The aviation industry is under intense environmental scrutiny, both for what it emits into the atmosphere while aircraft are in flight but also for emissions associated with airports. The world aircraft fleet is expected to double in size by 2020, and pressure on the industry to clean up its act has never been greater.
Aerospace
Although the amount the aviation industry contributes to man made CO2 has been relatively small (<5%), the size of the worldwide fleet is set to double by 2020. In Europe, the amount of CO2 emissions generated by aviation is set to increase by about 70% by 2050. Whereas passenger airliners will continue to use engine technologies for primary power, there is much that could be done in other areas to increase efficiency and improve the environmental performance of the aviation industry.
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Defence
The military has diverse power needs, from the portable electronics required by the modern soldier to the provision of prime and auxiliary power in a range of vehicle environments.
PEM fuel cells are under consideration for a wide range of military applications, including battery replacement for the dismounted soldier, portable battery chargers, tactical quiet generators, APUs in armoured vehicles, UAV power trains and air independent propulsion systems in submarines (already is service with the German and Italian navies).
Increased efficiency and reduced emissions are important in defence applications, but some other fuel cell characteristics also add to their appeal - fewer moving parts and low operating temperatures result in quieter power and reduced infra-red signatures. PEM fuel cells offer the potential to greatly increase stealth.
Intelligent Energy has a range of solutions for the aerospace and defence market, from fuel desulphurisation and distributed hydrogen generation to fuel cell power systems to provide portable, distributed, on-board and motive power.
Supply side
Our fuel processing technologies include distributed fuel desulphurisation to achieve lower emissions and longer life with conventional engine technology and also reduce the sulphur content in fuels to facilitate conversion into hydrogen for fuel cell power generation. Our distributed, fuel flexible hydrogen generators are designed for portable, stationary and on-board fuel supply in the 10W to 50kW range, and provide for low cost access to clean and fuel flexible fuel cell power systems.
Demand side
Our fuel cell systems, in modules from 10W up to 100kW, set new global standards in power density, operational performance and temperature range. They are ideally suited to aerospace applications, from UAVs – where low IR signature, low noise and clean power are desired – to prime mover systems for manned light aircraft and on-board APUs.
Our fuel cell power systems could also power the next generation of zero emission ground support vehicles which will help to enable cleaner airport environments.
Our power systems are ideal for defence and security applications and other portable or motive applications where stealth and different operational capabilities are important. They are also adaptable for portable, land based, power systems which are fuel flexible and reduced carbon footprint.
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Associated Links
Cool fuel - Boeing Frontiers online article
