Supporting zero-emission aviation research

At a glance

The first aircraft took to the skies just over 100 years ago. Now, over 23,000 aircraft carry more than 4 billion passengers around the world every year. But bringing the world closer together has come at significant environmental cost.

We have partnered with AeroDelft – a TU Delft based student team – with the mission to prove that emission-free aviation is possible and to promote liquid hydrogen as an alternative to conventional aviation fuel (kerosine). AeroDelft is currently working on Project Phoenix, the world’s first manned liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft.

Carbon impact

A number of solutions to the sustainable aviation problem have been advocated in the past. Broadly speaking, these solutions fit into three categories: kerosene equivalents, batteries and hydrogen. Biofuels and synthetic kerosene, although a potential temporary solution to the aviation industry’s carbon emissions, are not sustainable in the long-term because of the impact on air quality.

Batteries are not suited for aviation due to their weight. Hydrogen however in gaseous and liquid state as well as contained in carrier fluids is seen by many to be the long-term solution. A single wind turbine would be able to provide the power needed to fly a commercial aircraft. Fuel cell technology has the potential to change not only aviation but transportation in general, leading to a sustainable, future hydrogen economy.

The systems used in both aircraft consist of hydrogen tanks, a hydrogen fuel cell, batteries, and an electric motor. The liquid hydrogen tank stores the hydrogen at negative 253ºC, increasing the amount of energy that can be stored per litre in comparison to gaseous hydrogen. Another benefit of this system is that the pressure of the tank is over one hundred times lower than with hydrogen as a gas, allowing the tank to be lighter. The liquid hydrogen is then heated to room temperature where it enters the fuel cell. From here it reacts with the oxygen from the air to form water and electricity. This electricity powers our electric motor, allowing for completely carbon free flight.

Co-benefits

AeroDelft started in late 2018 by two students and has since grown to be a large-scale project with over 40 volunteer students currently involved. The unmanned prototype has a three-phase development process, a battery flight test, gaseous hydrogen flight test, and finally its maiden liquid hydrogen flight. The aircraft is currently fully built and underwent its maiden battery flight in June of 2022. Hydrogen flight testing is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The full-scale manned aircraft is being developed in parallel in a similar way to the prototype. First it will undergo a gaseous hydrogen flight test, followed by a liquid hydrogen flight test. The aircraft was unveiled in a fully built state in July of 2022, where it was publicly taxied for the first time. The subsequent gaseous and liquid hydrogen flight tests are expected to be complete by 2025.

Aside from technical milestones, the operations side of AeroDelft has been increasing the reach of the project through a series of means. As a non-profit without a commercial project AeroDelft seeks to change the industry through expanding its reach and promoting the use of liquid hydrogen in aviation. 2022 posed the biggest year for AeroDelft in this respect, attending and exhibiting at some of the largest aviation and hydrogen events throughout Europe.

Aerodelft

This project is run by Aerodelft, a non-profit foundation that was established in 2017. Aerodelft’s is a student-run team with the mission to prove and promote liquid hydrogen as an alternative to conventional aviation fuel, to inspire the aviation industry to make the change on a scale that will result in worldwide sustainable aviation.