GKN Aerospace has efficiently achieved a serious milestone delivering a ground-based demonstrator of a liquid hydrogen plane gasoline system. The demonstrator was designed, constructed and examined in collaboration with Filton Techniques Engineering, below the Innovate UK-funded Protected Flight venture. The objective of the venture was to analyze the feasibility of utilizing a liquid hydrogen gasoline supply to extend the endurance of a search and rescue uncrewed aerial system (UAS) idea.
The venture enabled GKN to grasp and deal with lots of the security issues raised by the introduction of such a novel gasoline. Built-in gasoline tank design and distribution options had been developed, together with vaporization and conditioning of the liquid hydrogen. The efficiency of the gasoline system was verified by coupling it with a proton alternate membrane (PEM) gasoline cell stack, consultant of the kind that may very well be put in on a future zero emission plane. The venture demonstrated profitable storage and administration of liquid hydrogen, supplying the gasoline cell energy system with hydrogen on the required temperature and strain over a variety {of electrical} hundreds typical of a UAS search and rescue mission.
Key outcomes of the venture embrace improvement of secure system design, manufacturing data, operational data for liquid hydrogen gasoline programs, hydrogen gasoline system take a look at information, and an adaptable take a look at rig suited to additional research of hydrogen elements and subsystems.
Max Brown VP Expertise GKN Aerospace mentioned: ’’We’re delighted with the end result of this venture and imagine we’re very a lot on the forefront of exploring the challenges on this space. In a single finish – finish take a look at surroundings the staff have demonstrated fueling and storage of liquid hydrogen, conditioning and distribution of cryogenic fuel, and using PEM gasoline cells to generate electrical energy.” Brown continued ”while the main target of this work was on a small scale platform, the achievement is very aligned with different work we’re conducting in applications reminiscent of H2GEAR, the place we’re delivering propulsion applied sciences targeted on enabling zero emissions flight.’’
The Protected Flight venture has positioned GKN Aerospace for bigger and extra complicated demonstrations of hydrogen-powered plane sooner or later, as the corporate continues to pursue its mission to turn into “essentially the most trusted and sustainable companion within the sky.”