FutureFlight
UK Consortium Proposes Ammonia-based Propulsion System for Aircraft
Reaction Engines and the Science and Technology Facilities Council have venture capital backing for the project announced during the United Nations COP26 climate change conference.
Reaction Engines
Reaction Engines is developing a new propulsion system that would combine its heat exchangers with ammonia catalyst systems from the Science and Technology Facilities Council to crack ammonia to generate hydrogen to produce a fuel to be burnt in turbine engines. (Image: Reaction Engines)

Ammonia this week surfaced as a new contender in the contest to develop a zero-carbon fuel for aircraft. A consortium led by UK-based Reaction Engines on November 5 announced plans to develop a propulsion system using lightweight and compact catalytic cracker reactors to generate hydrogen, producing a fuel that could then be burned directly in turbine engines.

The partners aim to commercialize the new propulsion concept in aircraft, as well as marine and other industrial applications, by 2030. The process combines the heat exchanger technology developed by Reaction Engines for its Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE) developed for space launch vehicles with ammonia catalyst systems from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Venture capital group IP Group is providing an undisclosed investment in the program.