Friday, March 29, 2024

AeroDelft’s Phoenix two-seater aims to be the world’s first liquid-hydrogen aircraft

Environmental requirements for aviation are becoming more stringent every year, and aircraft designers have to look for new technical solutions that would reduce the impact of aircraft on global climate change. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric aircrafts are considered almost environmental-friendly because they emit only water (H2O) and warm air.

A team of 44 students from the Delft University of Technology, calling themselves the AeroDelft team, has presented a one-third scale prototype of its Phoenix two-seater, which aims to be the world’s first liquid hydrogen plane. The prototype, called Phoenix PT, is powered by a 1500W fuel cell coupled with a battery pack for take-off power and safety.

AeroDelft's Phoenix two-seater aims to be world's first liquid-hydrogen aircraft.
The full-scale Phoenix FS will hold up to 10 kg of liquid hydrogen. Credit: AeroDelft

The aircraft has got a 5.7-m (around 19-ft) wingspan and weighs only 50 kg (110 lb). Powered by an electric motor on its tail, Phoenix is able to fly for 7 hours with just 1kg of liquid hydrogen, covering a distance of more than 500 km (310 miles). Hydrogen is kept in a cryogenic tank at -253°C and warmed to 0°C using a complex tubing system. Phoenix is also designed to have an unusually low noise profile.

With a wingspan of 18m, the full-scale Phoenix FS will hold up to 10 kg of liquid hydrogen for an expected range of 2000 km (1243 miles) and flight time of up to 10 hours.

AeroDelft's Phoenix two-seater aims to be world's first liquid-hydrogen aircraft.
A prototype of a full-scale, two-passenger aircraft that will make its first flight in 2022. Credit: AeroDelft

In 2022, the first flight of the two-passenger model will be powered by gaseous hydrogen, and the first full-scale liquid hydrogen flight is planned for 2024.

The company expects the first hydrogen-powered flight around the world to happen by 2025 and the first commercial, hydrogen-powered aircraft to begin operations by 2035.

The team is working internationally to develop certification guidelines for hydrogen propulsion. They believe that their work can be used to have the first hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft, such as the Greenliner, flying by 2030, potentially by a spin-off start-up. Greenliner is a liquid hydrogen airliner capable of flying 19 passengers plus pilots up to 925 km (570 miles).