H2ELIOS: Preliminary Tests Completed on Cryogenic Tank for Zero-Emission Aviation

On July 24–28, preliminary tests on the cryogenic tank developed under the H2ELIOS Project (HydrogEn Lightweight & Innovative tank for zerO-emisSion aircraft, Clean Aviation) were held in Seville, at Sonaca España plant.

The aim of these tests was to verify the tank's tightness at room temperature and under cryogenic conditions.

CIRA specifically oversaw the structural monitoring, using optical fiber strain sensors to detect the stress level in critical areas and acoustic emission probes to identify dynamic events of energy release related to structural settling caused by mechanical stresses and thermal distortions.

The results obtained, in line with the Project's technology development roadmap, pave the way for the subsequent phases of system-level validation with liquid hydrogen.