Aerospace America logo, click or touch this logo to return to the homepage Aerospace America - click or touch the Aerospace America logo to return to the homepage.
Search Access the Aerospace America search by clicking or touching here Menu Access the Aerospace America menu by clicking or touching here
⟵ Back to the 2022 Year in Review Landing Page
Propulsion and Energy

New integration and alternative fuel initiatives create greater efficiency, reduce emissions

By Jonathan S. Litt|December 2022

The Inlets, Nozzles and Propulsion Systems Integration Technical Committee focuses on the application of mechanical design, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics to the science and technology of air vehicle propulsion and power systems integration.

The quest for hybrid-electric aircraft continued this year, marked by a few notable initiatives.

In July, Pratt and Whitney and Collins Aerospace announced the inception of the Scalable Turboelectric Powertrain Technology demonstrator program, a testbed for hybrid-electric propulsion concepts for advanced air mobility vehicles, drones and single-aisle commercial aircraft. The companies will develop high-voltage, distributed hybrid-turboelectric propulsion concepts in the 100- to 500-kilowatt class, with the ability to scale to 1 megawatt and above. The demonstrator, comprising a high-efficiency turbogenerator, energy storage, power electronics and modular electrically driven propulsors, enables rapid prototyping and demonstrations of configurations. Having completed proof of concept studies earlier this year, ground testing is planned for late 2022.

Daher announced in May that its hybrid-electric EcoPulse technology demonstrator, developed with Airbus and Safran, will make its first flight by the end of the year. At that point, the demonstrator had been powered up and completed a thermal runaway test. The TBM 900-series-based airframe is powered by a distributed hybrid propulsion system consisting of six wing-mounted 50 kW electric motors and a Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine. Safran will oversee the integration of the distributed hybrid propulsion system. Airbus is responsible for the aerodynamic and acoustic integration of the distributed propulsion system and development of a high-energy-density 350 kg, 350-kW main battery system. Daher will oversee flight and airworthiness testing and overall test results analysis.

In April, Stuttgart-based fuel cell developer H2FLY flew its hydrogen-electric HY4 test passenger aircraft at an altitude of 7,230 feet, which the company believes to be a world record. The flight occurred the day after H2FLY completed a 124-kilometer cross-country flight between two major airports, another first. In July, the company announced that the HY4, which currently uses gaseous compressed hydrogen-powered fuel cells, will be modified to run on liquid hydrogen, which will double its range capability. Ground testing is scheduled to begin in early 2023 with the new fuel tank. 

In February, Airbus introduced its ZEROe demonstrator. The company plans to convert its first A380 ever produced, the MSN1 test aircraft, into a flight laboratory platform to demonstrate and mature hydrogen technologies that will be integrated into hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft that are expected to begin service around 2035. The demonstrator will house four liquid hydrogen storage tanks and a liquid hydrogen distribution system, as well as a hydrogen-combustion engine. This will be a modified GE Passport turbofan mounted on the rear fuselage, developed in collaboration with CFM International, a joint venture between GE and Safran. CFM will adapt the combustor, fuel system and control system of the turbofan to run on hydrogen. The engine was selected due to its physical size, advanced turbomachinery and fuel flow capability.

In August, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio powered heat pumps with acoustic energy that traveled over a 10-meter-long, twisting acoustic wave-guide tube, refrigerating 100 watts of heat using an input of only 35 watts. This was an early demonstration of a novel thermal energy conversion method to refrigerate an electric powertrain without the use of pumped fluids, while synergistically managing and recycling the low-grade waste heat from electrical components and the high-grade waste heat from engine components. The system will utilize acoustic mechanical energy distribution to elevate waste heat to a higher temperature while simultaneously cooling sensitive electrical components. It will then redistribute and reuse the higher temperature heat throughout the aircraft via solid-state multibranched heat pipes, which can improve the overall fuel efficiency of the aircraft.  

Contributors: Dyna Benchergui and Rodger W. Dyson

2022 Year in Review

Aerospace Design and Structures

Conceptual image of a futuristic airplane with multiple rotors flying above the clouds during sunset.

