Universal Hydrogen And Railway Locomotives
On the product page of the Universal Hydrogen web site, there is a section, which is entitled Other Transportation Applications, where this is said.
Our lightweight, aviation-grade modular hydrogen capsules can be used in a wide range of transportation applications where weight, safety, and speed of refueling are important. We are working with partners in automotive, heavy equipment, maritime, and railroad domains. If you have an application that can benefit from our global modular green hydrogen distribution network, please get in touch!
I believe that the railway locomotive of the future will be hydrogen-electric. And so do some of the UK’s rail freight companies, judging, by some of their press releases.
- It would have an electric transmission. like most locomotives today, such as the UK’s Class 66, Class 68, Class 70, Class 88, Class 93 and the upcoming Class 99 locomotives.
- It will be able to use 25 KVAC overhead electrification, where it exists.
- Hydrogen-power will be used, where there is no electrification.
The lowest-carbon of the locomotives, that I listed, will probably be the Class 99 locomotive.
- Thirty have been ordered by GB Railfreight, from Swiss company; Stadler.
- The locomotives will be built at Valencia in Spain.
- It will have up to 6 MW, when running using electrification.
- It will have up to 1.6 MW, when running using a Cummins diesel, with a rating of 2,150 hp.
- Because a proportion of UK freight routes are electrified, it is likely that these locomotives will substantially reduce carbon emissions for many locomotive-hauled operations.
It should be noted that Cummins are heavily into hydrogen and their philosophy seems to embrace families of engines, which are identical below the cylinder head gasket, but with appropriate cylinder heads and fuel systems, they can run on diesel, natural gas or hydrogen.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the Class 99 locomotive will have a diesel engine, that has a hydrogen-powered sibling under development at Cummins.
With perhaps a power on hydrogen of about 2.5 MW, these zero-carbon locomotives would be able to handle upwards of ninety percent of all heavy freight trains in the UK.
These are further thoughts.
Alternatives To Cummins Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines
There are two main alternatives, in addition to similar engines from companies like Caterpillar, JCB, Rolls-Royce mtu and others.
- Fuel cells
- Gas-turbine engines.
Note.
- Universal Hydrogen and others have fuel cells, that can probably deliver 2.5 MW.
- Universal Hydrogen use Plug Power fuel cells.
- Rolls-Royce have developed a 2.5 MW electrical generator, based on the engine in a Super Hercules, that is about the size of a typical beer-keg. I wrote about this generator in What Does 2.5 MW Look Like?.
Cummins may be in the pole position with Stadler, but there are interesting ideas out there!
Cummins have also indicated, they will build hydrogen internal combustion engines at Darlington in the UK.
Would One Of Universal Hydrogen’s Hydrogen Capsules Fit In A Railway Locomotive?
These are various widths.
- Class 66 locomotive – 2.63 metres.
- ATR72 airliner – 2.57 metres.
- DHC Dash-8 airliner – 2.52 metres
- Class 43 power car – 2.74 metres
I suspect that even if it was a bit smaller a hydrogen capsule could be made for a UK locomotive.
How Big Is The Market?
The UK has around five hundred diesel railway locomotives.
Universal Hydrogen Successfully Completes First Flight Of Hydrogen Regional Airliner
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Central.
These two paragraphs outline the story.
Universal Hydrogen successfully completes first flight of hydrogen regional airliner.
Universal Hydrogen Co., this morning flew a 40-passenger regional airliner using hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. The airplane, nicknamed Lightning McClean, took off at 8:41am PST from Grant County International Airport (KMWH) and flew for 15 minutes, reaching an altitude of 3,500 MSL. The flight, conducted under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate, was the first in a two-year flight test campaign expected to culminate in 2025 with entry into passenger service of ATR 72 regional aircraft converted to run on hydrogen.
Other details from the article include.
- Connect Airlines are the North American launch customer, who have ordered 75 aircraft conversions.
- Amelia are the European launch customer.
- Universal Hydrogen has an order book, totaling 247 aircraft conversions from 16 customers worldwide.
- For the test flight, only one engine was replaced by a hydrogen fuel cell powered electric motor.
- Deliveries will start in 2025.
The article finishes with two paragraphs about Universal Hydrogen.
