GKN Aerospace is to develop a 2MW-class cryogenic hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system under a new £44 million ($57 million) project – the latest in a series of hydrogen-focused research and technology programmes led by the company.
Called H2FlyGHT, the project is part funded by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute and sees GKN Aerospace leading a consortium that includes Parker Meggitt and the universities of Manchester and Nottingham.
Designed to “streamline the path to flight testing and certification”, GKN says the project “will demonstrate an integrated propulsion system at the 2MW scale” and will include fuel cell power generation, cryogenic power distribution, and advanced cryogenic drive systems. No details of the project’s duration or planned outcome have been disclosed, however.
As part of its ongoing 1MW-class H2GEAR powertrain demonstrator – due to culminate in ground tests of the system in 2026 – GKN intends to use a cryogenic electrical distribution system and motors to boost overall efficiency.
For H2FlyGHT, Parker Meggitt will collaborate on thermal management and balance of plant for the fuel cell system, the University of Manchester will focus on hyper-conducting motor coil design, and the University of Nottingham will support full motor design and scale-up and development of cryogenic inverter technology.
GKN is already working with Parker Meggitt and the University of Manchester on another ATI-backed initiative, HyFIVE, to develop liquid hydrogen fuel system technologies. Led by Marshall, the HyFIVE consortium also includes the universities of Bath and Cardiff.
“The H2FlyGHT project marks a pivotal step in our quest to enable aviation’s route to net-zero. Building on H2GEAR’s innovations, we are scaling up to 2MW propulsion system demonstration to maximise the payload and range potential of zero-emission flight,” says GKN Aerospace chief technology officer Russ Dunn.
In total, the three hydrogen projects represent a combined investment of more than £200 million.
