Jane Edwards
GE Aerospace and NASA are working on a project that will embed electric generators or motors in a high-bypass turbofan to augment power during different flight phases as part of efforts to develop fuel-efficient aircraft engines with reduced emissions.
The company said Wednesday the hybrid electric demonstrator engine project intends to develop a system that can operate with or without batteries or energy storage.
The project includes equipping a Passport engine with hybrid electric components for testing as part of NASA’s Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core project.
In December, NASA awarded GE Aerospace a potential five-year, $68.1 million cost-sharing contract to work on the HyTEC project’s Phase 2 Integrated Core Technology Demonstration program.
“We’re advancing state-of-the-art propulsion systems for next generation commercial aircraft with an important aim — to drive industry efforts to improve efficiency and reduce emissions compared to today’s aircraft engines,” said Arjan Hegeman, general manager of future of flight technologies at GE Aerospace.
GE Aerospace noted that it has completed initial testing of hybrid electric components for the HyTEC Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration and a baseline test of the Passport engine at its facilities in Ohio.
The company is using the results of the two tests to assess and update models as it prepares for a ground test.