Universal Hydrogen is building a hydrogen logistics network to fuel the future of aviation, today. Hydrogen is the ideal fuel for flight and will power aviation’s new golden age, where planes are powered by renewables and emit nothing but water. The company’s modular hydrogen capsules move over the existing freight network from production directly to the airplane anywhere in the world.
Universal Hydrogen is also working to certify a powertrain conversion kit to retrofit existing regional aircraft to fly on hydrogen. The company has gathered the world’s leading aviation and hydrogen talent to give the industry the option of clean flight, forever.
The company also has an unusual web site.
I like the company and its design, operating and marketing philosophies.
Swedish Battery-Electric Aircraft Selected By A Major Airline
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on autoevolution.
This is the sub-heading.
You know that saying, “New year, new me”? In the case of this major airline, it’s more like “New decade, new me.” Air New Zealand wants to flaunt a brand-new regional fleet starting 2030. And it looks like that will include an all-electric model developed by the Sweden-based Heart Aerospace.
The article then gives a description of their plan called Mission Next Gen Aircraft to go zero-carbon on their short haul routes.
This paragraph describes the aircraft that will be used.
ATR will bring its upgraded aircraft concept, called the ATR EVO, designed to be 100% compatible with SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). Embraer will showcase the innovations of an entire new family of aircraft named Energia, based on various types of clean propulsion. Universal Hydrogen will retrofit the existing regional airliners with its efficient hydrogen solution. Last but not least, Heart Aerospace will focus on the niche segment of battery-electric aircraft.
It will be fascinating to see how all this works out.
We’re still waiting in the UK for an airline to announce the purchase of a zero-carbon aircraft.
Especially, as we have some routes, like those around Scottish islands, where there are many short routes, that have less than a dozen passengers on a flight.
Universal Hydrogen CEO Sees Jetmakers Backing New Fuel
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Reuters.
It is mainly predictions by Paul Eremenko, who is Chief Executive of Universal Hydrogen, about the future of the single-aisle jet airliner market.
I wrote in detail about their technology in Could Universal Hydrogen’s Concept Create A Hydrogen-Powered Single-Aisle Airliner?.
I firmly believe they have a concept that will work and look forward to flying in a hydrogen-powered aircraft using Universal Hydrogen’s technology before the end of the decade.
Could Universal Hydrogen’s Concept Create A Hydrogen-Powered Single-Aisle Airliner?
Universal Hydrogen are making some of what I would consider the right moves.
Hydrogen Supply
Universal Hydrogen have signed a supply contract with Fortescue Future Industries for the supply of green hydrogen.
The deal is described in this press release on the FFI web site, which is entitled FFI And Universal Hydrogen Join Forces To Decarbonise Aviation.
Collaboration With Airbus
There is an article on BusinessWire, which is entitled Universal Hydrogen Announces New Engineering Development Center Located In Toulouse, France, The Heart of European Aviation.
Toulouse is the home of Airbus.
The Capsule Concept
The capsule concept could be universal.
These are widths of various planes and trains.
- De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 – 2.52 metres – Internal
- Airbus ATR 72 – 2.57 metres- Internal
- Airbus A320neo – 3.7 metres – Internal
- Boeing 737 – 3.53 metres – Internal
- Class 800 train – 2.7 metres – External
- Class 66 locomotive – 2.65 metres – External
I suspect that if the design is correct, then one size of capsule can be made to fit a variety of applications.
Application To Regional Aviation
I discussed this in Flybe Appears To Be On The Way Back.
I believe that De Havilland Canada Dash 8s and Airbus ATR 72s could be converted to hydrogen.
Road Transport
Surely, the capsules would be too big for road transport in the UK and many other countries.
But they would probably be ideal to deliver hydrogen to bus and truck depots and filling stations for hydrogen vehicles. They would just be plugged in and then could start dispensing the fuel.
Decarbonation Of Diesel Locomotives
Consider.
- The cross-section of a diesel locomotive even in the UK, is larger than that of a regional airliner.
- Most of the space in the body of a diesel locomotive is taken up by a large diesel engine.
- Fuel ells or a small gas turbine could be small compared to the diesel engine.
- Most existing diesel locomotives have electric transmissions.
