Blueshift becomes Lilium thermal protection system supplier
AeroZero TPS, applicable for metals and composites, will protect critical battery housing and parts in the Lilium Jet eVTOL aircraft from burn through and risk of thermal runaway.
Wind tunnel testing of the Lilium Jet. Photo Credit: Lilium
Lilium (Munich, Germany) has selected Blueshift (Spencer, Mass., U.S.) to be the official supplier of thermal protection systems (TPS) for its initial series production electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. As part of the agreement, Blueshift will supply its AeroZero TPS, which will fit within Lilium’s carbon fiber battery design to help prevent burn through and mitigate the risk of thermal runaway propagation.
Blueshift’s technology provides protection of carbon fiber composites and thin metallic housing and parts, such as aluminum, titanium and steel. All of Blueshift’s products are flame retardant, less than 1.5 millimeters thick and have a very low thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity.
Key applications include direct flame and thermal protection for batteries and their enclosures, composite housings, structural barriers, as well as helping mitigate fire propagation from thermal runaway in power-dense batteries.
Many of Blueshift’s products are currently being evaluated and integrated into different areas within battery packs, battery housing, external skin/wing protection and other areas of eVTOLs and electric-powered aircrafts.
“We’re looking forward to working with the team at Lilium in protecting their battery packs and other critical areas within their aircraft,” Tim Burbey, president at Blueshift, notes. “Our partnership will prove the incomparable benefits of our technology in promoting a more sustainable method of transportation.”
“Blueshift’s thermal protection system is light, thin and easy to incorporate into our strict design requirements, while producing exceptional thermal results,” Martin Schuebel, Lilium’s senior vice president procurement, adds.
The Lilium Pioneer Edition Jet is the first planned model of the Lilium Jet and will comfortably seat four passengers on estimated non-stop flights of up to 175 kilometers at 250 kilometers per hour at launch. The first manned flight of the Lilium Jet is scheduled for late 2024, with entry into service expected in 2026.
Related Content
-
Composites end markets: Pressure vessels (2024)
The market for pressure vessels used to store zero-emission fuels is rapidly growing, with ongoing developments and commercialization of Type 3, 4 and 5 tanks.
-
Midnight production aircraft completes full transition flight
This is Archer’s second full-scale eVTOL aircraft to achieve this milestone, critical to being able to carry commercially viable passenger payloads.
-
Infinite Composites: Type V tanks for space, hydrogen, automotive and more
After a decade of proving its linerless, weight-saving composite tanks with NASA and more than 30 aerospace companies, this CryoSphere pioneer is scaling for growth in commercial space and sustainable transportation on Earth.
