Last February, Airbus announced that it had reached a new milestone in the development of a green aircraft. Indeed, the manufacturer wants to fly an A380 equipped with hydrogen tanks from 2026. To carry out this ambitious project, Airbus has signed a partnership with the American companies General Electric and French Safran.
The A380 will therefore still fly, despite the end of its production. Airbus announced that the MSN01, the first A380 test aircraft, would indeed be modified to play the role of a hydrogen demonstrator.
To develop and modify this device, Airbus signed a partnership with CFM International, a joint venture born from the agreement between General Electric and the French engine manufacturer Safran Aicraft Engines. The objective is, in the words of Airbus, to “demonstrate the flight feasibility of a hydrogen propulsion system by the middle of the decade”.
For this, the A380 will be equipped with a nacelle high up on the left rear part. Four liquid hydrogen tanks (400 kg) will be installed at the rear to operate the new engine. The four original kerosene engines will remain under the wings.
Sabine Klauke, director of engineering at Airbus, said: “This is truly an important step towards sustainable aviation that we are taking.”
It was in 2020, in the midst of a health crisis, that Airbus announced its shift towards zero-emission aircraft. Its objective: a first operational aircraft in 2035. In this context, the choice of the hydrogen engine was obvious. On the other hand, to have the same power as a conventional airplane, large quantities of liquid hydrogen compressed to − 252 oC are required. We must also produce green hydrogen, by electrolysis of water and in a sustainable manner. From production to flight, an entire sector must be developed, with infrastructure, production sites, transport, storage and airports which will have to be modified.
Photo above: An Airbus A380 will serve as a demonstrator to test the hydrogen engine developed by Airbus and CFM International, joint-venture between General Electric and Safran.
Jeff Knittel, President of Airbus Americas, highlighted that it was “a historic day for our industry and for Airbus which plans to pioneer low-carbon aviation, being the first to put a commercial aircraft into service at hydrogen in 2035.
Thanks to the test campaigns, Airbus will be able to analyze large amounts of data collected by the sensors attached to the device. Gaël Meheust, general manager of CFM International, also specified that GE and Safran had already “accumulated millions of hours of work and experience with hydrogen, particularly in their space activities” and that they did not see “ no insurmountable technological challenge.”
Airbus will supply the liquid hydrogen tanks, define the specifications of the hydrogen propulsion system and supply the aircraft. CFM International will modify the combustion chamber, fuel system and control system of the Passport, an engine designed and assembled in the United States by General Electric.
To carry out this very ambitious project, Airbus has joined forces with airlines (KoreanAir, easyJet, etc.), airports (in Italy, Singapore) and specialized companies such as Air Liquide. These partnerships will be used to build the entire hydrogen chain, from production infrastructures to airport equipment and distribution infrastructures. Costs must therefore be shared, the only way to guarantee the sustainability of this sustainable aviation of the future.
