Air Liquide joins hydrogen fuel and aviation group in Europe

Air Liquide works to support hydrogen fuel cells for aircraft

Air Liquide, a leading producer of industrial gases, has announced its partnership with the Hydrogen Cells for Airborne Usage (HYCARUS) project. The project is meant to show off the capabilities of hydrogen fuel cells and promote their use aboard aircraft. The aviation space has been growing more interested in hydrogen fuel cells recently and these energy systems have shown promise in their ability to provide auxiliary power for all manner of aircraft.

HYCARUS project aims to bring hydrogen fuel to aviation

The HYCARUS project is primarily concerned with addressing some of the issues that have emerged among European airlines. Energy is the most prominent of these issues and airlines have been feeling heavy pressure from European governments to cut down on their use of emissions-producing fuels. The problem, however, is that there relatively few options available to these airlines when it comes to alternatives to fossil-fuels. Hydrogen fuel cells may be able to help airlines break away from these fuels, but currently only see limited use as auxiliary energy systems.

Air Liquide to design new storage systems for aircraft

Air Liquide will be responsible for the development of high-pressure hydrogen fuel storage systems that can be used aboard aircraft. These storage systems will be designed with aeronautic engineering. Air Liquide will take into account the limited space that is available for such storage systems, as well as address issues concerning temperature and vibration during operational periods. Through the HYCARUS project, Air Liquide is also responsible for studying ground-based hydrogen fuel solutions that can be put to use in the future.

Project may help reduce the need for certain types of fuel

Aircraft are notorious for their large fuel consumption, as well as the emissions they produce. Currently, a small spectrum of biofuels are competing to replace the traditional fuels that aircraft have put to use for several years. Hydrogen fuel cells have yet to reach the point where they have been embraced by airlines around the world, but if HYCARUS can continue to show off the capabilities of these energy systems, they may be able to help reduce aviation’s strong reliance on certain types of fuel.