Boiling at minus 253 degrees: Dallara and Conflux ready liquid hydrogen for Le Mans

A new step in hydrogen racing

Italian race constructor Dallara and Australia's Conflux Technology, a specialist in heat exchangers, have launched a joint technical study. The goal: to make liquid hydrogen fit for the demanding world of endurance racing.

Why liquid?

Earlier hydrogen race prototypes ran on hydrogen in gaseous form. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) holds far more energy per litre, but it is also trickier to use: it is stored at extreme cold, around minus 253 degrees Celsius. To burn it in the engine, it first has to become gas again.

The heart of the solution

That is where the component the two companies are working on comes in: an evaporator that turns the icy liquid hydrogen into gas, exactly in time for injection. The challenge is considerable. The coolant must not freeze, the whole unit has to stay light and fit into a very tight space. Dallara and Conflux use 3D printing (additive manufacturing) to create those complex internal shapes while keeping weight, heat and material risks under control.

"Hydrogen is one of the most exciting frontiers in sustainable motorsport, but it also pushes thermal management and packaging to extremes," says Michael Fuller, founder of Conflux Technology.

Heading for 2030

The study ties in with the hydrogen plans of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The ACO is aiming for a hydrogen Hypercar class from 2030. Dallara is also researching the storage and delivery of liquid hydrogen and is building a digital twin of the complete system.

Why it matters

Racing has always been a testing ground for technology that later reaches the road. In projects like this we see how hydrogen, alongside battery-electric, can meet even the toughest applications: from 24 hours flat out at Le Mans to heavy transport. What works on the track under extreme conditions only makes the technology more robust off it.

Sources

• H2-Mobile.fr, Dallara et Conflux, hydrogen platform for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
• TCT Magazine and Fuel Cells Works, Dallara and Conflux liquid hydrogen technical study
• Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), hydrogen roadmap