Airbus unveils zero-carbon hydrogen engine

Airbus announced on Wednesday its journey towards a zero-carbon airplane planned for 2035 (30) a new hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine will begin testing on the ground and in flight. This propulsion system is considered an efficient solution as it generates electricity through electrochemical reaction rather than combustion.

According to a press release, the company will begin tests on the ZEROe demonstration aircraft in the middle of this decade. For this, Airbus’ conventional A380 MSN1 test plane is being modified. for transporting liquid hydrogen tanks and their distribution systems🇧🇷

According to Airbus, hydrogen can be used in two ways to generate enough energy to propel airplanes. One is the combustion of the element in a gas turbine; the other is to use fuel cells to convert hydrogen into electricity to power a propeller engine. Finally, a hybrid-electric structure could combine a hydrogen gas turbine combined with fuel cells🇧🇷

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG50OACu190

Describing hydrogen as the most promising alternative to power a zero-carbon aircraft, Airbus opted for a type of fuel cell, the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). hydrogen is used directly as a “fuel” to generate electricity🇧🇷 Not only does the technology emit no carbon dioxide, there is only heat and water as by-products.

although they are small – a few millimeters thick and the size of a letter envelope – hydrogen fuel cells are combined to increase their power, allowing for scalability. Several stacks of these cells are then combined into several “channels” to achieve the megawatt levels required by an electric airplane.

According to Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus Vice President of Zero Carbon Airplanes, “fuel cell engines could power a hundred passenger aircraft with a range of approximately 1.85 thousand kilometers” if the technological targets are achieved at scale. Managerial reputation Launch of the ZEROe aircraft in the period 2027-2028.