Contributing multi-disciplinary expertise  [ Return towards  Our competences  ]

  Our teams enrich one another in our different fields of activity. The cryogenic tanks on the Ariane rocket in particular were developed from knowledge acquired by Air Liquide in cryogenic storage and in the articulated trucks that haul the fluids sold by the Group.

For Ariane, we developed a special insulation technology, drastically reduced the thickness of the tank walls to save weight, while guaranteeing that they could withstand the vibrations and other stresses sustained during take-off.

The experience we gained in relation to the space industry is now taking us to the motor vehicle sector, where it can be put to good use in providing outstandingly efficient cryogenic tanks for the vehicles of tomorrow, which will run on hydrogen...

  Cryogenics, to take just one example, seldom features as a taught option on the academic program of Universities and specialist Engineering Schools but it is an area that calls for a great number of disciplines.

At the design phase, we have to consider phase transitions, supercritical fluids, two-phase flows, thermo-mechanical stresses, thermo-acoustic oscillations and other distinctive characteristics that emerge at very low temperatures.

At the manufacturing end, cryogenics requires us to master the structure and super-insulation materials, the techniques of assembly and connection, tightness tests and quality assurance procedures. For our teams this a training ground for excellence.