Successful Hydrogen Test with Regional Turboprop Engine Shows Promise

Rolls-Royce and EasyJet have finished the first battery of ground tests using an early demonstrator for a hydrogen propulsion system for narrowbody airliners.

The design is based on a modified Rolls-Royce AE 2100 A turboprop burning "green" hydrogen created from local wind and tidal power. The testing at the United Kingdom's Boscombe Down defense research facility has paved the way for full-scale ground tests in a similar vein using the company's Pearl 15 turbofan engine. Should the tests bear fruit, the engine might one day be suited to Bombardier’s Global 5500 and 6500 business jets. Once the kinks are ironed out, Rolls-Royce intends to scale up the tech to work with large turbofans suited to larger, more popular aircraft like the Airbus A320. 

The AE 2100 tester used in the recent ground tests is the same one used on the 50-seat Saab 2000 regional turboprop, in addition to the Lockheed P-3 Orion and C-130. Next up on the docket will be an additional battery of tests using a full-scale powertrain, after which Rolls-Royce will begin the process of readying a full size aircraft for hydrogen-powered flight tests. 

“The success of this hydrogen test is an exciting milestone,” said Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini. “We only announced our partnership in July and we are already off to an incredible start with this landmark achievement. We are pushing the boundaries to discover the zero carbon possibilities of hydrogen, which could help reshape the future of flight.”

Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said: “This is a real success for our partnership team. We are committed to continuing to support this ground-breaking research because hydrogen offers great possibilities for a range of aircraft, including easyJet-sized aircraft. That will be a huge step forward in meeting the challenge of net zero by 2050.”

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com