CELLSIUS Project H2

In a bid to reduce carbon emissions, our team of 14 mechanical engineering students and 2 electrical engineering students from ETH Zürich have taken on the challenge of developing, building, and testing a hydrogen-battery-hybrid powertrain for a light aircraft produced by Lightwing, the AC4. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible to make the aviation industry more environmentally friendly. By developing and implementing a hydrogen-battery-hybrid powertrain, we hope to demonstrate a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to aviation, contributing to a greener future

This summer, we are excited to announce that the first step towards achieving our goal will be completed when the powertrain is tested on hydrogen in a testing facility that one of our engineers has set up specifically for this purpose. The subsequent step for the following team of students will be to integrate the powertrain into the aircraft, and conduct flight tests to ensure that it functions properly.

In order to achieve our goals, severel electrical and mechanical systems need to be implemented. To control these systems, costum PCBs are needed. A couple of examples are:

1. Power electronics control PCB: The custom Power Electronics Control PCB is an essential component of our hydrogen-battery-hybrid powertrain. Its primary function is to control the power electronic systems, specificallythe DC/DC converter and the Inverter, which are critical for the operation of the powertrain. To achieve this, the PCB reads and processes sensor data, such as voltage and current, which are required for the control mechanisms. Another crucial feature of this PCB is its ability to facilitate communication between the power electronic systems and the main computing unit of the aircraft via CAN-Bus.
2. Battery management system: The Battery Management System (BMS) is a critical component of our hydrogen-battery-hybrid powertrain. The BMS ensures that the battery is operating safely and efficiently by monitoring and controlling the charging and discharging of the battery cells. It constantly monitors the voltage, temperature, and current of each battery cell and ensures that they are balanced, which helps to prolong the life of the battery and ensure that it is operating efficiently and safely. Additionally, the BMS provides useful data to the pilot, such as the state of charge of the battery and any potential issues with the battery cells.

We strongly believe that PCBWay's support would enable us to do faster prototyping and thus optimize our systems. By partnering with PCBWay, we can create custom PCBs that meet our specific needs, test them faster, and refine them until they work perfectly. This will help us achieve our goal of developing a greener and more sustainable aviation industry.