H2Fly successfully tested cryogenic fuel filling procedures for liquid hydrogen flights; plans to replace Jet-A kerosene with new technology.
Here’s an article posted in New Atlas.
According to the article,
- H2Fly has successfully tested the ground-based cryogenic fuel filling procedure for liquid hydrogen aircraft flights.
- Liquid hydrogen is set to enable clean, long-distance air travel, replacing traditional Jet-A kerosene with a zero-carbon alternative.
- The aviation industry faces challenges in transitioning to zero-emission fuels, with liquid hydrogen emerging as a promising solution for intercontinental green aviation.
The energy density of liquid hydrogen is significantly lower than traditional liquid fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel:
- Liquid hydrogen has an energy density of 8.5 MJ/L, while gasoline has an energy density of 34 MJ/L and diesel has 38 MJ/L.
- This means the volumetric energy density of liquid hydrogen is about 4-5 times lower than conventional liquid hydrocarbon fuels at ambient conditions.
- Even when compressed to 700 bar, the volumetric energy density of hydrogen is still 7-8 times lower than liquid fuels.
- The low energy density of hydrogen makes storage and transportation more challenging compared to traditional fuels.
However, hydrogen has a very high gravimetric energy density of 120 MJ/kg on a lower heating value basis, the highest of any fuel. This makes it attractive for applications where weight is a key consideration, like aerospace.
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This means that for the same weight, liquid hydrogen can store 2.5-3 times more energy than conventional aviation fuels. This translates to:
- Increased aircraft range and endurance for the same takeoff weight
- Ability to carry more payload for a given range
- Reduced structural weight requirements since less fuel needs to be carried
The high gravimetric energy density of hydrogen is a key enabler for its use in electric aircraft and long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). By using hydrogen fuel cells or hydrogen-fueled engines, these aircraft can achieve flight times and ranges that would be impossible with batteries alone.
Interestingly, we have some other posts related to this content:
- Liquid Hydrogen for Zero-Emission Aircraft Innovation: by OVERLEAF
- The OVERLEAF project is developing cutting-edge liquid hydrogen storage tanks to enhance the transition to hydrogen-powered aircraft, focusing on zero emissions and sustainable aviation technology.
- Green Hydrogen in Aviation: Possibilities and Plan – Experts predict that by 2050, around a third of aviation could be powered by hydrogen, with liquid hydrogen potentially dominating the short and medium-haul aircraft market.
