Before the new fuel is introduced into general use, a large cycle of tests and inspections will take place.
Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – March 27, 2021 – Technology
The French aerospace concern Airbus, together with the German Center for Aviation and Astronautics (DLR), as well as the manufacturer of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace engines and the Finnish fuel company Neste, has announced the launch of a project to test environmentally friendly aviation fuel (SAF) in passenger traffic.
To this end, the work “Emissions and the impact of alternative fuels on the climate” (ECLIF3) will study the impact of biofuels on the flight characteristics of aircraft and the level of harmful emissions.
The test cycle will include ground and flight tests using a flying laboratory based on the long-haul wide-body twin-engine airliner Airbus A350-900 with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The first part of the tests began in Toulouse tests of power units on biofuels, and in April is the first flight of Airbus to SAF. Flight tests are planned for the fall using the Falcon 20-E laboratory aircraft, which will allow measuring the level of liner emissions on biofuel directly in the air.
According to Airbus, the work program also includes ground-based tests to measure particulate emissions to examine the environmental impact of the use of biofuels on airport operations.
In addition, experts compare the level of harmful emissions from SAF with emissions from traditional aviation kerosene and low-sulfur jet fuel. Biofuel for the project will be supplied by Neste, which is a world leader in the production of environmentally friendly aviation fuel.
Additional measurements and analysis to determine the characteristics of particulate emissions during ground tests will be conducted with the participation of experts from the University of Manchester, UK, and the National Research Council of Canada.
Previously, tests of aircraft engines running on a mixture of kerosene with biofuels (from 30% to 50%), which confirmed the reduction of soot formation. It is now planned to test the possibility of the aircraft running on biofuel alone (according to Neste, this will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to the use of fossil fuels) and assess the possibility of certification of Airbus liners for SAF flights.
Read also: Olena Zelenska Initiative for Information Portal on School Nutrition Reform
Source: Ukrgate
