Lufthansa A320 in amazing special colours!
A Lufthansa A320 (D-AIQF, msn 216) has been unveiled as a stationary Hydrogen Aviation Lab, at Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, Germany. It arrived there for storage on 7 July 2022 and has not flown since, and is parked at Lufthansa Technik.
Yesterday, 28 October 2022, it was shown to the world in this spectacular blue canvas overlay, because the Lufthansa-livery is still visible underneath.
It is a converted stationary laboratory for the Hydrogen Aviation Lab project with Lufthansa Technik, German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Centre for Applied Aeronautical Research (ZAL).
Over the coming months, it will be fitted with an internal liquid hydrogen fuel tank and onboard fuel cell, as well as a full suite of test systems. Furthermore, the project will set up a system for ground-based hydrogen infrastructure.
The main research topics the lab will investigate include:
- Refueling with liquid hydrogen (integrating it into existing airport infrastructure, ensuring competitive refueling times and processes, avoiding overfilling and wasting)
- Cooling, insulation, and occupational safety (prevent ice-building, look at additional protection requirements, etc.)
- Leakage of hydrogen gas, so-called boil-off (prevent uncontrolled escape of LH2 when it becomes gaseous, safety precautions for storage and fueling, recover escaped GH2)
- Making stored hydrogen inert (protect against fire hazards, suitable safety protocols, training for maintenance personnel)
Photo: Dirk Grothe (via Planespotters.net)