ETH Zurich paves way for hydrogen-powered aircraft

Injection nozzles for hydrogen engines are tested in this chamber at ETH Zurich. The researchers can replicate real conditions at cruising altitude. (Image: Nicolas Noiray / ETH Zurich)

ETH Zurich’s team of researchers has announcement significant advancements towards developing hydrogen-powered aircraft.

The researchers reported crucial insights from observing the acoustic behaviour of hydrogen-fuelled flights in live conditions.

“Hydrogen burns much faster than kerosene, resulting in more compact flames,” said Nicolas Noiray, Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zurich. “This has to be taken into account when designing hydrogen engines.”

Researchers identified that one of the key challenges in developing hydrogen engines is controlling vibrations. In traditional kerosene engines, the combustion process can generate sound waves that can interact with the flames, leading to vibrations that could damage the engine.

To mitigate this, engineers must optimise the shape of the flames and the combustion chamber’s geometry.

“Our facility allows us to replicate the temperature and pressure conditions of an engine at cruising altitude,” says Noiray. “We can also recreate the acoustics of various combustion chambers, enabling a wide range of measurements.”

By studying the acoustic behaviour of hydrogen flames, the ETH researchers are helping engineers at GE Aerospace optimise the injection nozzles and pave the way for a high-performance hydrogen engine.

While the technical challenges of developing hydrogen-powered aircraft are significant, Noiray believes that the biggest hurdle lies in the infrastructure. “Humanity has flown to the moon; engineers will undoubtedly be able to develop hydrogen planes,” he says. “But planes alone aren’t enough.”

Producing enough climate-neutral hydrogen and transporting it to airports will require significant investment and a concerted effort from governments and industry. As the aviation industry seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, research like that being conducted at ETH Zurich is crucial to making hydrogen-powered flight a reality.