The Navarre-based industrial cooperative is driving an R&D project together with the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) and the German multinational DEUTZ to convert combustion engines to hydrogen, delving deeper into the design of engine blocks and cylinder heads, material behavior, and stress and fatigue analysis. The initiative was presented this Wednesday during a European event on energy innovation projects promoted by both the private sector and universities, held at UPNA’s campus.
Pamplona, 11 February 2026 – Tafalla Iron Foundry (TIF) is taking new and significant steps forward in its industrial innovation strategy. Its latest development is a research project aimed at converting internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen. Through this line of work, the industrial cooperative seeks to strengthen its position not only as a manufacturer of cast components, but also as a technological partner in the design of the engines of the future.
This initiative, developed specifically in collaboration with the German multinational DEUTZ and the Public University of Navarre (UPNA), focuses on a comprehensive analysis of the behavior of engine blocks and cylinder heads when operating with hydrogen. In this way, key aspects are addressed such as material strength, defect formation, embrittlement phenomena, mechanical stresses and fatigue, as well as the influence of this fuel on engine performance and emissions.
Luis Enrique Asa, Head of the Laboratory Management System, Metallurgy and Materials, and Atenea Romero, Project Manager and head of this innovation project, have been directly involved in the development. They were also responsible for presenting the progress achieved during the event held at UPNA. They were accompanied by Ignacio Ugalde, the cooperative’s Director of Human Resources and Legal Affairs.
“The idea is that Tafalla Iron Foundry should not only be a foundry for parts, but that we can convey to our clients that we are committed to being partners in the design of the engines of the future,” explains Romero. “These types of projects allow us to train in that design process, understand thicknesses, technologies and new requirements, and offer support that goes beyond traditional foundry experience,” she adds.
The research includes converting a conventional combustion engine to hydrogen, testing it on an engine test bench, and carrying out a detailed analysis of parameters such as torque and power, hydrogen and air consumption, thermal behavior, and NOx emissions. In parallel, specific tests are being conducted on cast materials, both on samples and on real components, to evaluate their behavior before and after exposure to hydrogen.
One of the project’s distinguishing pillars is the development of knowledge around the design of hydrogen-adapted components, especially with regard to cylinder heads and internal circuits, where the greatest technical challenges are concentrated. This work combines advanced sensor technology, experimental testing, simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and metallurgical analyses, generating a high-value database for future industrial developments.
“We are clearly committed to innovation through applied research,” comments the project leader. “We work with fatigue data, stresses, mixtures and material behavior, relying on experts in engineering and metallurgy, and helping to generate an ecosystem in Navarre focused on hydrogen engine development.”
The project’s progress was presented this week during the event “RIDi Energía: Cross-Border R&D&I Results and University–Industry Experiences,” held this Wednesday at UPNA, a forum where collaboration initiatives between academia and industry in the field of the energy transition were showcased.
With this research line, Tafalla Iron Foundry strengthens its commitment to the decarbonization of transport and industry, exploring technological alternatives that make it possible to harness hydrogen as an energy vector without giving up the advantages of combustion engines in certain applications. At the same time, the cooperative consolidates its commitment to an innovation model based on collaboration, knowledge, and the development of high value-added industrial solutions.
The RIDi Pirineos project has been co-financed at 65% by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain–France–Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2021–2027). The objective of POCTEFA is to strengthen the economic and social integration of the Spain–France–Andorra border area.
