In a groundbreaking development on January 11, Turbotech and Safran completed the inaugural test of a hydrogen-powered aero gas turbine engine featuring an ultra-high-performance regenerative cycle. Leveraging ArianeGroup’s resources and decades of experience in hydrogen fuel tests for space applications at its Vernon test facility in France, the successful trial utilized gaseous-form hydrogen fuel. The next phase, scheduled for later this year, involves coupling the engine with a cryogenic liquid storage system by Air Liquide, showcasing the complete integration of a propulsion system that mimics all functions on a full-scale aircraft.
Damien Fauvet, CEO of Turbotech, expressed optimism about the project’s potential, stating, “This first experiment…shows we can convert previously proven internal combustion technologies to create a working zero-carbon solution for general aviation.” As the project advances to liquid hydrogen fuel, the goal is to provide a high-energy-density propulsion system with practical applications in commercial aviation. Fauvet highlighted the adaptability of their solution for retrofitting on light airplanes and its potential applicability in various market segments.
Pierre-Alain Lambert, VP Hydrogen Programs for Safran, praised the project’s progress, exceeding expectations in validating the engine and fuel control system’s behavior across all phases. Lambert emphasized the value of small-scale investigations, complementing larger initiatives aimed at advancing hydrogen propulsion for air transport. Safran is involved in technology demonstrations, such as the ZEROe program with CFM International in collaboration with Airbus and supported by Clean Aviation.
The joint research project BeautHyFuel, established in June 2022, brought together Turbotech, Elixir Aviation, Safran, Air Liquide, and Daher. Focused on designing and ground-testing a hydrogen propulsion system for light aviation, the project aims to develop a certification methodology for retrofit applications. BeautHyFuel combines Turbotech’s efficient turbine technologies, Safran’s expertise in aeroengine manufacturing and fuel system design, Air Liquide’s cryogenic hydrogen storage technologies, Elixir’s role as a manufacturer of innovative light planes, and Daher’s experience in aircraft development, certification, production, and maintenance.
Original article: here