Preparing the Skies: Advancements in Hydrogen-Powered Jet Engines
Key Ideas
  • Researchers at ETH Zurich are conducting experiments to develop powerful and durable jet engines for hydrogen-powered planes, focusing on controlling vibrations caused by combustion.
  • Hydrogen engines need to consider the faster burning rate of hydrogen compared to kerosene, requiring adjustments in design for compact flames and mitigating vibrations.
  • The EU project HYDEA, in collaboration with GE Aerospace, aims to optimize hydrogen injection nozzles for future engines, with testing replicating real flight conditions at cruising altitude.
  • ETH Professor Noiray emphasizes the need for a comprehensive infrastructure for hydrogen aviation alongside developing engines, highlighting the challenge of producing and transporting sufficient climate-neutral hydrogen.
Researchers at ETH Zurich are working on developing jet engines suitable for hydrogen-powered aircraft to support the future of sustainable aviation. The focus is on controlling vibrations caused by the interaction of flames and combustion-generated sound waves in jet engines. With hydrogen burning faster than kerosene, modifications are needed to design compact flames and minimize vibrations that could strain the engines. The EU project HYDEA, in partnership with GE Aerospace, is testing hydrogen injection nozzles to optimize their performance under real flight conditions. The experiments at ETH Zurich involve replicating the acoustics of hydrogen flames and simulating engine conditions at cruising altitude to pave the way for high-performance hydrogen engines. ETH Professor Noiray acknowledges the challenges in transitioning aviation to the hydrogen age, emphasizing the importance of developing the entire infrastructure for hydrogen aviation, from producing climate-neutral hydrogen to its transportation to airports. While the development of hydrogen planes is achievable, realizing a sustainable hydrogen aviation industry within a reasonable timeframe requires coordinated efforts now.
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