Additively manufactured heat exchanger targets next-generation zero-emission propulsion
Melbourne, Australia – September 30, 2025 – Australian engineering firm Conflux Technology has announced a major collaboration with Airbus to develop an advanced heat exchanger for use in hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, supporting the aerospace company’s ambitious ZEROe project.
The partnership centres on designing and validating a 3D-printed heat exchanger capable of meeting the demanding thermal management needs of megawatt-class hydrogen fuel cell systems. The component, now undergoing a technology readiness maturity assessment, will form a crucial part of the propulsion architecture that Airbus is developing for its next generation of zero-emission aircraft.
Hydrogen fuel cells produce large amounts of heat as they generate electricity. Managing that heat efficiently and safely is essential to achieving performance, reliability and certification standards for commercial aviation. Conflux’s design combines additive manufacturing and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) optimisation to deliver a lightweight, compact and high-performance solution tailored to aerospace integration.
From lab to flight
“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.”
Founded in 2017, Conflux Technology specialises in additive manufacturing for thermal and fluid applications, particularly in sectors where performance and weight optimisation are critical. The collaboration with Airbus reflects growing recognition of how complex, high-efficiency heat exchangers can be redesigned and fabricated using 3D printing to overcome conventional design limitations.
Supporting Airbus’ ZEROe vision
The Airbus ZEROe programme is focused on bringing a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft into service, targeting the world’s first zero-emission passenger plane within the next decade. As part of this initiative, Airbus is testing multiple propulsion technologies — including hydrogen combustion and fuel cell systems — with suppliers like Conflux providing essential components for cooling and system efficiency.
The Conflux heat exchanger is currently being assessed for integration into Airbus’ hydrogen fuel cell architecture, with further system-level testing planned in the coming months. If validated, the technology could represent a major leap forward in aerospace thermal management, reducing weight, improving performance, and enabling hydrogen propulsion to reach commercial readiness.
By merging additive manufacturing and advanced simulation, the project highlights the global collaboration driving aviation’s energy transition, demonstrating how suppliers and OEMs are rethinking core engineering systems to support the future of sustainable flight.
