The award-winning “H2PU Imponator” demonstrates the functional principle of a new, hydrogen (H2)-powered fuel cell system, which may, at some time in the future, replace the auxiliary power unit (APU) in the rear fuselage of the aircraft
A team of engineers from Systems Engineering at Airbus has worked on this R&T project that sets new standards. With its new design, the “Imponator” uses the electricity from the fuel cell to drive a small electric power plant and thus a rotating shaft; this in turn is capable of supplying the energy for a compressor for the air conditioning system or a generator.
The new H2PU system could replace the kerosene-fuelled APU and it might even supply compressed air for the air conditioning system in flight, saving up to 3% of kerosene.
