Honeywell has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) – India’s premier aeronautics company and a Navaratna defense public sector undertaking, to jointly manufacture high-power, high-voltage turbogenerators.
Rajesh Rege, president, Honeywell India, said, “This MoU builds on a four-decade-long partnership with the country’s aeronautics leader and is an affirmation of our Make in India vision.”
Honeywell will provide its 1-megawatt electric machine to be utilized as a generator, enabling a turbogenerator that can power hybrid-electric aircraft, including traditional airframes, unmanned aircraft and urban air mobility vehicles. This generator, which can also efficiently run as a 1-megawatt motor, can be seamlessly integrated with new and existing gas turbine engines to create highly power-dense turbogenerators.
R. Madhavan, former chairman and managing director, HAL, said, “This MoU is intended to allow both parties to jointly develop a business plan which outlines the market potential, investment, returns and partnership model. Once the business plan’s viability is established, we will enter into contractual arrangements.”
Traditionally, aircraft use fuel-burning engines to mechanically turn rotors, propellers or fans. Many new designs, however, use a distributed electric propulsion architecture, in which many electric motors can be tilted or turned off for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight. A Honeywell turbogenerator can provide electric power for multiple electric motors anywhere on an aircraft.
The Honeywell turbogenerator can run on aviation biofuel, including green jet fuel, conventional jet fuel and diesel. It can be used to operate high-power electric motors, charge batteries and can satisfy missions from heavy-lift cargo drones to air taxis or commuter aircraft.
The MoU was exchanged between Eric Walters, senior director OE Sales, Honeywell Defense & Space, and B. Krishna Kumar, executive director (E & IMGT), HAL, in the presence of R Madhavan and M.K. Mishra, CEO (BC), HAL.