Conceptual Evaluation for a Novel Green Aircraft Powered by Liquid Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Abstract

Aviation decarbonization is one of the greatest challenges in the pursuit of sustainable mobility. While incremental improvements in aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion have led to sensible efficiency gains over the last years, the transition toward zero emission aircraft configurations requested by international guidelines needs disruptive technologies. Liquid hydrogen propulsion systems coupled with fuel cells are one of the most promising solutions to be investigated, since they offer high energy density, clean exhaust, and compatibility with regional aircraft missions. This study presents a novel configuration for a regional aircraft propelled by liquid hydrogen and fuel cells, based on conceptual design. The proposed configuration is a high-wing aircraft with T-tail. Unlike kerosene, liquid hydrogen requires specialized tanks and insulation, which significantly influence aircraft geometry and weight distribution. To address these challenges, the proposed configuration adopts a fuselage integrated cryogenic tank system installed in the aircraft rear cone, to minimize aerodynamic penalties while ensuring safety and operational feasibility. The fuel cell system is distributed to optimize redundancy and thermal management, enabling efficient power delivery to electric propulsors. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on hydrogen aviation by providing a system level configuration tailored to regional aircraft, a segment particularly suited for early adoption of hydrogen technologies due to shorter ranges and frequent operations. The findings underline the technical feasibility of liquid hydrogen–fuel cell systems, offering insights for future certification frameworks, infrastructure development, and industrial implementation. In conclusion, this work presents a feasible configuration of a novel green regional aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen and fuel cells. The results provide a foundation for further experimental validation and pave the way for the next generation of environmentally responsible regional aircraft.