Project Title: Multi-Material Thermoplastic high pressure Nitrogen Tanks for Aircraft
Project number: 865291
Start Date: 01 October 2019 / End Date: 30 September 2021
Status: ongoing
Funded Under: H2020-EU .3.4.5.6. – ITD Systems
Programme: H2020-EU.3.4.5.6. – ITD Systems
Topic: JTI-CS2-2018-CfP09-SYS-01-14 – Multi-Material Thermoplastic high pressure Nitrogen Tanks for Aircrafts
Call for proposal: H2020-CS2-CFP09-2018-02
Consortium: NOVOTECH AEROSPACE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SRL (Italy, Coordinator), CTL TASTAIL TEORANTA LIMITED (Ireland), CETMA (Italy).
TRINITI aims at developing and demonstrating concepts and methodologies enabling the realization of an integrated multi-material airborne pressure vessel for long term storage of nitrogen, in particular a halon-free fire extinguishing system employing water-mist and nitrogen. The application of highly performing thermoplastic materials combined with advanced automated and out-of autoclave technologies on the one hand will answer to need for less consuming and faster manufacturing processes (1 stage process), while on the other side it will ensure reduced weight of the tank, reduced operational costs as well as reduced fuel consumptions and emissions of an aircraft.
TRINITI’s tank has been conceived to fulfill technical requirements foreseen by the CfP e.g. very low permeation of gases, mechanical loads according to RTCA Do160 Rec. G, good fire-smoke-toxicity (FST) properties, survival of high temperatures, large temperature gradients, as well as resistance against various chemical media.
Demonstration multi-material thermoplastic tank will be fabricated through a combination of processes such as co-extrusion of thermoplastic materials to form a multi-layer and multifunctional material, followed by In-situ consolidation Laser-Assisted Automated Fiber Placement process. Overall
Objectives of TRINITI project are:
- Down-Selection of appropriate thermoplastic materials ensuring to fulfill different requirements of the tank, performing well at extremely low temperatures without developing the microcracks that create leak paths for fluids like liquid nitrogen
- Development of a pre-industrial co-extrusion process by means of a continuous hot press for fabrication of the thermoplastic multi-layer integrated material, suitable to be processed by Automated Fiber Placement technology
- Manufacturing of high pressure tank prototypes (TRL 6) for longterm storage of nitrogen by means of in-situ consolidation process, made possible thanks to laser-assisted automated fiber placement machine
- Optimization of the product and manufacturing cycle with regard to the quality and cost, as well as environmental and Life Cycle Assessment, according to ECO-quotation procedures and weight and cost saving.
Consortium has set a target for a weight reduction of about 10% compared to previous tanks concept (Type IV), a reduction of manufacturing cost to 30%. The usage of advanced numerical tools will return also a reduction in design and certification costs (incl. testing) up to 25%. Further reduction of full life cycle cost is expected from recycling of scrape materials (up to 10%).
