The frosty engine fueling our ZEROe aviation
Airbus is making significant strides in the development of innovative cryogenic hydrogen storage tanks for zero-emission aircraft. These tanks, designed to efficiently store liquid hydrogen within the aircraft fuselage or supported by the wings, are a crucial component of Airbus's vision for a sustainable aviation future.
The tanks for storing liquid hydrogen are being manufactured in Nantes, while the coldbox, which takes care of the gasification of the liquid hydrogen, is produced in Bremen. Chris Redfern, Head of Manufacturing for ZEROe Aircraft and Head of Propulsion Industrial Architect, is optimistic about the teamwork across sites and the potential for future improvements in tank efficiency and environmental footprint.
Once stored, hydrogen can be utilized in two main ways for powering aircraft. It can be burned directly in modified jet engines or more commonly used in fuel cells to generate electricity, which then drives electric motors connected to propulsors. The only emission from this process is water, enabling a near-zero emission operation with around 90% climate impact reduction compared to fossil fuels.
However, the use of hydrogen in aviation presents several challenges. Hydrogen’s low volumetric energy density, even in liquid form, requires large, well-insulated cryogenic tanks. The need for highly pressurized, cryogenic storage also presents engineering difficulties, including material embrittlement and thermal management during flight. Furthermore, infrastructure for hydrogen production, storage, and refueling remains underdeveloped.
Airbus aims to launch commercial hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2040–2045, driven by these advances in cryogenic tank technology and hydrogen propulsion systems. The new storage tanks under development will be lightweight and integrated with systems for managing the hydrogen fuel flow, enabling longer range and zero-emission medium-range flights.
The teams are using a co-development approach, focusing on quick innovation, testing, failure, and adaptation. Work on the second tank is already underway, aiming to improve space, performance, and simplify the manufacturing process. The objective is to have a tank ready to install in the A380 demonstrator by 2026-2028.
Interestingly, the design for the first tank is agreed upon, and it is currently being developed with nitrogen, not hydrogen. This approach allows the team to test the tank's design and functionality before transitioning to hydrogen. The first cryogenic hydrogen tank ever produced at Airbus was built in a little over a year in Nantes, demonstrating the rapid pace of innovation in this field.
These innovations are critical for scaling hydrogen propulsion from small experimental planes to larger commuter and eventually commercial airliners. The future of sustainable aviation relies on the safe and efficient storage and utilization of hydrogen, and Airbus's cryogenic hydrogen storage tanks are a significant step towards achieving this goal.
- Environmental science and technology are crucial in developing Airbus's cryogenic hydrogen storage tanks, which are essential for their vision of a sustainable aviation future.
- The aerospace industry, particularly Airbus, is investing in finance to advance hydrogen-powered aviation, with the aim of launching commercial hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2040–2045.
- Despite the challenges in hydrogen storage, such as low volumetric energy density and engineering difficulties, Airbus's new cryogenic hydrogen tanks are designed to be lightweight, integrated with fuel flow management systems, and set to improve space, performance, and manufacturing processes.
