Descrizione del progetto
Un migliore stoccaggio dell’idrogeno può rendere più ecologici i viaggi aerei
Il futuro di voli a tinte verdi e più sostenibili dipenderà dall’aviazione alimentata a idrogeno. Attualmente, questa tecnologia è limitata dallo stoccaggio dell’idrogeno a bordo del velivolo poiché il suo rapporto energia-massa è troppo basso per essere pratico. Il progetto OVERLEAF, finanziato dall’UE, risolverà questo problema tramite una progettazione che usa materiali innovativi per sviluppare un serbatoio di stoccaggio dell’idrogeno liquido inedito. Il serbatoio si integrerà perfettamente nella fusoliera e nella struttura del velivolo, raggiungendo al contempo un indice gravimetrico di circa il 50 % per 500 chilogrammi di idrogeno. Tale rapporto energia-massa renderà per la prima volta fattibile il passaggio a voli alimentati a idrogeno, contribuendo così a conseguire gli obiettivi del Green Deal europeo alleggerendo l’onere ambientale dei viaggi aerei.
Obiettivo
In order to meet the objectives of the European Green Deal by 2050 in the aviation sector, the transition towards H2-powered aviation is the solution with the most potential. Although hydrogen-powered aircrafts exist, the current cost of storing and using H2 as a fuel in prolonged flights make their democratization impossible. The main blocking point is the absence of viable storage systems of H2 in aircrafts considering the strict limitations in terms of weight, volume, and cost-efficiency. A sensitivity analysis shows how the economics depend on the tank’s gravimetric index (GI). Today’s technology can barely achieve 20% GI for 500kg of H2, while industry actors need at the very least 35% GI for 500kg of H2 to transition towards H2-powered aviation.
OVERLEAF intends to develop a game changer Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) storage tank to enable the transition towards H2-powered aviation. Based on a disruptive design (under patent process) and leveraging innovative materials and technologies, the OVERLEAF solution is expected to boast a GI higher than 60% for 500kg of LH2, with no venting over 24h. Furthermore, the concept is an enabler for using the aircraft’s fuselage as the outer tank, allowing to seamlessly integrate the tank in the aircrafts structure.
OVERLEAF will have an interdisciplinary R&D approach focusing on advance materials engineering, testing and combination at lab and at pilot scale, together with appropriate simulation of different design architectures of the hydrogen storage system. The project will be based on three distinctive phases and implemented in 7 Work Packages. The consortium includes multidisciplinary partners from 6 different EU countries and contains all the necessary expertise and know-how to carry-out all tasks needed to achieve OVERLEAF’s ambitious objective.
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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinatore
47151 Boecillo
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