Omnidea is a Portuguese SME that develops technologies for space and energy applications. For space, they are developing weldless aluminum reservoirs, miniature pressure regulators, and aluminum-titanium transition joints. These technologies are at TRL 4-5 and being funded by ESA programs. For energy, they are working on high energy density batteries and high altitude wind energy platforms. Boreas, a tethered airship, is at TRL 4 while Energon batteries are in proof-of-concept testing. Omnidea has 16 employees with engineering expertise and collaborates with universities and research centers in Portugal and Europe.

1. Omnidea, Lda
Aerospace Technology & Energy Systems
Space @ Omnidea: 2013 technology
status, strategy and the future

2. Company Overview
Omnidea is a Portuguese SME, incubated in ESA from 2003 to 2005.
The company operates in the Space and Energy markets.
Mission & Business Strategy
• R&D in new concepts and solutions.
• License breakthrough achievements.
Facilities
• Offices, Workshop, Electronics Lab. and Hangar
• Access to some of the best Mechanical manufacturing
labs and electrochemistry labs in the Lisbon area
Highlights
We are a debt-free company, export oriented SME (>80% of turnover) and
within the top 10 of Space companies in Portugal.

3. Staff
• 16 full time employees (more than 25 000 man-hours per year)
• All staff has min. 5-year higher education mainly in Engineering (4 have PhD),
senior staff has international experience
• Staff competences within the company include manufacturing technology,
control and simulation strategies, aerodynamics, inflatable structures, power
electronics and electrochemistry
Staff and Growth
Growth

4. Networking
Protocols and Research Partners
– IST-UTL (University, Portugal)
– FCT-UNL (University, Portugal)
– LNEG (Laboratory, Portugal)
– DTU (Laboratory, Denmark)
– Zagreb University (Croatia)
– Graz University (Austria)
Aerospace Industry Clients
– European Space Agency
– Astrium Space Transportation
– Swedish Space Corporation
– Magna Steyr Aerospace

5. Knowledge & Awareness
IPR & Publications
– BOREAS Granted at European; US and National Levels
– In 2012 Omnidea filed 8% of Portuguese PCT
– Nearly 20 articles produced + presences at 2011 ESPC
(Nice), SP 2012 (Bordeaux) and SP 2014 (Koln)
– 2 Book Chapters, on manufacturing techniques and
on high altitude wind energy, both in Springer
Events
– Hannover Messe 2010
– Paris/LeBourget Air Show 2011
– ASD Convention 2012
Media
– Euronews (scheduled)
– RTP (Portuguese Radio & Television network)
– Newspapers: Publico & Diário Económico

6. Technology Status
- Space

7. Technologies
Inovgas - Weldless aluminium Reservoirs
 Single step, Al cold forming, avoids structural
welds and expensive + time consuming NDT
 Provides liners for COPV, or tanks for
intermediate pressure; under Astrium’s guidance
it has matured to “TRL 4.5”
MiPRe - Mini Pressure Regulator
 200-to-15bar, 25g, pressure regulator
 For screw-in on M8 bolts, 20mm tall outside head
 Flow from high pressure to low pressure achieved in
a single stage, through micro-orifice matching
ATTS-MPW
 7 series aluminium
 Metal-Composite transitions
 Bi-metal transitions (ex: Al-Ti)

8. Inovgas - Weldless Al Reservoirs
Currentcapabilities(ARTES5.2-phaseI)
  = 200mm/120mm
 AA 6063, 6082 or 7075
 0,4L < V < 17L
 Cylindrical shape (elliptical
or spherical domes)
200mm tool @ MCG120mm tool @ IST
• 4,5 tons
• 2,7m tall
• 1250 ton press
• 2,5 tons
• 2,2m tall
• In a 120 ton press
Future capabilities (phase II - 2015)
 AA6082, burn-upon-re-entry compliant liner
 330mm for sizes between 20L to 80L
 10 ton, 2,9m tall automated tool; estimated
min. production rate of 10 units per week
(Space batches) or 5 liners/day (normal batch)

9. ATTS-MPW: Al- to-Ti connection by MPW
Technology principle Application
Simulation
Future possibilities
 Connection of any conductive metal (outside)
to any metal or polymer (inside)
 Tailor made special applications possible with
coil re-design
 1’’, 1 ½ ‘’ and 2’’ Al-to-Ti and Al-to-SS standard
transition joints

10. Project Status & Financing
Technology
In
Development
Funding
(Agency/Program)
Outcome
Inovgas Since 2007
€1,5Mn - ESA
(ARTES 5.1 until 2010
ARTES 5.2 since
ARTES 3-4 for Qual.)
EM Proto (ARTES 5.2 phase I)
EM full scale (ARTES 5.2 phase II)
MiPRe In 2011
€50k
(EC cohesion funds)
25g,20mm long, 200bar-to-
15bar regulator
ATTS-
MPW
Since 2012
€290k
(ESA -GSTP 5,
pot. CCN for TRL5)
Large diameter and thick, port-
to-tube, TS
S-SHE Since 2011 50K€ (TRP) Proof-of-Concept

11. TRL and Evolution
• Inovgas – Weldless aluminium liners for COPV use
• MiPRe – Mini Pressure Regulator
• ATTS-MPW– Al- to-Ti Transition Joints through Magnetic Pulse Welding
Phase I (2014)
Phase II (2015)
INOVGAS
(ARTES)
Qual (2016 )
GSTP 5 (2014)
GSTP 5-CCN (2015)
ATTS-MPW
(GSTP-5)
GSTP 5 (2013)
GSTP 5 (2014)
GSTP 5- (2015)
MiPRe
(EC-QREN)
GSTP 5 (2013)

12. Technology Status
- Energy

13. Project Status & Financing
Technology
In
Development
Funding
(Agency/Program)
Outcome
Energon Since 2013
236K€ (FP7)
250K€ (QREN)
Proof-of-Concept/Prototype
Boreas Since 2009
3M€ (FP7)
750K€ (QREN)
100K€ (ESA/GSTP)
Wind Energy Prototype
HAP@TRL4 (no PayLoad)
Energon
• High Density Energy Storage, Solid State
Elechtrochemical Cell
• Significant Possibilities in remote locations
• Science Missions to Mars with ISRU

14. Technologies
Boreas
• Tethered and hybrid (lift +
buoyancy) airborne module
• Works by executing a pumping
cycle
• Long Endurance and High
Altitude
• Low Size Vs Payload
• Fast and easy Deployment
• Low-Cost

15. TRL and Evolution
• Energon - Carbon Based High Energy Density Electrochemistry
• Boreas – High Altitude Platforms
Science/TRP
(2014)
GSTP/Science
(2016)
Energon
(Science/TRP)
FP7/QREN
(2013)
ESA/EU(2014)
ESA/EU (2016)
Boreas
(EC/ESA)
QREN/FP7/GSTP
(2009-2013)

16. Omnidea, Lda
Aerospace Technology & Energy Systems
luis.alves@omnidea.net
www.omnidea.net
Tel: +351 211913169/917889482
OBRIGADO