Among the funding recipients is also the inter-university research consortium HPCFK, which includes the Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools at Leibniz Universität Hannover. Through the project "HyLaunch," the existing research and development infrastructure of the three Lower Saxony universities — Hannover, Braunschweig, and Clausthal — will be strategically expanded at the Stade site. "The emerging infrastructure, combined with the interdisciplinary collaboration of the involved research institutions, is unique in this form, as it covers all phases from material selection to design and manufacturing, up to the final characterization of the tank systems," says Dr.-Ing. Carsten Schmidt, head of the interdisciplinary research site in Stade.
The goal is to establish a unique research and development platform for fiber-reinforced lightweight hydrogen tank systems within ITZ North (H2AM), tailored specifically to the requirements of aviation and maritime applications. The project will particularly enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative hydrogen tank systems within joint research projects and with reduced economic risk, thereby lowering existing barriers to market entry. The infrastructure is designed for the development and testing of compact tank systems and representative test bodies, allowing for efficient investigation of a wide range of material and design parameters.
A special focus is placed on the use of Automated Fiber Placement technology, which opens up new design options and enables further weight reductions compared to conventional filament winding processes. Additionally, the consortium plans to expand its testing capabilities. For this purpose, test systems for static and cyclic tests under cryogenic temperature conditions will be procured to meet the particularly high thermal and mechanical demands placed on hydrogen tanks.
Through close interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in materials engineering, structural design, manufacturing technology, and component testing, innovative hydrogen storage solutions will be researched along the entire product development process — for both compressed gas and liquid gas applications. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the BMDV for funding the "HyLaunch" project and for the trust placed in us.
At the same time, we look forward to upcoming collaborations with small and medium-sized companies from the aviation, shipping, and supplier industries to jointly research new lightweight tank systems and adapt them precisely to existing and future vehicle architectures. In doing so, we aim to make an important contribution to the decarbonization of these sectors.
Contact:
For further information, please contact Dr.-Ing. Carsten Schmidt, Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools, Leibniz University Hannover, on +49 4141 77638 11 or via email at schmidtc@ifw.uni-hannover.de.
