Airbus wants to create a zero-emission hydrogen-powered plane by 2035 and has chosen the A380 as its demonstrator jet.
The company will conduct ground tests and test flights of liquid hydrogen tanks that power a modified General Electric engine.
The plane's cockpit will be modified with a special throttle and display screen to manage and monitor the engine.
The global aviation industry produces 2% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions according to the ATAG, worrying activists and prompting governments, airlines, and manufacturers to commit to a net-zero industry by 2050.Airplane flying over trees.
Some aviation companies believe innovative technologies can help reach the industry's goal, particularly sustainable fuel.United Airlines is the first airline in the world to use 100% SAF on a passenger flight.
In early December, United Airlines operated the world's first commercial flight powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel made with cooking oil, marking the first of many low-emission flights.United Airlines is the first airline in the world to use 100% SAF on a passenger flight.
Later that month, Airbus announced it is launching a new Zero Emission Development Centre (ZEDC) in Spain that will research "hydrogen-powered non-propulsive energies." Specifically, the facility plans to develop tanks to hold liquid hydrogen.Airbus ZEROe hydrogen tanks.
The tanks will be engineered for Airbus' ZEROe planes, which the company hopes will be the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft, ushering in a new era of sustainable aviation.Airbus ZEROe planes.
Airbus has three designs for its ZEROe planes, including a turboprop that can carry up to 100 passengers and fly over 1,000 nautical miles...Airbus ZEROe turboprop.
The planes are expected to be in service as early as 2035, and the storage of liquid hydrogen fuel is the key to the program's success. According to Airbus, hydrogen emits zero CO2 and is generated from a renewable energy source.Airbus ZEROe planes.
Moreover, the fuel offers three times the energy per unit mass of traditional jet fuel and 100 times the energy of lithium-ion batteries, making it a good candidate for powering larger aircraft.Airbus ZEROe Turbofan engine.
To make the dream a reality, Airbus needs to build and test the hydrogen power on a demonstrator aircraft, and it has chosen the A380 superjumbo.Airbus A380 ZEROe demonstrator.
On Tuesday, the planemaker announced a partnership with CFM International to develop a "direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen" that will be ground tested and flight-tested on the company's first-ever A380, MSN1.Airbus A380 MSN1.
Ben Birchall/PA Images/Contributor via Getty Images
"The A380 MSN1 is an excellent flight laboratory platform for new hydrogen technologies," Airbus ZEROe demonstrator leader Mathias Andriamisaina said. "It's a safe and reliable platform that is highly versatile to test a wide range of zero-emission technologies."Airbus A380 ZEROe demonstrator.
According to Airbus, the demonstrator jet will carry four liquid hydrogen tanks "in a caudal position," or towards the tail.Airbus A380 ZEROe demonstrator.
The plane will also be equipped with a hydrogen combustion engine mounted on the left rear of the fuselage. The engine is derived from General Electric's PassportTM turbofan and was chosen for its "physical size, advanced turbo machinery, and fuel flow capability."GE Passport turbofan.
"The liquid hydrogen distribution system will feed into a conditioning system in which the liquid hydrogen will transform into its gaseous form before it is introduced into the engine where it is combusted for propulsion," Airbus explained.Airbus A380 ZEROe demonstrator.
According to Airbus' vice president of zero-emission aircraft, Glenn Llewellyn, there will be sensors and instruments around the hydrogen storage, distribution, and engine.Screenshot of the inside of the A380 demonstrator. Video shows Llewellyn explaining where the engines will be placed in the jet and how they will be tested and monitored.
"That data is going to be really important to allow us to learn about how these systems function in ground and flight conditions," he said. "That data will also be relayed back to the flight test station…that will allow the test engineers to operate the tests in real-time during the flight."Screenshot of the flight test station that will be adapted for the hydrogen tests on the A380. Video shows Llewellyn explaining where the engines will be placed in the jet and how they will be tested and monitored.
He also explained the A380's cockpit will be modified to help the pilots better manage the hydrogen engine inflight.Screenshot of inside the A380 demonstrator cockpit. Video shows Llewellyn explaining where the engines will be placed in the jet and how they will be tested and monitored.
Specifically, there will be a throttle that powers the engine that pilots can adjust and a display that the crews can monitor during the tests.Screenshot of the hydrogen engine throttle. Video shows Llewellyn explaining where the engines will be placed in the jet and how they will be tested and monitored.
Airbus is not the only company in the race for developing zero-emission commercial planes. In November, Embraer revealed four new prop-plane concepts that will run on renewable energy, three of which can reduce CO2 by up to 100%.Embraer Energia aircraft.
Embraer
The three zero-emission concepts include the 9-seater Energia Electric that will run on a battery…Embraer Energia Electric.
Embraer
…the 9-seater Energia H2 Fuel Cell that will run on hydrogen…Embraer Energia H2 Fuel Cell.
Embraer
…and the 19-seater Energia H2 Gas Turbine that will run on sustainable aviation fuel or hydrogen.Embraer Energia H2 Gas Turbine.
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