Germany’s aviation industry has launched a project at Hamburg Airport to test the impact on maintenance and other ground processes of fuelling aircraft with liquid hydrogen.

Testing of hydrogen technology on a decommissioned  Airbus 320 aircraft is expected to start in 2022. The project will also include digital mapping via a virtual platform being developed in parallel with the physical demonstration.

The project is funded by the Hanseatic City of Hamburg, with the research conducted by aviation maintenance firm Lufthansa Technik, government agency the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), civil aviation research agency the Centre for Applied Aeronautical Research  and Hamburg Airport.

“We need to learn promptly and in detail the requirements on aircraft and maintenance of real-world operation with hydrogen on the ground” Fischer, DLR

"The aircraft of the future are lighter, more efficient and fly with alternative propulsion concepts. Hydrogen will play an important role in this. We need to learn—promptly and in detail—the requirements on aircraft and maintenance of real-world operation with hydrogen on the ground," says Markus Fischer, DLR’s  deputy board member for aeronautics.

"In the project, we are using this data and experience to develop digital models for ground processes. These digital process twins can then be used directly in the design of future-oriented and yet practicable aircraft configurations.”

Liquid hydrogen storage is twice as dense as 700 bar gaseous storage—currently the most widely used form of the fuel—meaning it can give vehicles twice the range.

The technology is already being trialled in long-distance haulage by truck manufacturer Hyzon Motors.

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Author: Stuart Penson