Dallara and Conflux Technology collaborate on thermal management for hydrogen-powered racing

Dallara, the Italian motorsport engineering firm based in Parma, and Conflux Technology, an Australian additive manufacturing company headquartered in Geelong, have launched a pre-study to co-develop a liquid hydrogen-to-coolant heat exchanger for a next-generation hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) endurance race car. The project supports the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's (ACO) hydrogen roadmap toward 2030 and aims to solve the critical thermal management challenge of converting cryogenic liquid hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen for engine injectors. Dallara is evaluating key subsystems of the liquid hydrogen storage and delivery system, developing a digital twin of the complete system, and targeting a validated endurance prototype for the planned hydrogen class. The heat exchanger will be produced using additive manufacturing to create complex internal geometries that optimize thermal performance, reduce weight, and minimize pressure losses while preventing coolant freezing at cryogenic temperatures.

This collaboration matters because it applies metal AM to one of the most demanding thermal management problems in motorsport: cryogenic hydrogen systems where component packaging, weight, and reliability are extreme. Conflux Technology brings proven expertise in additively manufactured heat exchangers for high-performance applications, while Dallara provides vehicle-level integration and motorsport program credibility. The project sits at the intersection of the automotive vertical's selective serial-part use and the broader energy transition push toward hydrogen propulsion. For the AM industry, this represents a high-value, low-volume application where AM's design freedom directly enables a solution that conventional manufacturing cannot easily match - avoiding coolant freezing, fitting tight vehicle architectures, and resisting hydrogen embrittlement. The partnership also positions Dallara to offer manufacturers and racing teams a validated liquid hydrogen platform, reducing their development burden and accelerating adoption of hydrogen ICE technology in endurance racing.

From an expert perspective, this is a targeted, engineering-driven collaboration that addresses a real bottleneck in hydrogen motorsport rather than a speculative technology demonstration. The practical next step is for Dallara and Conflux to move from simulation to hardware testing, proving that the additively manufactured heat exchanger can survive the thermal cycling, vibration, and safety requirements of endurance racing. For other teams and OEMs evaluating hydrogen programs, this project provides a reference point for how AM can solve packaging and performance constraints that conventional heat exchanger designs cannot.