Engines
Pratt & Whitney Hydrogen Engine Project Shows Promise of Steam Injection
Results of ARPA-e program showed 35% more efficiency and nearly elimination of nitrogen oxides
Pratt & Whitney depection of its Hydrogen, Steam Injected, Inter-cooled Turbine Engine (HySITTE) architecture (Image: Pratt & Whitney)
Pratt & Whitney demonstrates its novel technology for using steam injection in a engine that burns hydrogen. © Hydrogen, Steam Injected, Inter-cooled Turbine Engine (HySITTE) architecture

Pratt & Whitney's research into its Hydrogen, Steam Injected, Inter-cooled Turbine Engine (HySIITE) architecture is demonstrating not only the viability of the technology but up to a 35% improvement in energy efficiency and 99.3% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx), company executives said. These results give promise of the feasibility of bringing liquid-hydrogen power to the commercial aviation market through this technology, the executives added. 

While this new hydrogen propulsion technology may not be ready to commercialize until about 2050, proving its feasibility is critical given the infrastructure investments that would be required to switch to liquid hydrogen, said Neil Terwilliger, technical fellow—advanced concepts for Pratt & Whitney.

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