Lasse Kreuzeberg

My name is Lasse Kreuzeberg and I’m a research assistant at the Institute of Aircraft Design and Lightweight Structures at the TU Braunschweig. My research topic in project B4.1 addresses the heat dissipation of fuel cell systems via aerodynamic surfaces of novel aircraft configurations. In particular the project members develop a skin heat exchanger that dissipates waste heat of fuel cells, which is used to power new propulsion systems of electric aircraft. My main focus lies on the structural design of the cooling channels and the overall channel layout in the aircraft’s skin.

The research question is the structural design and feasibility of the skin heat exchanger. The difficulty is to find suitable materials, geometries and layouts of the thermal management system. Several materials and configurations need to be assessed using numerical simulation techniques and complex coupling methods regarding the mechanical and thermal properties of such configurations. Furthermore, not only the structural strength and the structures lightness but also thermal properties as heat conductivity and heat resistance need to be addressed. Coupled with the external aerodynamics and coolant flow inside the structure, a Thermal-Fluid-Structure-Interaction (TFSI) problem arises.

My research inspires me because of the multi-disciplinary connection of different research areas. The overall problem can be split up in several mono-disciplines that cannot be addressed separately as changes in one field affect other fields. The coupling of such complex systems fascinates me and make this project especially interesting for me.

Another thing that inspires me is that obtained research results can always be used in other research areas. Maybe our research today will help other researchers in the future to come up with some new ideas of doing things differently and more efficient.

The overall portion of CO^­­­­₂ emissions of the aviation sector worldwide is over 3 %. With the current trend in the aviation sector and without new propulsion systems, this value will increase drastically.

In order to reduce aircraft emissions, new drive technologies are introduced. Hydrogen can be a good possibility to generate the required electrical power to drive electric engines. The efficiency of state-of-the-art fuel cells make supplementary cooling essential. Additional conventional heat exchangers to handle the waste heat of the fuel cells would lead to an increase of overall aircraft drag. To maintain or even reduce the aircraft drag while handling the required fuel cell cooling, novel skin heat exchangers are developed.

The SE²A Network helps young researchers like me in networking with other researchers by organizing scientific and socializing events. We have the opportunity to participate in cluster workshops that teach us project management skills, scientific communication and how to become better scientists in general.

Additionally, the SE²A Network provides many courses for young researchers to train multi-disciplinary subjects and soft skills. In my opinion good scientists are people who have not only profound knowledge in their own research area but try to gain fundamental understanding of many other disciplines too. This is especially important when dealing with multi-disciplinary problems to estimate the difficulties that can arise in other research areas when making small adjustments in their own work.