ZeroAvia's LH-SIFT Project: Advancing Hydrogen Technology in UK Aviation
Key Ideas
- ZeroAvia and consortium partners receive grant for $14.5 million project to develop a liquid hydrogen management system for aviation.
- Project involves novel tank design, storage systems, and collaboration for hydrogen power integration in regional aircraft.
- Advancement in hydrogen technology aims to address energy density challenges for larger zero-emission aircraft and infrastructure development.
- Key focus on LH-SIFT project is to drive evolution, validation, and scaling of zero-emission aircraft technology with hydrogen fuel cells.
ZeroAvia, a UK-based company, has been awarded an unspecified grant for its $14.5 million LH-SIFT project aimed at developing a liquid hydrogen management system for aviation. The project involves a consortium with partners like Green Resource Engineering and Gas & Liquid Controls, focusing on creating a lightweight tank design and supporting systems for hydrogen storage and distribution. ZeroAvia plans to integrate this system with a Dornier 228 airframe and conduct flight tests to advance its 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain for regional aircraft. The company is also working on certifying the powertrain and developing fuel-cell engines for larger aircraft models. Chief Strategy Officer, James McMicking, highlights the importance of liquid hydrogen for achieving energy density required by zero-emission aircraft, emphasizing the need for the LH-SIFT project to drive technology evolution and infrastructure development. The project aims to enable testing, validation, and scaling of zero-emission aircraft technology with hydrogen fuel cells, addressing the challenges posed by infrastructure for storing and dispensing hydrogen fuel.