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Hybrid-electric cars have been a staple of the road for many years now.<\/p>\n
Soon that same idea of a part-electric-, part-gas-powered engine may find its way into the skies propelling a future jet airliner.<\/p>\n
NASA is working in tandem with industry partner GE Aerospace on designing and building just such an engine, one that burns much less fuel by including new components to help electrically power the engine.<\/p>\n
In this hybrid jet engine, a fuel-burning core powers the engine and is assisted by electric motors. The motors produce electric power, which is fed back into the engine itself\u2014therefore reducing how much fuel is needed to power the engine in the first place.<\/p>\n
Anthony nerone<\/p>\n
NASA Project Manager<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The work is happening as part of NASA\u2019s Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) project. This work intends to demonstrate this engine concept by the end of 2028 to enable its use on airliners as soon as the 2030s.<\/p>\n
It represents a major step forward in jet engine technology.<\/p>\n
This jet engine would be the first ever mild hybrid-electric jet engine. A \u201cmild hybrid\u201d engine can be powered partially by electrical machines operating both as motors and generators.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be the first mild hybrid-electric engine and could lead to the first production engine for narrow-body airliners that\u2019s hybrid electric,\u201d said Anthony Nerone, who leads the HyTEC project from NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. \u201cIt really opens the door for more sustainable aviation even beyond the 2030s.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hybrid-electric technology envisioned by NASA and GE Aerospace also could be powered by a new small jet engine core.<\/p>\n
A major HyTEC project goal is to design and demonstrate a jet engine that has a smaller core but produces about the same amount of thrust as engines being flown today on single-aisle aircraft.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the smaller core technology aims to reduce fuel burn and emissions by an estimated 5 to 10%.<\/p>\n
A GE Aerospace Passport engine is being modified with hybrid electric components for testing.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s jet engines are not really hybrid electric,\u201d Nerone said. \u201cThey have generators powering things like lights, radios, TV screens, and that kind of stuff. But not anything that can power the engines.\u201d<\/p>\n
The challenge is figuring out the best times to use the electric motors.<\/p>\n
\u201cLater this year, we are doing some testing with GE Aerospace to research which phases of flight we can get the most fuel savings,\u201d Nerone said.<\/p>\n
Embedded electric motor-generators will optimize engine performance by creating a system that can work with or without energy storage like batteries. This could help accelerate the introduction of hybrid-electric technologies for commercial aviation prior to energy storage solutions being fully matured.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with NASA, GE Aerospace is doing critical research and development that could help make hybrid-electric commercial flight possible,\u201d said Arjan Hegeman, general manager of future of flight technologies at GE Aerospace.<\/p>\n
The technologies related to HyTEC are among those GE Aerospace is working to mature and advance under CFM International\u2019s Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program.\u00a0CFM is a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. CFM RISE, which debuted in 2021, encompasses a suite of technologies including advanced engine architectures and hybrid electric systems aimed at being compatible with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel.<\/p>\n
HyTEC, part of NASA\u2019s Advanced Air Vehicles Program, is a key area of NASA\u2019s Sustainable Flight National Partnership, which is collaborating with government, industry, and academic partners to address the U.S. goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in aviation by the year 2050.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n