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Fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell system is an onboard electrical power generation system. It is composed of a satck and differents sub-systems (Hydrogen and air supply, thermal management, electrical converter and control/safety).
Electricity generated using hydrogen and oxygen
No sound emission
No pollutant emissions (CO2, CO, NOx or particles)
An aircraft requires power to supply various functions such as engine start-up, flight controls, lighting, etc. This power is currently supplied by gas turbines (Main engines and auxiliary power Unit) which operates using aviation fuel and by onboard batteries.
Fuel cells offers an alternative that can aid or even replace existing solutions (gas turbines) to supply propulsive or non-propulsive electrical power. The operating principle, which is simple and based on a electrochemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, which produces an electrical current, water and heat.
This source of clean energy which only consumes the oxygen in the air and gaseous hydrogen, produces no harmful emissions in operation and is very quiet.
It offers a higher efficiency compared to gas turbines and can be adapted to different electrical power needs from some kilowatts up to some megawats.
- © Free-Lance's / Safran
- © Safran
- © Philippe Stroppa / Safran