To the aircraft manufacturer Airbus runs a project whose aim is to examine the traces left by planes powered by hydrogen in the air during flight. Design Blue Andeancarried out through the subsidiary UpNext, tries to find out what gases are produced during movement, whether there is a difference from the current main fuel, keroseneand what impact it has on the environment.
The Blue Condor project, which has been ongoing since the end of 2020, is in its third phase.
The first phase involved finding all technological elements and a flying platform to which a hydrogen installation and a hydrogen combustion engine could be adapted. In addition, it was necessary to organize a pursuit using a special aircraft that transported all the necessary equipment.
The second phase of the project was devoted to ground and flight tests, conducted until November 2022, to ensure the safe and required operation of the hydrogen installation and the hydrogen combustion engine. The main fuel in all of them was hydrogen.
The third and most important phase is data collection. The Blue Condor aircraft will be towed by the Grob Egrett aircraft at an altitude of 33,000 feet (approximately 10,000 meters) and then released. This “chase” aircraft will follow, using sensors to collect and analyze atmospheric data and plumes. There is no preliminary data yet.
According to José Días Vides, the engineer responsible for the project, Blue Condor was the fastest way to understand the formation of traces left by the combustion of hydrogen. “What would be the consequences of this new energy path? Everything will be measured and recorded by instruments to detect what comes out of the aircraft's exhaust system,” he concludes.
Those responsible hope to conduct more measurements over the next year and obtain full data on the size and concentration of ice crystals forming, the ambient air temperature and humidity, and what else escapes from the engine exhaust. , which particles can fly around and create contrails.
Recommended fuel
Hydrogen is seen as one of the main sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. The main by-product of hydrogen combustion is water, but nitrous oxides can also be produced, which requires attention.
Hydrogen is mainly considered an alternative for heavy industrysuch as aviation, navigation, metallurgy and others with high energy demand. They are also seen as a way of storing energy produced by intermittent sources such as solar and wind – the electricity produced in these forms would be used to produce it, thus ensuring supplies in times without sun and wind.
Fuel can be divided into colors depending on its origin. For example, hydrogen from other renewable sources is green; what is produced from natural gas (a fossil fuel) is gray or blue, depending on whether CO2 was captured in the process; the one taken directly from nature is white; those produced using nuclear energy are pink if electricity is used and purple if thermal energy is used.
In aviation, hydrogen could be great in terms of efficiency. “You can extract three times more energy per kilogram than from conventional kerosene or SAF,” reports Vides, referring to the type biofuel (sustainable aviation fuel).
However, if hydrogen brings more energy, it also brings practical challenges. Today, kerosene or SAF is stored in tanks on the wings of airplanes, which is not the case with hydrogen. Therefore, it would be necessary to redesign the aircraft to use it.
“Hydrogen is a very, very attractive alternative energy source. However, from a technological point of view, we need to develop a new way of storing fuel in our aircraft to be able to use it efficiently and transport it from place to place,” he comments. .
Related to this issue, it would also be necessary to increase hydrogen production globally to ensure supplies for aviation and other industries that would regulate the price and create an economically viable exploration ecosystem. So while fuel is an important part of Airbus' sustainability program, it is only one alternative – another well-rated option is SAF.
According to Vides, the manufacturer is already thinking about the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft – three models are being prepared and are scheduled to be launched in 2030-2035. In turn, SAF is already used in commercial aviation, alone or in combination with kerosene, although on a very small scale.
Not Brazil, The regulatory framework for SAF-T has been approved in Congress and sanctioned, v draft law on the “fuel of the future”.and the Low-Emission Hydrogen Development Program is in the Senate after confirmation in the House.
Other projects
In addition to Blue Condor, UpNext is implementing two other projects aimed at developing technology that eliminates Airbus' greenhouse gas emissions. One of them is Ascend, which is exploring the use of superconductivity in electric motors for use in future hydrogen aircraft as a way to extract and transmit more energy.
The second is aimed at increasing wing performance, with technologies being tested to optimize dynamics and suitable for any form of propulsion and aircraft configuration. Due to improved wing performance, CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced.
