Pratt & Whitney is to test a turboprop engine fueled by hydrogen combustion as part of a Canadian Government-funded research program.
Pratt & Whitney will use its PW127XT regional turboprop engine for the first phase of the Hydrogen Advanced Design Engine Study (HyADES) project. The phase will include hydrogen fuel testing of fuel nozzles and combustor rigs, while future phases will target full engine ground testing.
The PW127XT, which launched in 2021 is the newest member of the company’s PW100 engine series. According to Pratt & Whitney, the PW127XT engine offers over 3% better fuel efficiency, 40% improved time on wing, and 20% reduced maintenance costs.
Edward Hoskin, vice president of engineering at Pratt & Whitney Canada said, “This collaborative project with INSAT enables us to develop key technologies for future hydrogen powered aircraft and complements our wider efforts to advance aviation sustainability through a range of pathways, including continued improvements to engine efficiency, hybrid-electric propulsion and compatibility with sustainable aviation fuel.
“While regional aviation represents one of the most promising use cases for hydrogen, the project will also demonstrate the versatility of adapting the PW127XT turboprop engine to operate with low carbon alternative fuels and continues our legacy of technology leadership in this segment.”
Pratt & Whitney is working with Canadian firm Next Hydrogen Solutions on HyADES. The fuel cell company is to provide the high-efficiency electrolyzers needed for hydrogen production infrastructure.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with INSAT and Pratt & Whitney Canada on this project,” said Raveel Afzaal, president and CEO of Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. “The ability to produce green hydrogen at scale will be a critical enabler for reducing aviation CO2 emissions, whether using hydrogen as a direct fuel for combustion or as feedstock for SAF.”
HyADES is part of the Canadian Government’s Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT).
As part of a second INSAT-supported project, Turbine Engine Advanced Materials for Efficiency (TEAME), Pratt & Whitney will work with Derivation Research Laboratory (DRL) to explore advanced materials for hot section components of gas turbine engines, which will help to improve thermal efficiency and reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Pratt & Whitney will lead the overall project providing both technical input and project management, while DRL will provide the materials testing capability for a wide variety of critical material properties.ENDS
