele De Gennaro (Austrian Institute of Technology) - Project NEEDED
    "A glimpse towards the future Hydrogen Powered Aviation: LH2 Ground Infrastructure and Emission Modelling"
  • Fabrice Guiliani (TU Graz) - Project LIQORNE
    "Liquid hydrogen for airborne applications"
• 17:30 - 17:40 Closing Speech
  Hanns Amri (ADT Engineering)
• 18:30 - open end Dinner at TUtheSky

Day 2 (9. July 2024)

• 8:30 Welcome Coffee
• 9:00 Moderation & Opening
  Hanns Amri (ADT Engineering
  
• 9:10 Block 3: Hydrogen Combustion & Hydrogen- electric propulsion systems
  Different projects present their contribution for the path towards hydrogen propulsion and their technological challenges that need to be overcome to reach its full potential.
  Speakers:
  • Martin Berens - Project exFan
    "Opportunities to move from heat rejection to heat utilization in hydrogen electric aircraft – exFan"
    
  • Yan Duranteau (SAFRAN) - Project NIMPHEA
    "Next generation of IMProved High temperature membrane Electrode Assembly for aviation"
    
  • Stefanie Degraaf (DLR) - Project FLYECO
  • Francesca Di Mare (Ruhr University Bochum) - Project MYTHOS
  • Patrick Jagerhofer (Graz)
    "The Combustor is not enough – Implications on the Hot Gas Path"
• 11:00 Break
• 11:40 Block 4: Architecture, On Board Storage, Modelling
  Liquid Hydrogen with its low temperature of -253 °C creates new challenges in the airplane. Those include tank, on board storage and fuel distribution systems as well as refuelling. Another challenge is the availability of research infrastructure fit for cryogenic testing. This block will present different innovative solutions.
  Speakers:
  • Helmut Kühnelt (AIT) - Projects MATISSE, SOLIFLY, HECATE
    "Airworthy batteries at AIT - From advanced batteries to MATISSE multifunctional electrical energy storage"
  • Michael Schilling (Testfuchs)
    "Mission H2-3-4: Strategic approach towards H2 Solutions for the aircraft industry"
  • Alexander Trattner (HYCENTA)
  • Stephan Ucsnik (LKR) - LH2 Tanks
  • Jan Hämisch (DLR Lampoldshausen)
    "Hydrogen-site Lampoldshausen – testing for aerospace and beyond"
• 13:30 Event Closure
  • Martin Berens (TU Wien)
  • Hanns Amri (ADT Engineering)

Agenda on the event website

Target Audience

Representatives from

• companies in the aviation industry,
• university and non-university research institutions,
• the public sector

Advanced Drivetrain Technologies GmbH
Andreas Wiesinger

TU Vienna
Bernhard Gerl

E-mail: registration@exfan-project.eu