Hydrogen in Motorsport
Liquid Hydrogen Storage System Study of a High Performance Vehicle
T.A.L. Longoni (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
Emanuele Zanetti – Mentor (TU Delft - Heat Transformation Technology)
C. Falsetti – Graduation committee member
M Ramdin – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Engineering Thermodynamics)
Amedeo Alberti – Mentor (DALLARA AUTOMOBILI SPA)
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Abstract
The transition to alternative propulsion technologies is driving the development of hydrogen powered vehicles in both road and motorsport applications. Liquid hydrogen offers significant advantages compared to other sustainable fuels due to its high energy density, making it a compelling solution for high performance racing. This thesis investigates the design and simulation of a liquid hydrogen storage system for a fuel cell electric vehicle developed in collaboration with Dallara Automobili S.p.A. and within the regulatory framework of the FIA.
A modular, system level 1D model of the complete LHSS was developed to evaluate the integration of a cryogenic tank, pump, and heat exchanger into the Dallara Stradale platform. The study addresses key research questions concerning the performance of liquid versus gaseous hydrogen storage, the optimization of tank and heat exchanger design and thermal behavior, and alternative system layouts.
Simulation results show that, despite packaging constraints and the Dallara Stradale's architecture, a liquid hydrogen configuration can achieve competitive dormancy and boil-off performance. The heat exchanger analysis highlights the potential for radiator downsizing when effectively integrated with the vehicle cooling system. Sensitivity analyses on insulation, ambient temperature, and MLI quality further underline the critical role of thermal management in achieving robust and predictable operation.
This work provides a validated modeling framework for the design of LHSS in motorsport applications and delivers key insights for future development. The results support the feasibility of liquid hydrogen as a high performance racing fuel while identifying key technological gaps such as pump reliability, insulation robustness, and system calibration that must be addressed to enable competitive hydrogen powered vehicles.