An engineering partnership involving a Bristol-based consultancy has announced it is collaborating with aerospace giant GKN on efforts to decarbonise aviation.
Filton Systems Engineering (FSE), based in Bradley Stoke, and New Zealand firm Fabrum are developing new liquid hydrogen technology which is being trialled at the former’s recently upgraded fuel testing site, for potential use in future test flights.
A ground-based demonstrator of a 2.4 kW liquid hydrogen system has been jointly designed with GKN, and built by FSE, under the Innovate UK-funded Safe Flight project.
The end-to-end system will aim to demonstrate the feasibility of liquid hydrogen as an aircraft fuel source as well as address potential safety concerns.
The project will address how the hydrogen fuel could be dispensed and stored in simulations designed to be representative of a typical flight.
Fabrum chief executive Dr Ojas Mahapatra explained: “The successful adoption of zero-emission fuels requires both ground-based infrastructure development for liquid hydrogen provisioning at airports and aircraft that will use it. Point-of-use liquid hydrogen production is the most economical short to medium-term solution to enable zero emission flight.
“We’ve already proven our ground hydrogen fuel solutions for small and medium-scale hydrogen production. Now, with FSE, we’re taking these refuelling solutions to the aviation industry - right through to the onboard fuel cell.”
Ben Richardson, FSE commercial director, said the partnership’s “world first” solutions were helping make aviation’s hydrogen future a “reality”.
Mr Richardson said: “Together, we’ve already delivered break-through test facilities with ready access to hydrogen on-site and on-demand. We see this as a vital asset to the aerospace, and other industrial sectors, if hydrogen is going to be developed as an alternate fuel source.
“There is now a facility in the UK where product development can be performed safely with a continuous supply of liquid hydrogen.”
The companies said collaborating with GKN - which serves more than 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers - would leverage FSE’s aerospace capability in fuel systems and designing fuel, air, hydraulic, inerting and engine systems, and Fabrum’s cryogenic and fuel tank storage technology and expertise in hydrogen fuel systems.
GKN, which also has a base in Filton, was one of nine South West organisations - alongside Bristol Airport, Bristol Port and airline Easyjet - to announce their involvement in developing a new regional hydrogen infrastructure ecosystem.
The consortium, known as Hydrogen South West will look to enable cross-sector partnerships to produce, utilise, capture, store and transport the element across the area.
Also involved in the programme is Airbus, which announced earlier this year that it would will launch a new hydrogen research hub at its own site in Filton, to support its ambition to develop the first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035.
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