Engineering topics

Freeman, William T., Jr.

Publications and source records attributed to Freeman, William T., Jr..

3 records

NASA NTRS1992

Reusable Cryogenic-Liquid Tank With Replaceable Liner

Conceptual tank with replaceable liner holds liquid propellant and is suitable for reuse in spacecraft propulsion systems. Main components are: composite outer shell for containment of pressure, replaceable membrane liner, and foam-filled honeycomb sandwich bonded to inside of tank to insulate and stabilize wall of tank. Concept maximizes potential of filament-wound composite pressure shells with strength-to-density ratios five times those of comparable aluminum shells. Reduction in weight as much as 50 percent.

Freeman, William T., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Cost - The challenge for advanced materials and structures

Information is presented on the cost of various aircraft structures, together with methods for predicting and reducing cost. The need for the development of cost models, and of a comparative cost algorithm which could function as an engineering design tool to evaluate different design concepts, is emphasized. Efforts are underway to develop cost models that establish building-block unit cell elements that represent different material forms, geometric shapes, fabrication processes, and methods of assembly, with the purpose of expressing cost per pound or labor per pound data, with physical design and manufacture variables that a designer can visualize.

Davis, John G., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Filament wound metal lined propellant tanks for future Earth-to-orbit transports

For future Earth-to-orbit transport vehicles, reusability and lighter weights are sought for the main propellant tanks. To achieve this, a filament wound tank with a metal liner and an intermediate layer of foam-filled honeycomb is proposed. A hydrogen tank is used as an example. To accommodate mismatches in the expansion of liner and overwrap a design is proposed wherin the liner is configured so that the extension of the liner under pressure matches the expected contraction of the same liner due to the presence of a cryogen. In operation, the liner is pressurized at a rate such that the pressure strain matches the contraction due to decrease in temperature. As an alternate approach, compressive pre-stress is placed in the liner such that it will not separate from the overwrap. A finite element program is used to show stresses in the liner and overwrap for various tank pressures for the pre-stressed liner concept. A fracture mechanics analysis is made of the liners to determine tank life. The tank concept shown has a similar weight to the Shuttle external hydrogen tank, but the filament wound tank is expected to be reusable. Integration of the propellant tanks into a future transport vehicle is discussed.

Macconochie, Ian O.↗