Forum 360: Hydrogen: Fuel of the Future 13 June 2023 1530 - 1700

The industry commitment to net zero 2050 comes with many challenges, not least of which is finding fuels that provide energy density comparable to current aviation fuels. Hydrogen has many of the characteristics required but comes with another set of challenges and benefits. Leading industry advocates will address the challenges and their vision of hydrogen as a fuel for the next generation of aviation.

Introductory Presentation

• Technological Innovations Driving a Hydrogen-Electric Aviation Future
  Driven by global growth in demand for high-speed mobility, as well as a need to ensure profitability and sustainability of aviation into the future, a strategic transition towards alternative propulsion and energy sources is necessary. The use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) as an energy carrier serves as a promising avenue to zero-emissions commercial air travel of the future. However, for fully hydrogen-electric concepts to be feasible, significant progress in cryogenic and superconducting systems and distributed electric propulsion technologies must be developed. The Center for Cryogenic High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft (CHEETA), established under the NASA University Leadership Initiative program, was developed to address these technological gaps. This presentation will provide an overview of the research activities supported through CHEETA, including several challenges, opportunities, and impact areas associated with next-generation cryogenic electrified aircraft propulsion technologies.
  
  Phillip J. Ansell
  Assistant Professor and Allen Ormsbee Faculty Fellow, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign