- Start: 01/01/2023
- End: 31/12/2025
The H2ELIOS project will provide a feasible and novel low-pressure double-layer composite tanks-based system for liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage in aviation, allowing to use the system as part of the fuselage, reducing the weight of the structure in the tank area and enabling the tank shape to be conformal to the profile of the aircraft. It integrates:
1. Inner tank composite with additive manufacturing technology using Fused Pellets fabrication
2. Thermal insulation that will provide protection against rupture under crash landing
3. External tank integrated in the aircraft with AFP ( automated fiber placement) using carbon fiber with thermoplastic composites.
Two full-scale demonstrators will be built: one for functional testing and another one for structuctural testing. These demonstrators would be duly supported by component and subsystem ground tests at appropriate scale at
project completion (TRL 5 at storage level). The aim is that the concept is ready to be embedded and integrated in a specified aircraft architecture for flight demonstration in later stages.
AIMEN will be responsible for the development and manufacturing of the inner tank made by additive manufacturing. Additionally, AIMEN will aso use IR heating systems within the AM cell to reduce the temperature gradients along the built-up part, reducing thermal stresses and, thus, avoiding distortion to ensure the required mechanical performance of the inner tank.
- Sectors: Aeronautical
- Financing programme: HORIZONT EUROPE - CLEAN AVIATION
- R&D&i: Additive manufacturing, Coating technology, Materials under extreme conditions, Multimaterial systems, Thermoplastic composites
- Leader: ACITURRI ENGINEERING SL
- Partners: AIMEN Centro Tecnológico, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – UPC, PANEPISTIMO PATRON, EASN Technology Innovation Services BVBA, NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU, FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV, Alestis Aerospace SL, Aciturri Aeronautica SL, Piaggio Aero Industries SPA, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, Test-Fuchs GmbH, Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali C.I.R.A.
- Acronym: H2ELIOS
- Ambit: International
- Web: https://h2elios.eu/
FEDER