GKN Aerospace has efficiently achieved a serious milestone delivering a ground-based demonstrator of a liquid hydrogen plane gas system. The demonstrator was designed, constructed and examined in collaboration with Filton Techniques Engineering, beneath the Innovate UK-funded Secure Flight mission. The purpose of the mission was to research the feasibility of utilizing a liquid hydrogen gas supply to extend the endurance of a search and rescue uncrewed aerial system (UAS) idea.
The mission enabled GKN to know and tackle most of the security considerations raised by the introduction of such a novel gas. Built-in gas tank design and distribution options had been developed, together with vaporization and conditioning of the liquid hydrogen. The efficiency of the gas system was verified by coupling it with a proton alternate membrane (PEM) gas cell stack, consultant of the sort that may very well be put in on a future zero emission plane. The mission demonstrated profitable storage and administration of liquid hydrogen, supplying the gas cell energy system with hydrogen on the required temperature and strain over a variety {of electrical} hundreds typical of a UAS search and rescue mission.
Key outcomes of the mission embody growth of secure system design, manufacturing data, operational data for liquid hydrogen gas techniques, hydrogen gas system check information, and an adaptable check rig suited to additional research of hydrogen parts and subsystems.
Max Brown VP Expertise GKN Aerospace mentioned: ’’We’re delighted with the end result of this mission and imagine we’re very a lot on the forefront of exploring the challenges on this space. In a single finish – finish check surroundings the staff have demonstrated fueling and storage of liquid hydrogen, conditioning and distribution of cryogenic gasoline, and using PEM gas cells to generate electrical energy.” Brown continued ”while the main target of this work was on a small scale platform, the achievement is extremely aligned with different work we’re conducting in applications similar to H2GEAR, the place we’re delivering propulsion applied sciences targeted on enabling zero emissions flight.’’
The Secure Flight mission has positioned GKN Aerospace for bigger and extra advanced demonstrations of hydrogen-powered plane sooner or later, as the corporate continues to pursue its mission to turn into “essentially the most trusted and sustainable companion within the sky.”
