Hydrogen Turboprop Engines For The Future? Are Hydrogen turboprop engines going to be part of a future going forward? In an aviation world that is continually becoming more and more environmentally conscious and on a path to some decarbonization the majority of those efforts have been focused on the jet engine. However, the turboprop and piston power end of the market has not been tackled...yet.
Right now, Safran and its Partners have ground-tested a hydrogen-fueled turboprop engine. Safran in association with Turbotech are working on the technology. The hydrogen-fueled gas turbine as part of the BeautHyFuel project to produce a hydrogen power train for a light aircraft.
According to Turbotech CEO Damien Fauvet, the first test used one of the company’s TP-R90 regenerative turboprop engines. "As we move to liquid hydrogen fuel, the aim is to offer a high energy-density propulsion system with real commercial applications," he said. "Our solution will be readily retrofittable on light airplanes and could have potential in other market segments." The engine development is just one facet to the issue. There has to be seamless integration of other components and processes to make this work in a viable fashion. That is why Safran is working with multiple partners including airframers like Daher and Elixir. They are providing guidance on topics such as systems integration, aircraft development, certification, manufacturing, and maintenance. Fuel specialist Air Liquide is providing expertise in cryogenic hydrogen storage technology. There are a number of companies exploring, researching and gathering data points on this relatively new field of application. From Universal Hydrogen, to Zero Avia, the testing is ongoing in this field. As for Safran and Turbotech, there is no definite timeline on when this application will become mainstream and in service. For more information: Safran HQ 2, bd du Général Martial-Valin 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France www.safran-group.com ***
