Inspenet, August 12, 2023.
The ZeroAvia company is the creator of an innovative fuel cell system that is already being used on some flights.
ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-powered electric propulsion system could mark a milestone in commercial airline operations. It is worth remembering that in the summer of 2021, ZeroAvia conducted the first ground tests of its patent-pending 600KW hydrogen electric powertrain.
To carry out these tests, the company used a mobile test platform at its facilities located in California, United States. Since ZeroAvia operates in both the United States and the United Kingdom, simultaneous projects were carried out using two aircraft. The model chosen for both situations was the Dornier 228 .
The ZA600 system and ZeroAvia’s plans
The ZA600 system has been designed for routes of up to 500 km in aircraft with a capacity of 9 to 19 passengers . Since the start of its project, ZeroAvia has maintained a clear vision that existing passenger aircraft could be upgraded with its hydrogen electric propulsion systems, with the aim of promoting emission -free commercial flight. This system has been designed for regional routes in aircraft with a capacity of 9 to 19 seats, offering a range of close to 500 km.
In addition, ZeroAvia is also developing the ZA2000 system, a power configuration greater than 2 MW, specially designed for aircraft with a capacity of 40 to 80 seats and a range of more than 1,100 km.
Over the past few years, the company has conducted multiple flight tests after obtaining experimental certification for three prototypes in both the UK and the US.
Throughout this year, the company is carrying out an extensive series of test flights using a Dornier 228 equipped with the ZA600 system . In the course of 2023, ten of these flights have been carried out at Cotswold airport in the United Kingdom. The Dornier recently managed to set a new record in terms of altitude and flight duration , reaching an altitude of 1,524 meters and staying airborne for approximately 20 minutes.
Within four years, aircraft with a capacity for 40 to 80 passengers will be able to achieve a range of more than 1,100 km using the ZA2000 system.
This latest ascent marks the tenth flight of this phase of the project. In addition to breaking its own widely recognized records, the ZA600 system was also subjected to extreme temperature swings, experiencing variances from 30 degrees Celsius to freezing temperatures. In terms of speed, the Dornier 228 flew at the maximum speed allowed by its experimental flight clearance.
According to ZeroAvia’s plans, the first regional commercial aircraft with this technology are expected to become operational in two years, while larger aircraft equipped with the ZA2000 system could be operational by 2027 .
It is important to note that these technologies make it possible to retrofit previously built aircraft to run on hydrogen, avoiding the need to create aircraft from scratch. This reason has prompted operators from various regions of the world to place pre-orders. In fact, the company claims to have almost 2,000 pre-bookings.
Source and photo: https://www.lavanguardia.com/motor/actualidad/20230807/9142803/avion-hidrogeno-vuela-cero-emisiones-zeroavia-tsc.html#foto-3
Loading...
