Abstract

The safe and efficient storage of H₂ on-board future aircraft is the essential enabler of H₂ technologies and will be one of the most complex aerospace engineering challenges that the industry has ever faced. COCOLIH₂T (COmposite COnformal LIquid H₂ Tank) project, led by Collins Aerospace, is proposing a disruptive concept focused on reducing the impact of the tank’s weight and volume within an aircraft, while ensuring system safety. COCOLIH₂T will not only develop a safe composite and vacuum insulated LH₂ tank for the aviation sector but has the ambition to go beyond by designing and manufacturing a conformal tank through novel fabrication technologies enabling a reduction of more than 60% in production energy consumption, at least 50% in production time leading to significantly lower manufacturing costs. Additionally, the proposed structure of the tank, based on a multi-material thermoplastic composite concept, is intended to facilitate aircraft structural integration to support overall system weight reduction compared with conventional tank configurations. COCOLIH₂T’s overall system will be demonstrated at TRL4 by the end of the project. COCOLIH₂T started in February 2023 and will run for 36 months.

COCOLIH₂T is a project funded by the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (JU) under the Horizon Europe programme. The project was selected after successful submission to the call HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2022-1 and more specifically the topic HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2022-03-07 “Development of specific aviation cryogenic storage system with a gauging, fuel metering, heat management and monitoring system” (Pillar 3.1 Hydrogen end uses – Transport applications of the Clean Hydrogen JU Scientific Research Innovation Agenda or SRIA). COCOLIH₂T is a Research and Innovation Action (RIA).