I believe that many diesel-electric locomotives could be converted to hydrogen power and some could use Universal Hydrogen’s capsules.
Zero-Carbon Backup Generators
Many pieces of important infrastructure, like data centres, hospitals and large railway stations have backup generators.
Universal Hydrogen’s capsules could provide hydrogen for zero-carbon backup generators.
Universal Hydrogen’s Ideas For Single-Aisle Airliners
In the Product page on the Universal Hydrogen web site, there is a section, which is entitled Single Aisle / Narrowbody, where this is the first two sentences.
The majority of aviation emissions are produced by the single aisle (also known as narrowbody) fleet, dominated by the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families of aircraft. Both Boeing and Airbus are likely to develop a replacement for these venerable models for entry into service in the mid 2030s.
Alongside the text is this graphic, which compares various airliners.
Universal Hydrogen are proposing that Airbus stretch the A321, so that hydrogen capsules can be fitted in the rear of the fuselage, so that the aircraft has similar proportions to the Boeing 757.
Read the full text on the Product page of the Universal Hydrogen web site.
I can see that if they could prove the concept with the Regional Airliner, they could develop the two concepts shown in the graphic.
Conclusion
This is a simple, but very exciting project.
Flybe Appears To Be On The Way Back
I was alerted to the relaunch of the Flybe airline being a serious proposition by this article on the Birmingham Mail, which is entitled Watch As First Of 32 New Flybe Planes Lands At Birmingham Airport.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The first of Flybe’s more eco-friendly planes has landed in Birmingham ready for the launch of the airline’s new city HQ.
Part of a planned 32-aircraft fleet, the De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprop touched down on the runway at Birmingham Airport on Friday.
The new Flybe will be based at Birmingham Airport and will have a fleet consisting of thirty-two De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft.
The De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400
Note these facts about the aircraft.
- According to Wikipedia, 645 aircraft have been ordered, with 587 having been delivered.
- Different variants can handle between 40 and 80 passengers.
- All aircraft delivered since 1996 are dubbed Q-Series and have active noise and vibration suppression, which is designed to improve the cabin ambience.
- A Dash 8-400 is also called a Q400.
But the most interesting development of the Dash 8 aircraft, is that developments are underway, so that the aircraft will be able to be powered by hydrogen.
Universal Hydrogen And A Hydrogen-Powered Q400
This article on Future Flight is entitled Universal Assembles Hydrogen Aircraft Conversion Team In Washington State.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Universal Hydrogen and its hydrogen fuel cell partner Plug Power are joining forces with electric motor specialists MagniX and AeroTec to set up a Hydrogen Aviation Test and Service Center at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington. The partners will use the new facility to convert a Dash 8 regional airliner to hydrogen propulsion in time to start commercial operations in 2025. Flight testing is due to begin in 2022.
The new hydrogen powertrain will consist of an electric propulsion unit (EPU) developed by MagniX and fuel cells provided by Plug Power, which has extensive experience converting trucks to hydrogen. Seattle-based AeroTec will take the lead on converting the Dash 8s to hydrogen propulsion, conducting flight tests, and arranging for certification under FAA supplemental type certificates. The system installation work will be conducted at the Moses Lake facility.
This paragraph gives details of the design.
The hydrogen-powered Dash 8 aircraft, which carry between 41 and 60 passengers, will be able to operate on routes of up to around 625 miles. Universal Hydrogen’s plan calls for the fuel to be delivered directly to aircraft in capsules that are installed in a compartment at the rear of the fuselage.
These are my thoughts on the design.
Power Required
Wikipedia says this about the engines of the Dash 8-400 (Q400).
The Series 400 uses Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A engines rated at 4,850 shp (3,620 kW).
This means that the aircraft will need fuel cells capable of delivering over 7 MW.
This data sheet on the Plug Power web site, says that the company has fuel cells up to 125 KW, which weigh 350 Kg and need a cooling module, that weighs a further 103 Kg. Scaling up shows the power unit could weigh around 25.4 tonnes.
As the maximum take-off weight of a Q400 is around 30.5 tonnes, this wouldn’t leave much weight for the airframe, the two electric motors and propellers, the hydrogen and the passengers and their luggage.
It would appear that Plug Power must be using some form of lighter-weight fuel cell.
