Seoul National University of Science and Technology Researchers Unveil New Comprehensive Safety Assessment Framework for Liquid Hydrogen Storage Systems in UAVs

The complete evaluation framework can result in extra widespread adoption of greener and extra sustainable hydrogen propulsion system in UAVs

SEOUL, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aviation accounts for roughly 12% of world carbon dioxide emissions. With intensifying local weather change and environmental points, the aviation business is looking out for greener propulsion methods. For unmanned aerial autos (UAVs), analysis has turned in the direction of hydrogen propulsion methods. Hydrogen is a clear gasoline that produces solely water throughout combustion, representing a promising various to traditional fossil fuels.

However, hydrogen has low volumetric vitality density, which means bigger volumes are required to match the vitality of standard fuels. One resolution is liquid hydrogen storage methods. While these methods cut back storage dimension and weight, additionally they current numerous challenges, together with vessel deformation on account of thermal stresses and fatigue failure. This is especially dangerous in UAV operation situations, which contain multi-directional acceleration masses. A complete evaluation of thermal efficiency and structural integrity in UAV operation situations is, subsequently, essential.

To deal with this hole, a analysis workforce led by Assistant Professor Nak-Kyun Cho and Mr. Jinmyeong Heo from the Department of Manufacturing Systems and Design Engineering (MSDE) at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Korea, in collaboration with Professor Nam-Su Huh from the Department of Mechanical System Design Engineering on the identical college, developed the primary built-in analytical framework for evaluating the efficiency and security of liquid hydrogen storage tanks in UAVs. “Unlike existing studies that were limited to isolated thermal insulation performance or structural analyses, we have developed the first holistic system integrating thermal, structural, fatigue, and impact analyses, specifically tailored for UAV operations,” explains Dr. Cho. Their examine was made accessible on-line on June 09, 2025, and revealed in Volume 145 of the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy on July 07, 2025.

The workforce started by acquiring cryogenic properties of the supplies used in the storage methods with the assist of analysis funding and materials testing and verification analysis of the Hydrogen Materials Research Center at Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS). They thought of a typical liquid hydrogen storage tank made of SUS316L metal for the principle construction and Al6061-T6 aluminium for vapor-cooled protect (VCS) that cut back entry of warmth into the system. Temperature-dependent properties of these supplies had been measured utilizing a 100 kN tensile-fatigue testing system, and included into finite component analyses of the vessel, protecting thermal, structural, fatigue and drop affect assessments.

Thermal evaluation revealed that the VCS implementation lowered the boil-off fee (BOR) by 30% in evaluation and 15% in experiments. BOR is a key efficiency indicator that represents the speed at which saved liquid hydrogen evaporates. Structural evaluation revealed pipes and supporters because the weak factors underneath UAV-specific operational situations, highlighting the necessity for structural modifications. Fatigue evaluation confirmed that the vessel far exceeded the ten,000 cycle requirement specified in ISO 21029-1 requirements, with an successfully limitless fatigue life.

For drop affect testing, the workforce developed a brand new pc simulation methodology utilizing a VUSDFLD subroutine-based component deletion strategy that recognized connecting pipes and supporters as susceptible areas.

“Our findings establish new standards for comprehensive safety assessment of liquid hydrogen storage tanks in UAV applications,” concludes Mr. Heo.

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SOURCE Seoul National University of Science and Technology