Liquid Hydrogen Void Fraction

Atout Process and ArianeGroup are very pleased to announce the first real time measurements of void fraction in a flowing liquid hydrogen (LH2) feed line, during a flight hardware verification test.
The test used Atout Smart Tanks for Space (SMARTTS) technology in a LH2 transfer line at 22K-24K and 1.5 - 2.5 bar.
The test successfully measured void fraction to +/- 1%, and measured the velocity of injected gaseous hydrogen.

Diagram of Test data extract showing hydrogen gas injection into liquid hydrogen
Test data extract showing hydrogen gas injection into
liquid hydrogen flow labelled 1 - 5.


SMARTTS is being developed to provide reliable measurement of propellant mass and distribution under all circumstances including, during ground test, in powered flight, in micro-G, and in any orientation.

Richard Foster-Turner, COO at Atout said “This is a great demonstration of our SMARTTS technology and its ability to measure cryogenic fluid distribution, in real time, in any vessel, which in the case was the main LH2 feed line in pre-flight test.”

Dr. Kei Philipp Behruzi, Senior Expert Thermal & Fluid Dynamics from ArianeGroup said “We are seeking for fill level measurement technologies for cryogenic liquids which also work under microgravity conditions. Atout's technology offers a solution to this challenge. Measuring void fractions in a liquid hydrogen feed line was for us a first relevant application test which was successfully accomplished.”


About Atout Process


Established in 2010 and trading since 2011, Atout has a technology portfolio that includes a range of non-intrusive electromagnetic measurement techniques such as Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT), Magnetic Inductance Tomography (MIT), Electrical Velocity Tomography (EVT), and other novel techniques.

Atout develops solutions based on these technologies to solve some of the most difficult measurement problems in industry including food, energy, oil & gas, aerospace and defence. Atout's offering allows customers to see inside pipes and vessels through opaque barriers and to weigh moving product without direct contact.


About ArianeGroup


ArianeGroup is an industrial company delivering critical missions for the space and defence sectors. With 8,300 highly qualified employees in France and Germany, ArianeGroup has unique expertise in access to space, covering the full spectrum of civil and military launch systems, including design, development, manufacturing, integration, flight preparation, operational readiness and end-of-life decommissioning. ArianeGroup is lead contractor for the Ariane 6 European launcher for the European Space Agency (ESA), and for the French oceanic deterrent force M51 strategic missile for the French Defence Armament Procurement Agency (DGA).

Internationally recognised for its innovative, competitive solutions, ArianeGroup has expertise in state-of-the-art technologies, from the chemistry of propellants and composite materials, to liquid, solid and electric space propulsion systems. ArianeGroup also offers a broad range of space, defence and industrial equipment and services, both individually and together with its subsidiaries Sodern, Pyroalliance, Nuclétudes and APP.

In the field of space launchers, ArianeGroup's subsidiary Arianespace markets and operates the Ariane 6 and Vega-C launchers developed for ESA, and its subsidiary MaiaSpace develops and markets the reusable launcher Maia.

ArianeGroup, equally owned by Airbus and Safran, posted consolidated revenues of €2.3 billion in 2023.

Press Release - January 2024


European Space Agency to send Atout's 'Smart Tanks for Space' to International Space Station


The astronauts of the future won't need to wait for the fuel light to come on before they know their tanks are running low - thanks to a new system from UK company Atout Process Ltd that can accurately measure how full a tank is in zero gravity. A project funded by the European Space Agency is enabling Atout's Smart Tanks for Space (SMARTTS) systems to be tested onboard the International Space Station.

While car fuel gauges rely on gravity, Atout's technology uses electrical capacitance tomography sensors to measure the mass of liquid in a tank, show where it is and how it is moving, and to calculate the resulting forces on the vehicle. SMARTTS solve many of the longstanding problems of measuring propellant in space vessels in zero gravity.

To build the prototype SMARTTS system to go to the International Space Station, Atout will enlist the help of space engineers at Surrey Space Centre, part of the University of Surrey, and use the specialist facilities there. The SpaceCraft programme, funded by the UK Space Agency and designed to boost space enterprise and skills in the region, opens the doors of Surrey Space Centre to businesses who otherwise struggle to find the specialist maker-spaces, expert engineers and testing facilities they need to develop new products for the space sector.

Andrew Hunt, Chief Executive at Atout, said: “We're confident that SMARTTS can report, in real-time, accurate measurements of fuel, even in space. Thanks to ESA, we'll now get the chance to prove it in orbit through experiments on the International Space Station. It's essential new technology for proposed new space industries and will enable measurable in-orbit refuelling.”

Professor Keith Ryden, Director of Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, said:
“With their SMARTTS, Atout have a fantastic product and we're helping them demonstrate its value. We have built many instruments to go to space so we're well placed to advise them and have the specialist equipment and facilities they'll need, like clean rooms and machines to check SMARTTS can withstand the stresses of launch and the harsh conditions of space.

“Gauges like those used in cars don't work in zero gravity, so alternative techniques are used in space which rely on estimates and calculations. However, errors can accumulate and there's no real-time information, so mission designers have to factor in extra reserves of fuel, with significant associated costs. SMARTTS could be a real game-changer in the space sector, saving money and opening doors to new industries, and we're keen to see how they operate in orbit.”

Atout will build the prototype SMARTTS system for testing on ISS in 2024 and ESA currently plans to launch it in 2025.

What SMARTTS can do for you


Accurate Real-Time, Zero-G, Propellant Gauging

SMARTTS answers the long unsolved problem of gauging propellant in microgravity.

SMARTTS is applicable to any spacecraft
using liquid or gaseous propellant, at any scale,
providing accurate gauging in any gravity
and any orientation.

Accurate gauging will improve spacecraft efficiency, allow reduced propellant reserve, increase spacecraft lifetime, and help reduced space debris risk by allowing better end of life planning.

Learn more

Accurate Real Time Slosh Force Measurement / Fluid Torque Measurement

SMARTTS provides a real time fluid distribution measurement.

From the distribution measurement, real time CoM and any resulting torque on a spacecraft can be determined.

Learn more

Propellant Custody Transfer

Accurate gauging is ubiquitous for any transfer of valuable liquid commodities in Earth

Propellant accelerated to orbital velocity is the most valuable commodity of all,
and it follows that SMARTTS will enable trustworthy propellant transfer between vehicles and between organisations.

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Void Fraction Measurement

In any liquid propulsion system the availability of liquid propellant at a tank outlet or pump inlet is critical.

SMARTTS allows real time measurement of void (or gas) fraction however caused. For cryogenic propellants boiling is an additional source of void fraction, and SMARTTS can be used to monitor critical volumes or entire tanks.

Learn more

Contact Us

smartts@atoutprocess.com

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