Design of a liquid hydrogen tank for a liquid hydrogen airplane

This thesis forms part of a collaborative project between Politecnico di Torino, Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the airplane manufacturer ICP. The overall aim of the project is the conversion of a very light aircraft, the Savannah-S, into an aircraft which is fuelled by liquid hydrogen, powered by fuel cells and an electrical motor. Hydrogen has long been considered to be a viable, environmentally-friendly alternative for the future of aviation fuel. Despite this early recognition the design of the fuel containment system still remains the most challenging aspect to address. In the following thesis the fuel tank design as well as the design of the whole hydrogen delivery system are outlined and explained in detail. Features of the fuel system are considered by a thermodynamic perspective, with a particular focus on the fuel delivery system, the tank super insulation and the design of the heat exchangers. An early structural analysis is also done to validate the design feasibility. Four insulation materials and three tank wall materials are selected to be object of further investigation. Finally, the feasibility of the flight is evaluated through a calculation of the impact of the new propulsion system on the aircraft’s center of gravity.