Engineering topics

Knoll, Richard H.

Publications and source records attributed to Knoll, Richard H..

10 records

NASA NTRS1996

Tank Pressure Control Experiment: Thermal Phenomena in Microgravity

The report presents the results of the flight experiment Tank Pressure Control Experiment/Thermal Phenomena (TPCE/TP) performed in the microgravity environment of the space shuttle. TPCE/TP, flown on the Space Transportation System STS-52, was a second flight of the Tank Pressure Control Experiment (TPCE). The experiment used Freon 113 at near saturation conditions. The test tank was filled with liquid to about 83% by volume. The experiment consisted of 21 tests. Each test generally started with a heating phase to increase the tank pressure and to develop temperature stratification in the fluid, followed by a fluid mixing phase for the tank pressure reduction and fluid temperature equilibration. The heating phase provided pool boiling data from large (relative to bubble sizes) heating surfaces (0.1046 m by 0.0742 m) at low heat fluxes (0.23 to 1.16 kW/sq m). The system pressure and the bulk liquid subcooling varied from 39 to 78 kPa and 1 to 3 C, respectively. The boiling process during the entire heating period, as well as the jet-induced mixing process for the first 2 min of the mixing period, was also recorded on video. The unique features of the experimental results are the sustainability of high liquid superheats for long periods and the occurrence of explosive boiling at low heat fluxes (0.86 to 1.1 kW/sq m). For a heat flux of 0.97 kW/sq m, a wall superheat of 17.9 C was attained in 10 min of heating. This superheat was followed by an explosive boiling accompanied by a pressure spike of about 38% of the tank pressure at the inception of boiling. However, at this heat flux the vapor blanketing the heating surface could not be sustained. Steady nucleate boiling continued after the explosive boiling. The jet-induced fluid mixing results were obtained for jet Reynolds numbers of 1900 to 8000 and Weber numbers of 0.2 to 6.5. Analyses of data from the two flight experiments (TPCE and TPCE/TP) and their comparison with the results obtained in drop tower experiments suggest that as Bond number approaches zero the flow pattern produced by an axial jet and the mixing time can be predicted by the Weber number.

Hasan, Mohammad M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A review of candidate multilayer insulation systems for potential use on wet-launched LH2 tankage for the Space Exploration Initiative lunar missions

The storage of cryogenic propellants such as liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LO2) for the future Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) will require lightweight, high performance thermal protection systems (TPSs). For the near-term lunar missions, the major weight element for most of the TPSs will be multilayer insulation (MLI) and/or the special structures/systems required to accommodate the MLI. Methods of applying MLI to LH2 tankage to avoid condensation or freezing of condensible gases such as nitrogen or oxygen while in the atmosphere are discussed. Because relatively thick layers of MLI will be required for storage times of a month or more, the transient performance from ground-hold to space-hold of the systems will become important in optimizing the TPSs for many of the missions. The ground-hold performance of several candidate systems are given as well as a qualitative assessment of the transient performance effects.

Knoll, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Thermal performance of a liquid hydrogen tank multilayer insulation system at warm boundary temperatures of 630, 530, and 152 R

The results are presented of a study conducted to obtain experimental heat transfer data on a liquid hydrogen tank insulated with 34 layers of MLI (multilayer insulation) for warm side boundary temperatures of 630, 530, and 150 R. The MLI system consisted of two blankets, each blanket made up of alternate layers of double silk net (16 layers) and double aluminized Mylar radiation shields (15 layers) contained between two cover sheets of Dacron scrim reinforced Mylar. The insulation system was designed for and installed on an 87.6 in. diameter liquid hydrogen tank. Nominal layer density of the insulation blankets is 45 layers/in. The insulation system contained penetrations for structural support, plumbing, and electrical wiring that would be representative of a cryogenic spacecraft. The total steady state heat transfer rates into the test tank for shroud temperatures of 630, 530, 152 R were 164.4, 95.8, and 15.9 BTU/hr, respectively. The noninsulation heat leaks into the tank (12 fiberglass support struts, tank plumbing, and instrumentation lines) represent between 13 to 17 pct. of the total heat input. The heat input values would translate to liquid H2 losses of 2.3, 1.3, and 0.2 pct/day, with the tank held at atmospheric pressure.

Stochl, Robert J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Thermal performance of a liquid hydrogen tank multilayer insulation system at warm boundary temperatures of 630, 530, and 152 R

The results are presented of a study conducted to obtain experimental heat transfer data on a liquid hydrogen tank insulated with 34 layers of MLI (multilayer insulation) for warm side boundary temperatures of 630, 530, and 150 R. The MLI system consisted of two blankets, each blanket made up of alternate layers of double silk net (16 layers) and double aluminized Mylar radiation shields (15 layers) contained between two cover sheets of Dacron scrim reinforced Mylar. The insulation system was designed for and installed on a 87.6 in diameter liquid hydrogen tank. Nominal layer density of the insulation blankets is 45 layers/in. The insulation system contained penetrations for structural support, plumbing, and electrical wiring that would be representative of a cryogenic spacecraft. The total steady state heat transfer rates into the test tank for shroud temperatures of 630, 530, 152 R were 164.4, 95.8, and 15.9 BTU/hr respectively. The noninsulation heat leaks into the tank (12 fiberglass support struts, tank plumbing, and instrumentation lines) represent between 13 to 17 pct. of the total heat input. The heat input values would translate to liquid H2 losses of 2.3, 1.3, and 0.2 pct/day, with the tank held at atmospheric pressure.

