Abstract

Hydrogen-based propulsion is a promising research area for reducing aviation’s CO2 emissions. However, hydrogen’s low volumetric efficiency makes this alternative fuel challenging in terms of storage and integration into the aircraft. Developing parametric models becomes essential to allow sizing and exploration of possible hydrogen storage tank configurations and layouts within the aircraft. This thesis introduces a model and illustrates analysis capabilities, such as the effect of the variation in geometry on the overall tank volume and mass, which are key aspects to consider in conceptual design. The work presented here combines various methods from the literature into a new parametric approach considering filling and venting pressures, tank geometrical constraints, material properties, and thermal conditions. It supports the analysis of various tank configurations and layouts and allows trade-off studies on gravimetric and volumetric efficiencies to be conducted at the aircraft level. Validation was performed with industry storage tank data and showed an acceptable error range. Case studies illustrate the model capabilities for future hydrogen-powered aircraft configurations. These include tank geometry, thermal insulation, and tank layout-focused studies, allowing the exploration of various aspects of the hydrogen storage system design. Overall, the proposed tank sizing model supports the definition of a feasible design space for future, more environmentally friendly aircraft designs.