Imagine trying to carry a giant thermos of liquid hydrogen on a plane without it being too heavy or leaking. Current tanks are too bulky and heavy, making hydrogen flights too expensive. This project creates a lightweight, high-tech tank that keeps fuel cold and secure, potentially using the plane's own body as part of the container.
Hydrogen aviation is currently stalled because storage tanks are too heavy and inefficient. Industry needs a gravimetric index of at least 35% to make flights economically viable, but current tech only reaches 20%.
A disruptive LH2 storage tank design that reached Preliminary Design Review maturity, including a validated material selection and a manufacturing process for spherical tanks.
If you are an aircraft manufacturer dealing with the weight penalty of fuel systems — this project developed a tank design that achieves a gravimetric index higher than 60% for 500kg of LH2. This allows for longer flights without sacrificing payload capacity.
If you are a regional airline dealing with high operational costs of green fuels — this project developed a storage solution with no venting over 24h. This reduces fuel waste and improves the cost-efficiency of hydrogen-powered routes.
If you are a materials supplier dealing with the challenge of cryogenic permeability — this project developed a manufacturing process for spherical tanks using optimized tape trajectories. This enables the production of high-strength, low-leakage cryogenic containers.
Based on available project data, the system targets a gravimetric index (GI) higher than 60%, which is significantly better than the 35% minimum required by industry actors to make hydrogen aviation economically viable.
The project has reached a Preliminary Design Review maturity and is currently moving from lab-scale material testing to a demonstrator phase.
The project is based on a disruptive design that is currently under a patent process.
The concept is designed as an enabler to use the aircraft's fuselage as the outer tank, allowing the storage system to be integrated directly into the aircraft structure.
The project runs from May 2022 to October 2025, with the first 18 months focused on material compatibility and the subsequent 18 months on complex testing.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, consisting of 13 partners across 6 countries. With a 38% industry ratio (5 industrial partners, including 2 SMEs), the project bridges the gap between academic research (3 universities, 4 research centers) and commercial application, led by a specialized engineering firm.
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