Airport-level demonstration of ground refuelling of liquid hydrogen for aviation
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Hydrogen-based propulsion has the potential to be a significant part of the propulsion technology mix in the near future, aiming to achieve climate-neutral aviation by 2050. Combustion of hydrogen could reduce the climate impact by 50-75% per flight compared to kerosene-based engines, while fuel cell-based propulsion has an even greater estimated impact reduction (75-90%). However, the development of innovative LH2-based solutions presents many new challenges that ALRIGH2T will try to address such us:
Sustainability
Prioritize green hydrogen production using renewable energy for being completely sustainable.
Availability of LH2
Develop more facilities to turn into liquid to ensure the presence of LH2, while also establishing an efficient global system for transporting, storing, and distributing LH2.
Reliable LH2 Systems
Develop reliable, efficient and cost effective system for the supply and management of large amounts of LH2.
Adaptation for larger aircraft
Capability to modify current airport ramps to accommodate larger aircraft.
Safety standards
Ensure the safety of all components and systems for aviation use.
Material compatibility
Address relevant material compatibility issues in the presence of deep-frozen hydrogen
Ground vehicle movements
Explore the potential of leveraging liquid fuel handling capabilities with compressed hydrogen for ground vehicle movements to promote a hydrogen-based ecosystem at airports.
Regulatory landscape
Navigate the early stages of regulatory development for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.
Objectives
To define technical requirements for feasible LH2 refuelling in European airports.
To assess and validate LH2 demand models for air transportation ground infrastructures.
To develop a new system for the supply and management of LH2.
To build and test a direct LH2 refuelling system with the support of a full digital twin model to reproduce the refuelling process.
To study the development of the tank swap solution for LH2 refuelling.
To demonstrate the feasibility of direct and tank swap LH2 refuelling technologies and ground movement at EU airports.
To improve safety in ground refuelling operations with new technologies and procedures.
To ensure sustainability and low environmental impact of the proposed solutions.
To pave the way for the future certification of LH2 storage and refuelling solutions.
To build synergies with relevant projects and EU initiatives.
To disseminate the project results among relevant stakeholders in the sector.
Transforming transport to zero-emission mobility through a world-class European research and innovation and industrial system.
Accelerating the reduction of all aviation impacts and emissions, developing aircraft technologies for deep reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Speeding up the development and prepare the deployment of climate neutral and clean solutions in the aeronautic sector.
Devising more effective ways for reducing emissions and their impacts through improved scientific knowledge.