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Innovative LH2 refueling technologies for climate-neutral aviation

The ALRIGH2T project aims to make the aviation sector more sustainable and decarbonize it by testing innovative refueling technologies for liquid hydrogen (LH2) in real airport scenarios. As a promising alternative to fossil fuels, liquid hydrogen can make a significant contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions and significantly reduce the environmental footprint of aviation. With this approach, the project supports the European Commission's vision for green airports and climate-neutral aviation by 2050.

ALRIGH2T focuses on the direct refueling of aircraft with liquid hydrogen and the definition of the related safety, operational, and standardization aspects. These technologies will be demonstrated in real operations at the Milan Malpensa airport to evaluate their practicability and safety and lay the foundations for wider application. The results will also serve as a model for introduction at other airports in order to standardize the infrastructure for liquid hydrogen in aviation.

A key challenge of the project is the safe handling and storage of liquid hydrogen, which must be kept at extremely low temperatures, as well as compliance with high safety and operational standards. In addition, the logistics at airports must be adapted to ensure a reliable supply of hydrogen even when demand is high. The project partners are researching various supply models: from external production and delivery by road tanker or pipeline to production and liquefaction directly at the airport.

The ALRIGH2T consortium consists of 21 partners from seven European countries and Israel, including companies, research institutions and universities. The project is led by ENEA, the Italian Agency for New Technologies and Sustainable Development, which is coordinating the project as part of the EU's Horizon Europe program. The partners are contributing with expertise in the fields of aircraft technology, hydrogen infrastructure, safety standards and operational optimization. This collaboration makes it possible to simulate the entire value chain and develop innovative approaches for the future use of hydrogen in aviation.

The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology plays a central role in this project, contributing with its extensive expertise in several areas to ensure the technical and economic feasibility of the planned LH2 refueling solutions:

  • Technological-economic assessment of the LH2 infrastructure: AIT is analyzing the various options for procuring and supplying LH2 to identify the most cost-effective and efficient solution. Using simulations in the TESCA (Techno-Economic System and Component Analysis) framework, AIT is investigating the economic viability of hydrogen supply in both the short and long term. These techno-economic analyses also take into account future cost factors such as CO₂ certificates, which highlight the advantages of LH2 propulsion over traditional kerosene-based aviation.
  • Simulation and optimization of LH2 refueling processes: AIT is developing complex multi-physics simulations to investigate the behavior of LH2 in tanks during refueling and defueling. These simulations provide an in-depth understanding of the thermomechanical interactions between hydrogen and tank system and are supported by experimental data from sensor-equipped tanks. The goal is to create a “digital twin” of the refueling process that can be used in the future to precisely control and optimize LH2 refueling operations.
  • Demonstration package lead: AIT is leading the technology demonstration work package, which includes practical testing and evaluation of the LH2 technologies developed in the project. As part of this, AIT is analyzing the technical maturity and scalability of the refueling technologies and evaluating their market potential. In doing so, AIT is providing important insights into how and under what conditions these technologies can be integrated into commercial aviation.
  • Strategy for exploitation and intellectual property rights (IPR): In close cooperation with the industrial partners, AIT coordinates the strategy for exploiting the project results and for securing intellectual property rights. This strategy aims to create synergies with other research projects and industrial developments and to transfer the solutions developed in the ALRIGH2T project to a broader application.

Damiano Tormen, responsible for the project at AIT, summarizes: “The use of hydrogen in aviation has not yet been fully researched and evaluated, but it could drive disruptive change in the aviation sector and pave the way for unprecedented, greener solutions and technologies. As a driving force in this field of research, AIT has the opportunity to play a central role in this fundamental change in the transportation sector, with the aim of providing sustainable benefits to society.”

 

 


ALRIGH2T is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under GA no. 101138105.