Phoenix project: AeroDelft’s liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft
The team of 50 students from the Dutch universities TU Delft, Willem de Kooning Academie, InHolland Delft, Haagse Hogeschool, VU Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Utrecht University is working on the development of the Phoenix, an aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen.
Hydrogen is one of the major keys to the sustainable future of aviation, which is why a growing number of projects around the world are focused on developing propulsion systems that use hydrogen as a fuel to achieve CO2-free flights.
«We are carrying out our mission by designing, manufacturing, and finally flying both a 1:3 scale prototype and a full-scale hydrogen-powered aircraft. Phoenix is the first liquid hydrogen fuel cell aircraft worldwide in which we completely eliminate emissions by powering our aircraft with the lightest of all elements: hydrogen,» says the AeroDelft team.
Not only does this development aim to achieve success with the Phoenix, but it also seeks to challenge other industries to get involved in the sustainable growth of aviation by focusing on 100% environmentally friendly alternatives.
AeroDelft states that «biofuels and synthetic kerosene, while a possible temporary solution to the aviation industry’s carbon emissions are not sustainable in the long term (…) Batteries alone are not suitable for aviation due to their weight. However, battery and hydrogen technologies are closely related, as both use the same electric motors. Hydrogen in gaseous and liquid form, as well as that contained in carrier fluids, is considered by many to be the long-term solution.»
The Phoenix Full Scale developed by AeroDelft is a two-seat aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 920 kg and a 10-meter wingspan. Given that the energy content of hydrogen is up to three times higher than that of conventional fossil fuels, its use could provide commercial aircraft with a much greater range.
The team is also working to develop certification guidelines for hydrogen propulsion to encourage its implementation on commercial passenger flights.
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