Kiwi company playing key role in hydrogen-powered aircraft

Zero-emission flights using liquid hydrogen could soon be a reality and one New Zealand business is helping pave the way. 

Christchurch-based zero emissions technology firm Fabrum and British engineering consultancy Filton Systems Engineering (FSE) have joined forces with global aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace on the initiative. 

The collaboration leverages FSE’s aerospace capability in fuel systems and designing fuel, air, hydraulic, inerting and engine systems, and Fabrum’s cryogenic and fuel tank storage technology and expertise in hydrogen fuel systems. 

FSE has upgraded its hot and cold fuel test facility to offer both gaseous and liquid hydrogen in a world-first commercial test environment in Bristol, which has become a focal point globally for hydrogen flight activity. 

The facilities enable aerospace companies to produce and test liquid hydrogen as a fuel for hydrogen flights, with FSE providing further support towards certification for flight status.

Fabrum developed the liquid hydrogen production solution for the test facility, including hydrogen conditioning, liquefaction and liquid hydrogen storage. Further upgrades are planned, including combining Fabrum’s cryogenic technologies to remove dependence on gaseous hydrogen supply. 

At the FSE test facility, a ground-based demonstrator of a 2.4kW liquid hydrogen system has been jointly designed with GKN Aerospace, and built by FSE, under the Innovate UK-funded Safe Flight project. The system demonstrates the feasibility of liquid hydrogen as an aircraft fuel source and aims to address many of the safety concerns raised by the introduction of such a novel fuel. 

The project has developed storage and dispensing technologies, optimised purging systems, and integrated fuel tank design with distribution on aircraft (including vaporisation and conditioning) through to supplying a fuel cell with gaseous hydrogen at the required temperature and pressure over a range of electrical loads representative of a typical flight. 

Fabrum chief executive Dr Ojas Mahapatra says the project is helping shift the future of aviation.

“The successful adoption of zero-emission fuels requires both ground-based infrastructure development for liquid hydrogen provisioning at airports and aircraft that will use it. 

“Point-of-use liquid hydrogen production is the most economical short to medium-term solution to enable zero emission flight. We’ve already proven our ground hydrogen fuel solutions for small and medium-scale hydrogen production. Now, with FSE, we’re taking these refuelling solutions to the aviation industry – right through to the onboard fuel cell,” Mahapatra says. 

FSE commercial director Ben Richardson says its world-first solutions are a reality and the company is ready to support the aviation industry as it innovates towards a hydrogen future. 

“We’ve combined our world-leading aerospace expertise in fuel system and equipment design and certification with Fabrum’s unique and complementary expertise to achieve significant liquid hydrogen milestones. 

“We looked globally for the best people to help us shift aviation towards a hydrogen future, and Fabrum is an ideal partner as they’re the best at what they do in the world. Together, we’ve already delivered break-through test facilities with ready access to hydrogen on-site and on-demand. 

“We see this as a vital asset to the aerospace, and other industrial sectors, if hydrogen is going to be developed as an alternate fuel source. There is now a facility in the UK where product development can be performed safely with a continuous supply of liquid hydrogen,” Richardson says. 

Fabrum also recently partnered with New Zealand transport company H.W. Richardson (HWR) in an effort to help decarbonise its heavy truck fleet with hydrogen technology.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand is also researching the future local use of hydrogen-powered aircraft and last year announced a partnership with aerospace manufacturer Airbus to look at the feasibility of the technology here.