SWaT

Structurally integrated pressurised hydrogen tank system

In addition to the use of sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen as an energy source will play a key role in reducing climate-damaging CO₂ emissions in the aviation industry.
In order to store the amount of hydrogen required for sufficiently long flight ranges in the aircraft, the available installation space must be used as efficiently as possible. The SWaT project is therefore investigating new construction methods and structural concepts for integrated hydrogen pressure vessels.
In addition to the lightweight design of the pressure vessels, the focus is also on optimising the manufacturing processes used according to the current state of the art.
In the first phase of the project, the ILK investigates the wet winding process established for the manufacture of hydrogen pressure vessels with regard to its large number of adjustable process parameters and their influence on the subsequent component properties. After the identification of the relevant influencing variables and their optimum working ranges, methods for process-integrated quality assurance are designed, analysed and evaluated for feasibility in an industrial environment. These methods are then implemented into the existing process layout.
Based on the research results, improved and reproducible composite properties can be achieved, thus making a production-related contribution to the mass reduction of pressurised hydrogen tanks required in aviation.