NFL awards researcher prize and three junior researcher prizes Hybrid Research Day of the Aeronautics Research Centre Niedersachsen

New approaches in the field of data-based modelling methods for complex dynamic systems, the prediction of layer separation in fibre composite components, the operational safety of helicopters and the selection of sustainable battery technologies for aviation – these are the topics to which four research papers in aviation research are contributing. They were awarded the Hermann Blenk Researcher Prize as well as the Karl Doetsch Young Researcher Prizes and the VDI Aerospace Prize. The prizes were awarded at the first Hybrid Research Day of the Aeronautics Research Centre Niedersachsen (NFL) on 9 November 2021.

Hermann Blenk Researcher Prize for Daniel Fernex, Prof. Dr. Bernd Noack and Dr. Richard Semaan

The research group around Daniel Fernex, Prof. Dr. Bernd Noack and Dr. Richard Semaan developed a new data-based modelling methodology for complex and non-linear dynamic systems at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics at TU Braunschweig. They demonstrated the method on numerous examples ranging from analytical systems to real problems with experimental and simulation data. The examples are the Lorenz attractor, the Rössler system, ECG heartbeat signals, Kolmogorov flow and a high-dimensional activated turbulent boundary layer. Even the notoriously difficult modelling problem of rare events in the Kolmogorov flow was solved.

This automatable, universal, data-driven representation of complex nonlinear dynamics complements and extends the science of network connectivity and promises new, rapid ways to understand, estimate, predict and control complex systems in fluid dynamics and other scientific fields. For the development of this outstanding new approach, the group was awarded this year’s Hermann Blenk Researcher Prize, which is endowed with 5,000 euros.

Karl Doetsch Young Scientist Prizes for Jan-Linus Popien and Clemens Brosi

Jan-Linus Popien made a contribution to the sustainable realisation of battery-electric flying in his Master’s thesis. In his work at the Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production at TU Braunschweig, he identified suitable battery technologies for use in fully electric aircraft and evaluated them in terms of their economic and ecological sustainability. In doing so, he was able to clearly demonstrate that lithium-sulphur batteries have a clear advantage over other technologies. This applies above all to the power density and energy density as well as costs, mining conditions and environmental impact of the resources required for this. With regard to an application in aviation, this battery technology is the future means of choice. Jan-Linus Popien graduated in 2020 with a Master’s degree in Industrial and Electrical Engineering from TU Braunschweig.

In his Master’s thesis at the Institute of Aircraft Design and Lightweight Structures at TU Braunschweig, Clemens Brosi dealt with T-joints made of fibre-reinforced plastics in shape-changing wing leading edges. He created a simulation environment based on the finite element method (FEM) to predict the delamination behaviour of fibre composites at corresponding T-joints. He was able to impressively demonstrate the predictive accuracy of the simulation environment in the course of independent experimental investigations. Clemens Brosi completed a Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Systems Engineering and Management at Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences from 2012 to 2016 and studied for a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at TU Braunschweig from 2016 to 2020. The Karl Doetsch Young Scientist Prizes are endowed with 1,000 euros each.

VDI Aerospace Prize for Philippe Panten

In his Master’s thesis, Philippe Panten at the Institute of Flight Systems of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) dealt with the development and evaluation of a tactile cueing function for safely reaching and maintaining the maximum speed of helicopters. In doing so, he implemented the developed control stick feedback in an existing simulator environment and had it tested with the help of flight trials with a test pilot. The result was an impressive improvement in the avoidance of unintentional overspeeding, which means a clear increase in safety and performance when controlling helicopters. For this work, he received the VDI Aerospace Prize, which is endowed with 1,000 euros. Philippe Panten studied Aerospace Engineering at the Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences from 2013 to 2017 in the Bachelor’s programme and completed his studies in 2020 with a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at TU Braunschweig.