H2ELIOS

Main Goals of the Project

The Project aims to develop an innovative liquid hydrogen tank for aeronautical applications. To achieve this goal, the definition of appropriate technical requirements for a safe and efficient LH₂ storage system is foreseen. In addition, the characterization of the functional behaviour of the proposed solution is planned, and ground tests will be carried out to verify its operational feasibility. H2ELIOS also includes the design and optimization of the system, together with the construction of a prototype and its auxiliary subsystems. Particular attention is also dedicated to safety, ensured through an innovative structural health monitoring approach, as well as to sustainability assessment through Life Cycle Assessment and cost analysis over the entire life cycle. The project also addresses the challenges related to refuelling and promotes synergies with other initiatives. Finally, it lays the groundwork for future certifications and disseminates the results to stakeholders in the aeronautical sector.

CIRA Activities in the Project

CIRA is involved in two critical areas relevant to the development of the LH₂ tank

The first area concerns structural health monitoring aimed at detecting damage levels and the early onset of potential cracks. To this end, strain‑measurement techniques based on both distributed and concentrated fiber‑optic sensing are implemented, together with interferometric measurements (acoustic emission) of stress waves generated by possible crack initiation. The effectiveness of these technologies, already demonstrated in laboratory conditions, will be validated on the final tank prototype.

The second area of CIRA’s involvement concerns the development of innovative damping systems designed to mitigate impact effects on the tank, in line with crashworthiness requirements. Numerical simulations of the most critical impact scenarios have made it possible to define the specifications and layout of the dampers. A subsequent phase of prototyping and testing has been carried out, demonstrating the effectiveness of the devised damping system.

General Project Information

Funding Programme: Clean Aviation

Start Date: 01/01/2023; End Date: 31/07/2026

Official Project Website: https://h2elios.eu/home

Coordinating Organization: Aciturri

Partners: Piaggio Aero Industries, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, Test-Fuchs, Lgai Technological Center, AIMEN Technology Centre, Fraunhofer, CIRA, Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, University of Patras, Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya, Easn Technology Innovation Services

CIRA Contact: Salvatore Ameduri, s.ameduri@cira.it