Boeing plans to test fly an electrically powered demonstrator aircraft in early 2004 as part of the manufacturer's work on finding environmentally friendly fuel cell technology for future aircraft. The programme will be one of the first involving the manufacturer's new research and technology centre in Madrid, Spain.
The project, which involves NASA, a number of European universities including the Technical University of Munich, fuel cell manufacturers and the automotive industry, will include adapting a single-engined aircraft by replacing its engine with fuel cells and an electric motor turning a conventional propeller.
The ultimate aim of the project is to replace an aircraft's gas turbine auxiliary power unit with fuel cells - a device that produces electricity through an electro-chemical process. Fuel cells are cleaner, quieter, have fewer moving parts and can generate more than twice as much electricity with the same amount of fuel than auxiliary power units.
Initially, Boeing aims to "learn more about fuel cells by powering a small aircraft and, as the technology matures, use fuel cells to power an aircraft electrical system, such as the in-flight entertainment system", says Dave Daggett, associate technical fellow, environmental performance strategy group.
The manufacturer is looking at various fuel options, with the most obvious being liquid hydrogen, says Herbert Lust, Boeing's policy director, environment. Although liquid hydrogen has weight issues, Lust says that fuel cells are becoming lighter as the technology matures. The electrically powered aircraft has practical applications which allows early implementation, says Lust.
Boeing Madrid, due to open in January, will design and integrate the experimental aircraft's control system. Madrid will be home to a number of environment-related advanced technology projects, says Boeing, declining to elaborate. Boeing Madrid is one of a number of research and development centres that the manufacturer is planning to establish. It already has a design centre in Moscow.
Source: Flight International
