BBC: Could airports make hydrogen work as a fuel? “The modules are extremely well insulated and can keep the hydrogen in its liquid form for four days. Two modules would hold 360kg of hydrogen & would be able to fly an aircraft 500 miles, plus an extra 45 minutes of flight time in reserve”

4 comments

1. They might do, or they might not

   Betteridge’s law and all that…

2. 360kg of fuel barely gets a modern commercial jet down the taxiway.

   We’re not solving the energy requirements of modern aviation with hydrogen.

3. >Two modules would hold 360kg of hydrogen & would be able to fly an aircraft 500 miles

   So yes: this *could* be used. However, for such short distances you can als do a straight up battery electric plane – which is way cheaper to own and operate…and cost is the driving factor in aviation (same as in trucking).

   Also saying that “it could be stored for 4 days” means you will have significant losses starting immediately. These are losses that have to be generated and paid for by the end customer.

4. The added weight of these “modules” over a hydrogen tank that is integrated into the fuselage of a plane makes this solution a bit questionable. The shape of the tanks as depicted in the article also seems less than ideal, both for keeping the cryogenic tank cool and for fitting inside a fuselage