Liquid hydrogen: three cutting-edge pieces of equipment for French IRT Jules Verne
As part of the NOMADE research project on optimising the performance of liquid hydrogen tanks, the Jules Verne Institute for Technological Research, based in Nantes, France, has invested in three new tools.

Developing insulation solutions to optimise the thermal and gravimetric performance of liquid hydrogen tanks. This is the objective of the French Jules Verne Institute for Technological Research (IRT) with its latest acquisitions.

The Nantes-based institute recently acquired three complementary pieces of cutting-edge equipment as part of the NOMADE project on liquid hydrogen tanks, which will enable it to study the industrial and economic feasibility of the processes under investigation.
The first two pieces of equipment, installed at the Jules Verne Institute, received support from France 2030 and the European Regional Development Fund. It consists of an automated cell for removing multi-layer insulation (MLI) and a chamber for characterising the rate of outgassing of materials.
The third piece of equipment, a thermal characterisation bench, has been installed on the IRT Saint-Exupéry premises in Toulouse, France. Through this partnership, the IRT Jules Verne and the IRT Saint-Exupéry are strengthening French national know-how and inter-IRT collaboration, and pooling their expertise in characterisation to develop innovations tailored to the needs of industrial sectors.
Tooling for the hydrogen tank
The robotised insulation tape dispensing cell, installed in July 2024, was designed, manufactured and installed by Fives, a specialist in industrial engineering solutions and partner in the NOMADE project. The aim of this winding solution is to increase output and performance compared with existing manual solutions, with a view to the medium-term industrialisation of tanks for land transport (Forvia) and aeronautics (Airbus).
Acquired in March 2024, the enclosure for characterising the degassing rate of materials under secondary vacuum conditions is also part of the research work on the IRT Jules Verne liquid hydrogen tank. This vacuum chamber will be used to define the protocol for evacuating the tank’s double wall, to identify the time required and the tank’s long-term performance. The IRT Jules Verne will thus be able to provide recommendations (materials, vacuum protocol, preparations) to its industrial partners.
The third investment, the Cryostat, is a thermal characterisation bench for determining the thermal performance of multilayer insulation (MLI) at cryogenic temperatures in secondary vacuum conditions. Installed in September 2024 in Toulouse, on the premises of the IRT Saint-Exupéry, this equipment, which stands out for its dimensions (220x 40 cm), was developed by the French SME Absolut System. In addition to the work being carried out as part of the NOMADE project, opportunities for research services have already been identified for this equipment.
Distortion of injection parts and tools
Another new development at the school is the launch of the PROTEE feasibility study, in partnership with Airbus and Naval Group. The aim of this 12-month study, with a budget of €400,000, is to identify the most appropriate methods for modelling the manufacture of composite parts, either by liquid process (Resin Transfer Moulding) or by consolidation in a study or autoclave. The first part of the project will focus on predicting the distortion of parts for naval applications, and the second on predicting the distortion of resin injection tools for aeronautical applications.
The IRT Jules Verne is also committed to promoting work-linked training, and will be taking part in the 2025 edition of the Tech Alternance trade fair, organised virtually on 13 March and in person on 1 April in Nantes, France. The institution is also helping to create a national work-linked training label alongside the ‘Cercle des Pépites’, a group of around one hundred companies and schools in the Loire basin that are working to promote work-linked training.
Photo: IRT Jules Verne