{"id":17770,"date":"2026-10-07T22:10:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T22:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amade.udg.edu\/index.php\/research\/projects\/cryoh2\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T08:25:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T08:25:24","slug":"cryoh2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/amade.udg.edu\/index.php\/research\/projects\/cryoh2\/","title":{"rendered":"CRYOH2"},"content":{"rendered":"

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CRYOH2<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Innovative cryogenic testing technologies for the new generation of hydrogen-powered aircraft<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Period:<\/strong> 06\/2024 \u2013 06\/2027 (36 months)<\/p>\n

Funding organization:<\/strong> Generalitat de Catalunya<\/p>\n

Project coordinator:<\/strong> AMTEC \u2013 Advanced Materials Testing and Consulting SL<\/p>\n

Partners:<\/strong> AMTEC, AMADE-UdG<\/p>\n

\"AMADE-UdG\"<\/p>\n

Principal Investigator of AMADE:<\/strong> Josep Costa<\/p>\n

Contact:<\/strong> info.amade@udg.edu<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Other AMADE people involved in the project:<\/strong> Jordi Renart, Laura Carreras, Jordi Farjas<\/p>\n

Grant agreement number:<\/strong> ACE120\/24\/000078<\/p>\n

Funded by:<\/strong> Generalitat de Catalunya, under reference ACE120\/24\/000078<\/p>\n

 
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DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The storage of liquid hydrogen (LH\u2082) in composite cryogenic tanks for aviation presents major technological challenges that currently lack viable solutions. Addressing these challenges requires a multidisciplinary effort involving advanced tank engineering, materials science, thermal management, and manufacturing technologies. The CRYOH\u2082<\/strong> project aims to develop the experimental and technological foundations necessary for designing and validating reliable, lightweight, and safe composite LH\u2082 storage tanks for next-generation hydrogen-powered aircraft.<\/p>\n

From a system perspective, four main technological areas are critical: (1)<\/strong> the engineering of the tank<\/em>, including design of spherical or cylindrical laminates, cryogenic strength criteria, fatigue and certification under aeronautical standards; (2)<\/strong> thermal management<\/em>, ensuring minimal boil-off and maintaining 20 K temperature stability through optimized insulation and active control systems; (3)<\/strong> materials behavior<\/em>, particularly hydrogen permeability, cryogenic embrittlement, and fire safety; and (4)<\/strong> manufacturing scalability<\/em>, involving the industrialization of autoclave, filament winding, or automated tape placement (ATP) processes for aircraft integration.<\/p>\n

A key technological objective is the reproduction of real service conditions<\/strong> of LH\u2082 tanks in the laboratory to understand material behavior under combined thermal and mechanical loading at cryogenic temperatures. This requires reproducing multiaxial thermo-mechanical stresses and monitoring material degradation over time. The resulting insights will guide the selection of optimal materials and structural designs, ensuring mechanical integrity, reliability, and hydrogen tightness in operational conditions.<\/p>\n

To achieve this, several experimental developments are proposed:<\/p>\n

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  • O1 \u2013 Thermal fatigue testing at cryogenic temperatures:<\/strong> Design of a controlled LN\u2082-based system capable of reproducing cyclic cooling from ambient to 77 K\u201320 K without inducing thermal shock, while optimizing efficiency and safety for high-cycle tests.<\/li>\n
  • O2 \u2013 Mechanical fatigue testing at cryogenic temperatures:<\/strong> Development of a novel biaxial loading system capable of reproducing the combined pressure-temperature service conditions of a cylindrical or spherical tank, ensuring long-duration fatigue testing under representative stress states.<\/li>\n
  • O3 \u2013 Measurement of gas permeability in composites:<\/strong> Implementation of a helium-based setup (as a safe surrogate for hydrogen) to quantify permeability under different mechanical loads (uniaxial\/biaxial) and temperatures (RT\u201320 K), including post-fatigue specimens to evaluate the influence of microcracking on leak behavior.<\/li>\n
  • O4 \u2013 Thermal expansion measurements:<\/strong> Design of a dedicated cryogenic dilatometer to determine the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of composite laminates from RT to 20 K, allowing prediction of residual thermal stresses and microcrack formation.<\/li>\n
  • O5 \u2013 Damage detection and inspection methods:<\/strong> Development of advanced non-destructive techniques (X-ray tomography, laminography, optical systems, and penetrant infiltration) for the quantification and localization of microcracks and their correlation with permeability data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In parallel, the project explores strategies to minimize microcracking and hydrogen leakage<\/strong>, including the use of thin-plies<\/em>, graphene-reinforced resins<\/em>, and novel thermoset or thermoplastic formulations<\/em>. These approaches aim to enhance the intrinsic impermeability and durability of cryogenic composites.<\/p>\n

    Overall, CRYOH\u2082 will deliver new experimental methodologies, testing infrastructures, and material solutions to enable the safe deployment of composite LH\u2082 storage tanks in aviation\u2014paving the way toward sustainable, hydrogen-powered flight.<\/p>\n

    [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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