Airbus' Cryoprop Demonstrator: Advancing Superconducting Technology for Hydrogen Aircraft
Key Ideas
  • Airbus UpNext launched Cryoprop to accelerate superconducting technology for hydrogen aircraft.
  • The two megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system will be cooled by liquid hydrogen.
  • Airbus aims to develop expertise in superconducting technologies for high-power electrification, targeting significant weight and fuel savings.
  • Hydrogen propulsion is a focus for Airbus, with plans to introduce the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035.
Airbus' subsidiary, Airbus UpNext, has introduced a new technological demonstrator named Cryoprop to advance superconducting technologies for future hydrogen-powered aircraft. This initiative will integrate and mature a two megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system. The system will be cooled by liquid hydrogen through a helium recirculation loop developed by Airbus teams in France and Germany. Cryoprop aims to confirm the potential of superconducting technologies for aircraft applications, focusing on safety, industrialization, maintenance, and operations aspects. Airbus sees this as an opportunity to enhance in-house expertise and facilitate the introduction of new products related to superconducting cables, motors, and cryogenic power electronics. The company believes that this demonstrator will lead to performance improvements in the propulsion system, resulting in substantial weight and fuel savings. Airbus has been working on superconducting technologies for high-power electric propulsion, culminating in the successful testing of a 500 kW cryogenic propulsion system. Additionally, Airbus is committed to developing hydrogen propulsion for aircraft, with plans to launch the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. The company is exploring hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cells as part of its ZEROe project, aiming to revolutionize aircraft propulsion with zero-emission solutions. Various aircraft concepts, including Turbofan, Turboprop, Blended-Wing Body (BWB), and fully electrical options, are being developed to achieve the goal of hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft with different ranges and passenger capacities.
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