MTU Aero Engines is working steadily on its Flying Fuel Cell™ (FFC), and experts have reached some important milestones. The design for the FFC has been nailed down, stack manufacturing for the demonstrator has started, the eMoSys electric motor was tested for the first time, and the first test cell went into operation in Munich, Germany.
“With the critical design review for our first electric 600 kW powertrain, we are wrapping up the design phase and starting on manufacturing and assembly,” said Barnaby Law, FFC Head Engineer at MTU Aero Engines.
Recently, production of the ultramodern fuel cell stacks also began in Munich.
The electric motor is running and the test cell is built
Meanwhile, work was progressing on the electric motor for the FFC powertrain, which MTU is developing with its subsidiary eMoSys GmbH in Starnberg, Germany. An important milestone was reached here, too: in a challenging series of tests, the 600 kW motor reliably had a maximum continuous output of 600 kW for the first time.
Barnaby Law added: “The tests confirmed a high efficiency rate of more than 96%, both during take-off and at cruising altitude.”
At the same time, the FFC testing infrastructure was being built at the facility in Munich. It consists of two test cells that include a hydrogen infrastructure as well as cooling water and pressurised air supply. Currently, the fuel cell stack test cell is finished and is now being put into operation. It is designed for stacks with up to 500 kW of electrical power per unit. The second testing setup, the system test cell, is currently under construction and will be used to test the entire engine system.
