SEPAL: SinglE Piece tAnk Liner

The global need for greenhouse gas emission reduction is clearer than ever as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Reductions in CO2 emissions are recordable and show that change is possible. The UK government has recognised that a post COVID-19 recovery should have 'green' initiatives at its core. But the impact of stopping global travel and international trade has been equally damaging to economies and livelihoods. Therefore a balance is needed to recover transport businesses and in particular aviation without continued emissions and damage to the environment.

Transport needs an energy source, electrification of some sectors of road transport and even some aspects of aviation is possible but current and envisaged energy density for batteries do not show a viable alternative for large passenger or freight aircraft to be entirely electric and have viable range and payload. This leads to the need for alternative and green fuels. Hydrogen if generated form sustainable energy sources is a clean alternative to hydrocarbons whether fossil or synthetically sourced. But the energy density of hydrogen is lower than hydrocarbons and therefore to achieve the volume/mass of hydrogen for viable range, aircraft must have very light structures and hydrogen storage tanks to offset this lower energy density.

This project will help develop TISICS unique lightweight net shape space focused chemical and gas tank technology to be scalable to meet the capacity and economics needed for aviation. The tanks will utilise lightweight thin wall aluminium diffusion bonded to avoid the need for lower integrity and heavier conventional welded manufacturing. The net shape technology enables adaptable tank designs with integrated mounting structures and transitions from aluminium to high integrity stainless steel or titanium pipework.

The fabrication process has the additional benefits of low waste manufacture typically 5% compared to conventional aerospace manufacturing where less than 10% of the material bought remains in the final product. This represents significant further energy and hence CO2 emission savings in the supply chain.

The development of the scalable technology for these tanks to beyond space system size presents new challenges for tooling, process conditions and inspection that will be addressed in this project.

TISICS builds on a 30 year history of innovative metal composite research across multiple sectors to be in a position to develop our space propellant tanks for gas and chemical propulsion, into a scalebale manufacturing method capable of delivering large, safe long service life hydrogen storage tanks for aviation use in the future. This builds on our extensive work on lightweight parts for current and future generation fuel efficient aircraft.

Developing this technology in the UK will enhance the existing manufacturing and export market position held by the UK. This sustains manufacturing jobs and creates new advanced engineering and manufacturing jobs supplying UK aerospace, space and automotive sectors and creating further export opportunities for the UK economy.

World leadership in hydrogen for transport is essential to move beyond hydrocarbon fuels and augments electrification through clean onboard hybrids or fuel cell power generation. But this needs light-weight hydrogen tanks.