IHI Corp. is teaming up with Boeing Co. to develop fuel cells for aircraft
Heavy machinery maker IHI Corp. is teaming up with Boeing Co. to develop fuel cells for aircraft that will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions during flight.
The fuel cells will go into practical use as early as 2016, the companies said. They will be used for onboard power supply and are expected to cut jet fuel consumption used for power generation by about 14 percent.
Onboard electricity is supplied by a generator powered by the jet engine.
When the jet engine’s output rises, such as when the aircraft is flying at high altitudes, extra electricity is generated and water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen.
The fuel cells will use the hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity through a chemical reaction when the jet engine’s output falls; for example, when the aircraft descends.
According to Boeing, 93 percent of jet fuel in an aircraft is used for propulsion, with the remainder used to generate power.
