Flying with liquid hydrogen: An assessment of CFRP fuel tank manufacturing in the aviation industry and its challenges

Abstract

The use of liquid hydrogen in aircraft is a promising option for a more sustainable aviation. Concepts for hydrogen-powered aircraft explore the use of lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced polymer tanks without liners. This study aims to support decision makers in the aviation industry by assessing the potential environmental impact of the manufacturing of these tanks. To this end, a life cycle assessment of hydrogen tanks for a defined use case is conducted using primary data from the manufacture of a half-tank, with the parameters defined by aircraft predesign using the common parametric aircraft configuration schema, an aircraft description language. Contribution analysis identifies the main contributors, while a Monte Carlo analysis reveals the model’s uncertainties. Finally, a scenario analysis illustrates the differences in datasets from various carbon fibre-reinforced polymer datasets.