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DeltaHawk Engines, the builder of the FAA-certified jet-fueled piston engine for general aviation aircraft completed an advanced simulation analysis for a new hydrogen-fueled variant of its engine family for other markets. With its rapid progress, DeltaHawk has caught the attention of markets outside of aviation.The tests have shown the DeltaHawk engine architecture can use hydrogen fuel, as well as proving that the company's patented engine design has applications for markets outside of aviation, including zero-emissions vehicles, commercial power applications and multiple defense platforms. Using proven internal combustion engine technology with hydrogen fuel can replace the costlier and infrastructure-dependent fuel cell systems. A hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine has a higher tolerance for hydrogen impurities compared to fuel cells. These hydrogen-fueled engines will utilize the existing depth of ICE manufacturing knowledge and extensive service networks.
The DeltaHawk engine design has several advantages, including reduced development cost, time to market, higher durability and cost-effectiveness. The engine design has a significantly reduced power degradation curve over time, which allows for a better fuel economy than fuel cells after the initial period. These various attributes allow for the quicker adoption of hydrogen power around the world, especially granted the recent global government incentives for hydrogen in commercial trucking and delivery vehicle infrastructure and military mobility.
The jet-fueled engine received FAA certification from the FAA In May. The 180 horsepower DHK180 was the first in a family of engines to come from DeltaHawk. The engine features an inverted-V engine block, turbocharging and supercharging, mechanical fuel injection, liquid cooling, direct dive and 40 percent fewer moving parts than other engines in its category. The smaller size and slim shapes allow for increased aerodynamic cowling designs and less space while providing incredible performance, ease of operation and unmatched reliability. By July. DeltaHawk had seen significant interest in its engine from OEM, experimental kit manufacturers, individual pilots and commercial operations. The engine was chosen by NASA for its Subsonic Single Aft Engine project and by Ampaire for a hybrid proof-of-concept aircraft as well. With engine certification, deliveries are expected to begin in 2024.RELATED STORY:Integrating to take flight, an in-depth conversation with DeltaHawk's Dennis Webb
"We began by completely reimagining what a general aviation engine should be," DeltaHawk CEO Christopher Ruud said. "And the result is that we now have a certified engine that is a game-changer. It's been a long time coming but, in engineering, simple is hard. However, this engine's performance, simplicity, and reliability have made it worth the time and the investment, as it is truly ‘Power Reimagined.'"
DeltaHawk will use its aviation engine architecture to develop additional variants of the engine family using hydrogen fuel as well as additional applications. The DeltaHawk's compact, lightweight and durable design is based on patented two-stroke technology making the engine family the perfect solution for hydrogen fuel. While other commercial vehicle engine manufacturers have researched the conversion of ICE powerplants to hydrogen power, DeltaHawk's testing in computer simulations has become an ideal method compared to four-stroke engine architectures.
"Environmental responsibility is a foundational pillar of our company," Ruud said. "In the general aviation industry, our family of engines are creating a highly reduced net carbon footprint coupled with airborne lead removal, thanks in large part to their fuel efficiency and capability to burn next-generation sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Now, with our planned ability to expand our engine family to include variants that will utilize hydrogen fuel in aviation, commercial and military applications, we've taken another major step toward environmental sustainability, climate neutrality and a zero-emissions future."