Or could they be using an appropriately-sized gas turbine generator from Pratt & Whitney Canada?
It should be noted that a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A engine, weighs under a tonne and generates over 3.5 MW.
Obviously, they wouldn’t be developing the plane, if they hadn’t figured out how to generate enough electricity to get it off the ground.
The Hydrogen Capsules
The Product page on the Universal Hydrogen web site is revealing.
This paragraph from the Product page describes how they would convert Regional Aircraft to Hydrogen.
Our first product is a conversion kit for existing regional aircraft, starting with the ATR72 and the De Havilland Canada Dash-8, to fly on hydrogen. This consists of a fuel cell electric powertrain that replaces the existing turboprop engines. It also accommodates, in the rear of the fuselage, our proprietary, lightweight, modular hydrogen capsules that are transported from green hydrogen production sites to the airport and loaded directly into the aircraft using the existing intermodal freight network and cargo handling equipment. By providing both an aircraft conversion solution for the existing fleet and a fuel services offering directly to regional airlines, we will be in passenger service with zero emissions by 2025 and in cargo service shortly thereafter.
Note.
- The cutaway on the Product page of a De Havilland Canada Dash-8, which has three capsules in the rear fuselage.
- The cutaway shows forty seats in the aircraft.
- If you scroll the pictures, you’ll see the design of the capsule.
- The product can be used to convert two regional airliners both of which are in production.
- Airports will need no new infrastructure to handle the hydrogen.
Universal Hydrogen has also signed a deal with Fortescue Future Industries to supply green hydrogen to fill the capsules.
Are A First Flight In 2022 And An in-Service Date Of 2025 Over Ambitious?
The article in Future Flight says this.
AeroTec will take the lead on converting the Dash 8s to hydrogen propulsion, conducting flight tests, and arranging for certification under FAA supplemental type certificates.
FAA Supplemental Type Certificates are outlined on this page on the FAA web site, where this introductory paragraph is given.
A supplemental type certificate (STC) is a type certificate (TC) issued when an applicant has received FAA approval to modify an aeronautical product from its original design. The STC, which incorporates by reference the related TC, approves not only the modification but also how that modification affects the original design.
They are a much-used and well-proven method to update aircraft for new purposes and new power units.
I suspect that going this route will enable Q400 and ATR 72 aircraft will be flying on hydrogen by 2025.
How Far Will A Range Of 625 Miles Take The Plane From Birmingham?
I have used the Air Miles Calculator to calculate distances in miles from Birmingham.
- Amsterdam Schiphol – 276
- Barcelona – 791
- Belfast City 225
- Berlin Schönefeld – 644
- Biarritz – 621
- Bilbao – 635
- Bordeaux – 529
- Cologne – 397
- Copenhagen – 624
- Cork – 290
- Dublin – 200
- Dusseldorf – 373
- Edinburgh – 251
- Frankfurt – 452
- Geneva – 556
- Glasgow – 260
- Hamburg – 495
- Inverness – 364
- Jersey – 225
- Kirkwall – 474
- Lerwick – 536
- Lyon – 558
- Munich – 660
- Newcastle – 179
- Newquay – 198
- Nice – 735
- Oslo – 726
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle – 303
- Paris-Orly – 315
- Rotterdam – 265
- Strasbourg – 494
Note.
- It might be possible to serve some routes without refuelling at the other end.
- Some routes could be paired for efficiency and still be well below 600 miles.
- The large intercontinental airports of Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt and Paris-Charles de Gaulle should be reached easily.
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has a well-connected railway station.
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport has a TGV station.
- Frankfurt Airport has a long distance railway station on the Cologne-Frankfurt high speed line.
- If you’re flying to the South of France or Switzerland, it looks like flying from London City Airport is about a hundred miles shorter.
It would appear that the range of 625 miles could be very useful, especially if you use a long distance train at both ends of the flight.
I can certainly understand why Flybe has chosen Birmingham as its main base.
Will Flybe Convert Their Aircraft To Hydrogen?
This is obviously up to the company, but if they don’t, someone else will and Flybe will lose their regional market in the UK.
Conclusion
I think those behind the new Flybe could be looking to create the UK’s first zero-carbon airline.
The Anonymous Widower 