Conflux Technology, the Australian specialist in AM heat-exchanger design and manufacture, says it is developing an additively manufactured heat exchanger for Airbus’ ZEROe program. The component is designed to meet the cooling demands of hydrogen-electric, megawatt-class fuel-cell propulsion systems and is currently undergoing a technology-readiness maturity assessment as part of Airbus’s broader hydrogen fuel cell architecture.
The company says additive manufacturing enables geometries that cannot be achieved through conventional methods, such as highly complex internal channels that increase surface area for heat transfer while minimizing weight and volume. For aerospace, this ability to combine compactness with performance is seen as crucial, since thermal management directly impacts overall system efficiency, flight endurance, and safety.
Conflux notes the unit was designed with extensive CFD and validated in lab-scale testing to balance low mass, compact form factor, and high performance for aerospace integration. “Thermal management is a core enabler for hydrogen propulsion,” said Michael Fuller, CEO of Conflux Technology, adding that the collaboration helps move AM heat-exchange tech “from lab to flight.”
Airbus’s ZEROe initiative targets a commercially viable, fully electric, hydrogen-powered airliner, with suppliers contributing certified subsystems such as thermal management hardware for safe and efficient operation. Conflux says continued development and system-level testing are planned in the coming months.
By working with Airbus, Conflux positions itself at the forefront of aerospace decarbonization, joining a select group of suppliers supporting the ZEROe program. The firm has previously applied its AM heat exchanger technology to sectors including motorsport and energy, but views aerospace as the ultimate proving ground for performance-driven, weight-sensitive applications.
Earlier this year, the company partnered with Italian hypercar maker Pagani Automobili on advanced heat exchangers for the Utopia model, highlighting its ability to deliver performance-critical components in luxury automotive applications. Conflux also launched a UK hub to accelerate its European expansion, strengthening its global footprint and aerospace customer access.
Additive manufacturing in heat exchangers
Conflux’s Airbus project builds on an expanding context of research and industrial adoption around 3D printed heat exchangers. Earlier this year, Lithoz, an Austrian company specializing in ceramic 3D printing, demonstrated aluminium nitride ceramic heat exchangers designed for hydrogen aircraft, showcasing how advanced materials can withstand extreme thermal stresses in aviation environments.
Similarly, French startup Temisth has been leveraging Eplus3D’s EP-M300 metal AM system to optimize heat exchanger production for a large-scale desalination initiative, emphasizing AM’s potential to reduce costs and improve efficiency in industrial-scale projects.
On the research side, studies have highlighted the performance gains possible with additively manufactured geometries. One investigation found that a 3D printed condenser could significantly outperform conventional designs, underlining the disruptive role that AM-enabled architectures may play in next-generation cooling and energy systems. Against this backdrop, Conflux’s work with Airbus signals how the technology is moving from laboratory proofs-of-concept into aerospace-critical applications.
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Featured image shows Airbus’ ZEROe fully electric hydrogen-powered four pod aircraft. Image via Conflux Technology.
