Conflux joins Thermal Management for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft consortium
Conflux Technology, headquartered in Geelong, Australia, has joined the Honeywell-led TheMa4HERA (Thermal Management for Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft) consortium. The project, comprising twenty-eight partners across ten European countries, is coordinated from Honeywell’s international development centre in Brno, Czech Republic.
Conflux will focus on applying its thermal management experience to the accelerated development of lightweight additively manufactured heat exchangers for aircraft. This includes contributions to multiple projects focused on both Air Cycle Systems (ACS) and Vapour Cycle Systems (VCS) and, specifically, an air-to-air heat exchanger for ACS as well as air-to-liquid heat exchangers for VCS evaporator and condenser.
“Joining TheMa4HERA aligns with Conflux Technology’s commitment to delivering high-performance thermal solutions that enable energy-efficient, low-emission aviation,” stated Michael Fuller, CEO of Conflux Technology. “Our Additive Manufacturing capabilities will help the consortium push the boundaries of thermal management design to meet the demands of hybrid electric propulsion systems.”
The TheMa4HERA project – a Clean Aviation project – addresses the growing complexity of thermal management in hybrid-electric aircraft, driven by the increasing integration of heat-generating components such as batteries, fuel cells, and power electronics. The initiative will explore and validate advanced thermal architectures and systems to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and meet evolving sustainability regulations. The programme targets the advancement of heat exchanger technologies up to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 through component-level development and system testing.
“Conflux brings valuable technological capabilities to TheMa4HERA’s collaborative effort to develop the next generation of thermal management solutions,” said Jan Ludvik, Senior Director of Advanced Technology Europe, Honeywell Aerospace. “Each partner’s expertise strengthens our mission to deliver sustainable solutions that transform aviation.”
By 2026, TheMa4HERA aims to advance heat exchanger technologies to TRL 5 through the use of digital twins, virtual demonstrations, and ground testing. Clean Aviation Phase 2, scheduled to begin in 2027, will focus on flight testing and further integration of the most promising solutions. TheMa4HERA aims to deliver scalable thermal technologies for hybrid-electric aircraft, supporting climate-neutral aviation by 2035.
