ZeroAvia, a company specializing in electric aircraft propulsion, has teamed up with Absolut Hydrogen, a Grenoble-based company that develops liquid hydrogen systems for mobility, to evaluate liquid hydrogen production, storage, and refueling at airports. The partnership will work together to build and demonstrate liquid hydrogen liquefaction and storage in an airport context. The aim is to explore the technological developments, operational concepts, safety procedures, and standards for large-scale deployment to deliver liquid hydrogen on aircraft.
See also: Oregon State University and Daimler Partner to Develop Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Heavy-Duty Truck
ZeroAvia’s first certified powertrains for an aircraft with up to 19 seats will run on gaseous hydrogen. Still, the modular powertrain for the ZA2000 40-80 seat aircraft will require liquid hydrogen, scheduled for take-off in 2027. Compared to gaseous hydrogen, the volumetric energy density of liquid hydrogen (LH2) is significantly higher. It allows for a larger aircraft with higher passenger capacity and greater range since the pressure tanks are cylindrical, and the tanks for liquids can be designed more freely and integrated into the aircraft. However, LH2 is only liquid at temperatures below -253 degrees Celsius, and the tanks must be actively cooled or well-insulated.
Absolut Hydrogen has various systems for LH2 that can cover different volume requirements. Small liquefaction systems achieve less than 50 kilograms per day, while a larger system can liquefy around 100 kilograms of hydrogen per day. There is also a system designed for one tonne per day.
ZeroAvia has already entered into two collaborations around hydrogen infrastructure on the ground this year, in March with Fortum and in February with Shell and Rotterdam Airport. In both cases, there were no details about the type of hydrogen, whether it was gaseous or liquid. As well as building in-house liquid hydrogen knowledge, it has been critical to establish partnerships to begin building the ecosystem that can deliver liquid hydrogen fuel for larger aircraft, at larger airport locations.
See also: ZeroAvia Makes History with Maiden Flight of World’s Largest Hydrogen-Electric Powered Aircraft
The partnership between ZeroAvia and Absolut Hydrogen will undoubtedly lead to new standards on liquid hydrogen infrastructure for aircraft. Liquid hydrogen is considered the most advantageous state for tomorrow’s aviation and heavy-duty mobility in general, and Absolut Hydrogen enables its availability thanks to its H2 liquefiers. The quest for zero-emission aviation depends on this partnership’s success, as retaining and growing aviation will bring us all closer together and keep the world small.
