Rolls-Royce just kicked off some groundbreaking tests on hydrogen research, teaming up with easyJet. They’re aiming to be leaders in developing hydrogen-powered engines for planes, especially those in the narrowbody market, starting from the mid-2030s.
At their facility in Solihull, UK, Rolls-Royce is now testing cryogenic liquid hydrogen pump systems. The goal is to solve a tricky engineering problem – taking super cold liquid hydrogen at really low pressure, below -250°C, and then pressuring it up so it can be pumped into an engine to burn.
Image: Rolls Royce
Last September, Rolls-Royce made a world-first move by testing a full annular combustor of a Pearl 700 engine at DLR in Cologne, running 100% on hydrogen for maximum take-off thrust. Now, the tests in Solihull mark the beginning of figuring out how to deliver the hydrogen fuel. Initial tests are looking at chilling the pump and understanding how it behaves in really cold conditions. More tests are planned for early next year.
Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology, and Safety at Rolls-Royce, says they’re making good progress on their hydrogen journey with easyJet. He sees hydrogen as a promising part of aviation’s energy transition.
Jane Ashton, Director of Sustainability at easyJet, agrees, saying hydrogen will be crucial for short-haul aviation to cut carbon. She looks forward to working with Rolls-Royce to develop these new technologies that could be a game-changer for the aviation industry.
Last year, easyJet and Rolls-Royce set another world first by running a modern aero engine, an AE2100, on 100% green hydrogen in Boscombe Down, UK.
This ongoing test program has support from the UK Government’s Aerospace Technology Institute, and easyJet is funding the broader hydrogen test program. The ultimate goal for Rolls-Royce and easyJet is a full gas hydrogen ground test on a Pearl engine, followed by a full ground test on a Pearl engine using liquid hydrogen. The big dream? Taking this technology from the test ground to actual flight.