Liebherr-Aerospace has installed a hydrogen bench in its test center at its Toulouse site.
The German-Swiss company, which makes air management, flight control and actuation systems, landing gears and gearboxes for the aerospace industry said it is working on systems and equipment to reduce fuel consumption and contribute to more carbon-neutral aircraft.
The bench consists of a hydrogen fuel cell power source able to generate around 400kW of electrical power – enough to feed all of the non-propulsion systems of next-generation aircraft. This investment at the test facilities will enable Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse to demonstrate the ability to generate electrical power using fuel cells that can be used to supply.
The bench allows engineers to test and assess the use of fuel cell-derived electricity to power the major non-propulsive electrical systems of a new generation single-aisle aircraft, while ensuring the thermal management of the whole (fuel cells and electrical systems) in a representative environment.
In addition to the investments in hydrogen, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse said it is developing systems and equipment with lower carbon dioxide emissions in partnership with other companies in the aviation industry and academic institutions.
The test bench has been built as part of the France Relance (France Relaunch) plan with the support of the French Civil Aviation Authority (Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile).
