Airbus and GE to Test Hydrogen-Powered Turbofan

quietus writes:

European airplane maker Airbus and a 50/50 joint partnership between General Electric (GE) and Safran Aircraft Engines are going to equip an A380 superjumbo with a hydrogen engine, by 2026. The plan is to go the cryogenic route with hydrogen: using its liquid form at -253C (-425F), and burning it directly in a GE Passport turbofan.

The modified A380 will keep its 4 conventional turbines, with an additional fifth being the hydrogen-powered one.

The number of technical challenges are large. Under the plans, 400kg of liquid hydrogen will be stored in four tanks at minus 253 degrees Celsius. A new cryogenic distribution system will need to be developed. The hydrogen will also need to be converted into a gas before it is burnt. The gas burns at a much higher temperature than conventional jet fuel, so special cooling and coating materials will also need to be developed.

The modified GE Passport jet engine needs a complete overhaul of its combustor, fuel system and controls system to make them compatible with liquid hydrogen fuel. The group picked the Passport because of its size, advanced turbomachinery and ability to operate at the appropriate pressures and temperatures for the flight platform. As the liquid hydrogen needs to be vaporized into gas to be used as fuel, certain parts of the engine could see temperature differences of some 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

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