On February 10, 2026, Parliamentary State Secretary Matthias Hauer from the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) personally handed over the funding notification for the InnoWaerm project to Project Manager Andreas Vogelpoth and his team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen.
»With the Hightech Agenda Germany, we are setting clear research and economic policy impulses for the innovation location Germany. The goal is to systematically transfer scientific excellence into marketable technologies and societal applications«, said Matthias Hauer. »The BMFTR program for validation funding VIP+ creates a reliable bridge between research and value creation – open to themes and applications. The VIP+ funding project InnoWaerm impressively demonstrates this and will make an important contribution to a competitive and sustainable mobility of the future with its innovative manufacturing process. I wish the project team the greatest possible success.«
In addition to representatives from the ministry, researchers from both involved Fraunhofer Institutes ILT and IMM also participated in the event. For Fraunhofer ILT, among others, Institute Director Dr. Jochen Stollenwerk, Dr. Tim Lantzsch, Head of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), and Alexander Neuke, who will take over the scientific leadership of the project in the future, were present.
»With InnoWaerm, we are developing a solution to make hydrogen compact, lightweight, and robust for mobile heavy-duty applications. With our technology, we are laying the foundation for climate-neutral drives for aircraft and large agricultural machines, where batteries reach their limits«, emphasizes Andreas Vogelpoth.
Subsequently, the delegation visited the laboratory where the project team is developing the novel lightweight heat exchangers and reactors.
Dr. Gunther Kolb represented the Fraunhofer Institute for Microtechnology and Microsystems IMM from Mainz, where he is Deputy Institute Director and Head of Decentralized Hydrogen Technology. The meeting provided an opportunity for direct exchange on the technological challenges, the opportunities of additive manufacturing, and the next steps towards industrial implementation.
Fraunhofer ILT in Aachen coordinates the project; the project duration is 24 months. Fraunhofer IMM contributes its many years of experience in the field of compact reactor systems for hydrogen production. Both institutes work closely together to link the new manufacturing technology with specific application requirements from energy and mobility research.
»With our many years of experience in hydrogen technology, we bring the perspective of system integration to InnoWaerm, from the chemical process in the microreactor to the application«, explains Gunther Kolb.
Lightweight, heat-resistant, freely formable
The goal of InnoWaerm is to develop high-temperature resistant lightweight heat exchangers and reactors for mobile applications such as heavy commercial vehicles or aviation. This is not only about classic heat exchangers for efficient energy use but also about so-called microreactors to directly produce hydrogen from liquids such as methanol or ammonia, which can then be used for propulsion.
The researchers use titanium aluminide, an extremely lightweight, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant alloy that they process additively. The 3D printing process LPBF used has been specifically further developed at Fraunhofer ILT to enable the previously problematic processing of the particularly brittle titanium aluminide.
»Titanium aluminide is classified as intermetallic phases. It combines properties of metallic and ceramic materials. The unusual alloy is extremely lightweight, heat-resistant, but also brittle and difficult to process«, explains Vogelpoth. »Therefore, it has hardly been usable for complex components until now. With our new preheating technique in the laser melting process, we can change that now. This makes it possible to manufacture microstructured reactors that are light enough for use in mobile applications, from aircraft to agricultural machinery.«
Titanium aluminide could previously only be processed very laboriously, for example, with electron beam melting or casting. Through additive manufacturing, precise geometries can now be produced and adapted to thermal and flow requirements. »What we want to show: It is possible. It can be done. And it is worth it«, summarizes Vogelpoth.
Together with Fraunhofer IMM, the project partners integrate the additively manufactured components into mobile reactor units in combination with fuel cells, combining low weight with high temperature resistance.
[InnoWaerm combines novel materials with application-oriented research and makes an important contribution to climate-neutral mobility of the future: Reactors made of titanium aluminide are to produce hydrogen directly on board aircraft by converting liquid carrier substances.]
Reactors for range
The focus of the project is aviation: Every kilogram counts, and at the same time, the demands for emission-free drives are increasing. The reactor modules developed in the project are to produce hydrogen directly on board by converting liquid carrier substances. This avoids complex tank solutions with gaseous hydrogen and creates new opportunities for range and safety.
The technology is particularly suitable for hybrid drive systems, where fuel cells, in conjunction with chemical energy carriers, enable a flexible and low-emission energy supply. The concept also offers great advantages for other mobile applications with high loads, such as agricultural machines or commercial vehicles. The combination of low weight, high temperature resistance, and compact design is particularly relevant where space is limited and efficiency requirements are high.
In the next project phase, the focus will be on validation under real operating conditions. The project team plans to demonstrate manufacturability on an industrial scale and showcase the potential of the new manufacturing technology for climate-neutral drive systems in aviation.
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