Aerospace & Defense Technology - August 2023 - 8

Power Electronics
tion sectors previously thought to be too
hard to decarbonize, such as aviation.
Assessing R&D Needs and Roadmaps
In 2019, Argonne collaborated with
DOE and NASA to convene a panel of
experts from academia, industry,
national labs, and government. Their
objective was to assess the research and
development requirements for electric
aviation, explore the similarities and
differences between electric aviation
and electric vehicles (EVs), and generate
recommendations to accelerate the
growth of the market.
The workshop highlighted a roadmap
aimed at decarbonizing the aviation sector
by leveraging existing lithium-ion
cells, with appropriate modifications, to
target relatively easier goals such as electrifying
vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
The roadmap also encompasses the
development of next-generation batteries
tailored for commuter aircraft or
regional jets, which present more complex
challenges in terms of electrification.
The ultimate challenge is electrifying
737-class aircraft which require
energy density more than five times current
lithium-ion technology. In contrast
to EVs, electric aviation also requires significantly
higher power demand, especially
during take-off and landing with
the need for reserves to ensure safety.
The 2019 assessment made clear that
the world of electric aviation resembled
that of EVs from two decades ago, with
many unknowns related to the integration
of storage into vehicle designs,
establishing targets for different markets,
and developing standards to ensure a
smooth transition.
A Simulation Tool for 21st Century
Flight
Argonne has been developing an aircraft
simulation tool, named Aeronomie,
to support the transition to 21st
Century flight. It allows users to simulate
entire flights and experiment with
different systems to optimize energy
and performance for all kinds of aircraft
- including electric and hybrid airplanes,
vehicles for urban air mobility,
and unmanned aerial vehicles. With
Aeronomie, users can automatically
build virtual aircraft using models -
8
LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
NEGATIVE
TERMINAL (-)
SEPARATOR
CATHODE (+)
ANODE (-)
POSITIVE
TERMINAL (+)
ANODE CURRENT
COLLECTOR
E
LI
E
CATHODE CURRENT
COLLECTOR
SEPARATOR
CATHODE
POSITIVE
ELECTRODE
The reduction in the cost of lithium-ion batteries over the last decade is helping to justify research and
development of individual components for electric aircraft and vehicles. (Image: Naeblys/Adobe Stock)
which capture the flying environment,
the aircraft's motion and aerodynamics,
and how it is powered and flown. The
program is fully custaomizable, allowing
users to add models from an existing
library or their own files.
Aeronomie has been critical in generating
targets for batteries for different
aviation applications. Similar tools for
EVs were integral in driving battery
research, allowing the community to
focus on the most critical challenges and
develop solutions that improved performance
and cost.
mobilityengineeringtech.com
Insights gained from the 2019 workshop,
along with tools such as Aeronomie,
are currently driving research and
development efforts towards enhancing
battery materials and devices. The
battery community has developed
roadmaps to improve battery energy
densities and reduce costs. These roadmaps
encompass both short-term
advancements achieved through innovation
with next-generation lithium-ion
batteries, as well as long-term
challenges that require a more fundamental
approach.
Aerospace & Defense Technology, August 2023
ANODE
NEGATIVE
ELECTRODE

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Aerospace & Defense Technology - August 2023

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