The AEP100 hydrogen-fueled turboprop engine, independently developed by an R&D institute of Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), completed ignition and performance adjustment tests under ground test conditions on March 25.
During the testing, all the indicators of the turboprop and liquid hydrogen delivery system remained normal, and the system operated stably across the full range of conditions. It is China’s first megawatt-class liquid hydrogen aviation engine that meets the standards.
Liquid hydrogen, which has ultra-high energy density and zero-carbon emissions, is considered an ideal pathway to decarbonization in the aviation industry. The testing proves the technical feasibility of the liquid hydrogen aviation engine, marking a key technological breakthrough and laying a solid foundation for the commercialization of the engine.
The turboprop engine is expected to see early applications in unmanned aerial logistics and regional aviation, before gradually extending to mainline aviation. It will advance the development of an industrial chain that spans green hydrogen production, hydrogen liquefaction, cryogenic storage and transport and refueling infrastructure installation, thereby promoting innovation in the high-end equipment manufacturing sector and new material industry and boosting the prosperity of strategic emerging industries with breakthroughs in advanced aviation technologies.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
