|
First in-flight 100% sustainable-fuels emissions study of
passenger jet shows early promise
@Airbus @DLR_en @RollsRoyce @NesteGlobal @NRC_CNRC
@UoMOfficial #SAF #SustainableAviation
Toulouse, 29
November 2021 – Initial findings from a world-first study of the
impact of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on both engines of a
commercial jet have provided promising early results.
The ECLIF3 study, involving Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research
centre DLR and SAF producer Neste, marks the first time 100% SAF has
been measured simultaneously on both engines of a commercial
passenger aircraft – an Airbus A350 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce
Trent XWB engines.
In-flight
emissions tests and associated ground testing on the ECLIF3 programme
began earlier this year and have recently resumed. The
interdisciplinary team, which also includes researchers from the
National Research Council of Canada and The University of Manchester,
plans to publish its results in academic journals towards the end of
next year and 2023.
Findings from the study will support efforts currently underway at
Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the
large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise
the industry. Aircraft are currently only allowed to operate on a 50%
blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel, but both companies support
the drive to certify 100% SAF use.
In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea
pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions
of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids
(HEFA) sustainable fuel. The team also carried out compliance tests
using 100% SAF and no operational issues were experienced.
In-flight emission tests using 100% SAF and a HEFA/Jet A-1 fuel blend
resumed this month, while ground-based emissions testing to quantify
the benefits of SAF on local air quality were also performed. The
research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional
kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to
the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air
quality around airports.
In addition, SAF has lower density but
higher energy content per kilogram of fuel compared to conventional
kerosene, which brings some aircraft fuel-efficiency advantages due
to lower fuel burn and less fuel mass to board to achieve the same
mission. Detailed analysis by the team is on-going.
“Engines and fuel systems can be
tested on the ground but the only way to gather the full set of
emissions data necessary for this programme to be successful is to
fly an aircraft in real conditions,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy
Programme Manager at Airbus. “In-flight testing of the A350 offers
the advantage of characterising direct and indirect engine
emissions, including particulates from behind an aircraft at
high altitude.”
Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce Director of Product Development and
Technology, Civil Aerospace, said: “This research adds to tests
we’ve already carried out on our engines, both on the ground and in
the air, which have found no engineering obstacle to our engines
running on 100% SAF. If we are to truly decarbonise long-haul air
travel, then 100% SAF is a critical element and we are committed to
supporting its certification for service.”
The DLR Falcon chaser aircraft is equipped with multiple probes to
measure emissions at cruise level down to a distance of only 100
metres from the A350 and feed them into scientific instrumentation
for analysis.
“SAF has been shown to have a significantly lower carbon
footprint over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel and
now we are seeing it is advantageous in reducing non-CO2
effects too,” said Markus Fischer, DLR’s Divisional Board Member for
Aeronautics. “Tests such as these are continuing to develop our
understanding of 100% SAF, its use in flight and we are seeing
positive signs for its potential in climate mitigation. We look forward
to studying the data from the second series of ECLIF3 flights, which
restarted with a first chase flight above the Mediterranean earlier
this month."
In 2015, DLR performed the ECLIF1
campaign, investigating alternative fuels with its Falcon and A320 ATRA
research aircraft. These investigations continued in 2018 with the
ECLIF2 campaign which saw the A320 ATRA flying with a mixture of
standard jet fuel and up to 50% HEFA. This research showed the
advantageous emission performance of fuel mixtures up to 50% SAF and
paved the way for the 100% SAF test flights for ECLIF3.
Notes for editors:
In-flight B-roll footage of the DLR
Falcon aircraft taking measurements from behind the 100% SAF-powered
A350 aircraft, as well as short interviews, is available to broadcast/online
media.
An example clip on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWK9_CV2VLs
Spokespeople from the various partners are available for media
interviews.
|
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar
Merk: Bare medlemmer av denne bloggen kan legge inn en kommentar.