Structures small to large take shape

A sleek jet aircraft takes off with its landing gear extended against an orange sky backdrop.

New designs and technologies shaping the future of aviation and space exploration

Boeing’s new KC-46 Fuel Tanker

Lessening blast effects in closed spaces

Aerospace Outreach

A total solar eclipse with a prominent corona visible around the dark silhouette of the moon against a black sky.

Space geeks and others bask in solar eclipse

Three astronauts inside a spacecraft greet another astronaut entering through a hatch, capturing a moment of camaraderie in space. Equipment and an American flag are visible in the background.

Astronauts again launch from U.S. soil

A space station with solar panels orbits above Earth's atmosphere, with the vast blue planet and clouds visible in the background.

Celebrating 50 years since the launch of Skylab and other anniversaries

Aerospace Sciences

A rocket with flames and smoke trailing from its engines ascends vertically against a clear blue sky.

The challenge of access to space

Interior view of a large industrial wind tunnel with intricate machinery, acoustic tiles, and a model aircraft being tested in the center.

Addressing future noise requirements in civil aviation

Black and white image of Earth viewed from space, showing major cloud formations and landmasses, with a shadowed area covering a portion of the Pacific Ocean.

Moon shadows and lunar far side samples headline the year

Aircraft Technology, Integration and Operations

Travelers use self-service kiosks near a Delta baggage drop area at an airport, with signs advertising services and airlines visible above.

Aircraft operations begin to recover from covid

A NASA super-pressure balloon

Expanding reach, capabilities of balloon systems

A stealth bomber aircraft is captured in mid-flight from below, showcasing its triangular shape and underside landing gear against a clear blue sky.

First flights and diverse applications headline 2023 activity

Engineering and Technology Management

Atmospheric picture of space

A century ago, aviation became an industry

Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo

Accelerating change on systems engineering tenets

Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine for ULA’s Vulcan

Profits dip in aerospace, defense sectors

Information Systems

A person in a helmet and gloves operates a touchscreen device with a stylus, surrounded by various electronic equipment inside a cockpit.

Human-machine teaming involved in current and future challenges on Earth and on Mars

Two rockets are vertically landing on designated platforms amidst clouds of smoke, with clear skies in the background.

Industry disruption, transformation continue into fourth year

A row of large computer servers in a data center, branded with

Computing advances allow planetary missions to leap forward

Integration

Close-up of a mechanical device showing labeled components: a nozzle, a plate with cooling holes, and a cooling air plenum, against a textured background.

Marching toward the 2030 vision of CFD

Top view of a spacecraft capsule creating a wake through a gray fluid, depicting fluid dynamics and flow patterns around the vessel.

Progress toward the 2030 vision of CFD

A lunar lander is positioned on the moon's surface under a dark sky. The ISRO logo is visible in the upper right corner.

U.S. and Indian lunar missions headline the year’s events

Program Committees

solar-powered Aquila high-altitude unmanned aircraft

Unmanned integration efforts gain speed

Tests at the Lockheed Martin Low Speed Wind Tunnel in Ohio

Going green moves to higher gear

A large cylindrical object is positioned in the center of an industrial facility with yellow overhead cranes and metallic structures.

Space Launch System keeps pace

Propulsion and Energy

A metal device emits a red-orange flame or light on the left. A circular, textured pattern is visible on the right side.

Rotating detonation designs make progress on multiple continents

Illustration of a spacecraft with multiple cylindrical modules and thrusters, featuring NASA logos on several sections.

Advances seen in nuclear propulsion for human missions to Mars

Robotic metallic device with a sharp, pointed front and windows, mounted inside an industrial facility.

Simulation and ground testing mark progress

Space and Missiles

A cylindrical space module with a conical engine nozzle floats against a black background.

Number of small satellite launches continues to grow, with no end in sight

RS-25 engine

Reusable vehicles come to forefront

Two scientists in lab coats examining plants in a vertical indoor farm with pink led lights.

Next steps in sustaining human presence in space

PreviousNext

New integration and alternative fuel initiatives create greater efficiency, reduce emissions