Conflux Technology collaborates with Airbus on hydrogen aircraft thermal management

Conflux Technology has announced its role in supporting Airbus’ ZEROe project by developing an advanced heat exchanger using additive manufacturing, designed for hydrogen-electric propulsion systems. The heat exchanger, currently undergoing a technology readiness maturity assessment, plays a critical role in thermal regulation within megawatt-class fuel cell systems.

Hydrogen fuel cells generate significant heat, requiring compact, efficient thermal management solutions. Conflux’s heat exchanger, developed through rigorous Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelling and validated in lab-scale testing, offers a lightweight, high-performance approach tailored to the demanding conditions of aerospace integration.

“Our work with Airbus marks a significant step forward in the application of additive manufacturing to sustainable aviation,” said Michael Fuller, CEO of Conflux Technology. “Thermal management is a core enabler for hydrogen propulsion, and our expertise is helping to advance this technology from lab to flight.”

The Airbus ZEROe project is focused on delivering a commercially viable, fully electric, hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft into service and suppliers like Conflux are contributing with critical components that will enable safe, efficient, and certifiable flight systems.

The Conflux heat exchanger is being evaluated for integration into Airbus’ broader hydrogen fuel cell architecture, with continued development and system-level testing targeted over the next coming months.