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Inching Closer

Airbus is making progress in developing its
hydrogen-powered concept aircraft

By Jay Menon

irbus’ aim of getting hydrogen-powered
flight off the ground gets closer ro fruition
with the progress in the technology build-
ing blocks behind ZEROe, its low-carbon
A emission aircraft concept.

Airbus is maturing two hydrogen-based propulsion
technologies in parallel. According to the airframer,
hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cells are at “The test helps us to further develop our own fuel cell
the heart of ZEROe. H2 fuel cells are also under study knowledge, in support of certification targets for future
as a source of non-propulsive energy. hydrogen-powered aircraft,” Llewellyn noted.

“Fuel cells are a potential solution to help us achieve There are two ways hydrogen can be used as a power
our zero-emission ambition and we are focused on source for aircraft propulsion. First via hydrogen com-
developing and testing this technology to understand bustion in a gas turbine, second, by using fuel cells
if it is feasible and viable for a 2035 entry-into-service to convert hydrogen into electricity in order to power
of a zero-emission aircraft,” said Glenn Llewellyn, VP a propeller engine. A hydrogen gas turbine can also
Zero-Emission Aircraft, Airbus. be coupled with fuel cells instead of batteries in a
hybrid-electric architecture.
“At scale, and if the technology targets were achieved,
fuel cell engines may be able to power a one hundred Hydrogen fuel cells, especially when stacked together,
passenger aircraft with a range of approximately 1,000 increase their power output allowing scalability. In addi-
nautical miles. By continuing to invest in this technology tion, an engine powered by hydrogen fuel cells produces
we are giving ourselves additional options that will zero NOx emissions or contrails thereby offering addi-
inform our decisions on the architecture of our future tional decarbonisation benefits.
ZEROe aircraft, the development of which we intend
to launch in the 2027-2028 timeframe.” Hydrogen Conditioning System

Over the last few months of ground testing, Airbus In May this year ArianeGroup, a joint venture between
Airbus and Safran, successfully completed a proof-of-
expert teams have joined forces to achieve a milestone concept of a hydrogen ‘conditioning system’ adapted
of running the fuel cell at full power: 1.2 megawatts to power an aircraft turbine engine.
(MW).
Given that hydrogen has to be stored at a bone-numb-
Significance of 1.2 Megawatts ing -253°C, it needs to be ‘conditioned’ to reach an
“In December 2020, Airbus shared with the public a acceptable temperature and pressure for combustion
100 per cent fuel cell powered aircraft concept. This in the aircraft engine.
concept was a 100-seat aircraft capable of 1,000 nau-
tical miles and it had six engines. 1.2 megawatts is the The project known as HyPERION was made possible
power needed by one of these engines at take-off. So by reusing equipment designed for space applications.
we are ground-testing a fully electric propulsion system Airbus says it’s an essential building block of the hydro-
capable of producing the take off power of a large gen combustion (H2C) technology roadmap to 2035.
commercial aircraft,” Llewellyn said.
Airbus is also actively preparing a future H2C demonstra-
The 1.2 MW test was carried out using multiple power tor with GE and Safran joint venture CFM International.
channels coupled together on a single propeller, help- The goal is to mature a flightworthy, fully integrated
ing Airbus to apply learnings to aircraft design and hydrogen engine and aircraft, using an A380 test air-
ultimately, manufacturing. craft as a flying test bed.

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