Stochl, Robert J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A review of candidate multilayer insulation systems for potential use on wet-launched LH2 tankage for the space exploration initiative lunar missions

The storage of cryogenic propellants such as liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LO2) for the future Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) will require lightweight, high performance thermal protection systems (TPS's). For the near-term lunar missions, the major weight element for most of the TPS's will be multilayer insulation (MLI) and/or the special structures/systems required to accommodate the MLI. Methods of applying MLI to LH2 tankage to avoid condensation or freezing of condensible gases such as nitrogen or oxygen while in the atmosphere are discussed. Because relatively thick layers of MLI will be required for storage times of a month or more, the transient performance from ground-hold to space-hold of the systems will become important in optimizing the TPS's for many of the missions. The ground-hold performance of several candidate systems are given as well as a qualitative assessment of the transient performance effects.

Knoll, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Insulation For Cryogenic-Liquid Tanks

Rigid foam and radiation shields prevent excessive heating in variety of environments. Report discusses design, development, and test of thermal-protection system for liquid-oxygen and liquid-hydrogen tanks of now discontinued Shuttle/Centaur G' project. System protects tank from excessive heat before and during launches, while in orbit around Earth, and during premature landings from aborted launches. Designed to withstand stresses of launch and emergency landing, acoustical loads, rapid changes in pressure, and impingement of rapidly flowing gas near vents of cargo bay in Space Shuttle. Primary requirements in design, system presents no hazard to Space Shuttle or its crew.

Knoll, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Design, development, and test of Shuttle/Centaur G-prime cryogenic tankage thermal protection systems

The thermal protection systems (TPS) for the Shuttle/Centaur were designed to provide fail-safe thermal protection during prelaunch, launch ascent, and on-orbit operations as well as during potential abort, where the Shuttle and Centaur would return to earth. The TPS selected used a helium-purged polyimide foam beneath three radiation shields for the liquid-hydrogen (LH2) tank and radiation shields only for the liquid-oxygen (LO2) tank. A double-walled vacuum bulkhead separated the two tanks. The LH2 tank had one 1.9 cm-thick layer of foam on the forward bulkhead and two layers on the larger-area sidewall. Full scale tests of the flight vehicle in a simulated Shuttle cargo bay gave total prelaunch heating rates of 29.5 and 12.9 kW for the LH2 and LO2 tanks, respectively. Calorimeter tests on a representative sample of the LH2 tank sidewall TPS indicated that the measured unit heating one would rapidly decrease from the prelaunch rate of about 300 W/sq m to a desired rate less than 4 W/sq m once on-orbit.

Macneil, Peter N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Design, development and test of shuttle/Centaur G-prime cryogenic tankage thermal protection systems

The thermal protection systems for the shuttle/Centaur would have had to provide fail-safe thermal protection during prelaunch, launch ascent, and on-orbit operations as well as during potential abort. The thermal protection systems selected used a helium-purged polyimide foam beneath three rediation shields for the liquid-hydrogen tank and radiation shields only for the liquid-oxygen tank (three shields on the tank sidewall and four on the aft bulkhead). A double-walled vacuum bulkhead separated the two tanks. The liquid-hydrogen tank had one 0.75-in-thick layer of foam on the forward bulkhead and two layers on the larger area sidewall. Full scale tests of the flight vehicle in a simulated shuttle cargo bay that was purged with gaseous nitrogen gave total prelaunch heating rates of 88,500 Btu/hr and 44,000 Btu/hr for the liquid-hydrogen and -oxygen tanks, respectively. Calorimeter tests on a representative sample of the liquid-hydrogen tank sidewall thermal protection system indicated that the measured unit heating rate would rapidly decrease from the prelaunch rate of approx 100 Btu/hr/sq ft to a desired rate of less than 1.3 Btu/hr/sq ft once on orbit.

Knoll, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1962

Analysis of Thermal-Protection Systems for Space-Vehicle Cryogenic-Propellant Tanks

Analytical techniques are presented that permit the calculation of heat-transfer rates with various thermal-protection systems for liquid-cryogenic-propellant tanks subjected to on-board, solar, and planetary heat fluxes. The thermal-protection systems considered include using closely spaced reflective surfaces (foils) and widely spaced reflective surfaces (shadow shields), insulation, arrangement of vehicle components, orientation with respect to radiant heating sources, and coatings for the control of solar absorptivity. The effectiveness of these thermal-protection systems in reducing propellant heating is shown both for ideal heat-transfer models and for a simplified hydrogen-oxygen terminal stage on a Mars mission. The proper orientation of a space-vehicle cryogenic tank with respect to the Sun is one of the more beneficial methods of reducing the heating effect of solar flux. Shadow shields can be extremely effective in reducing the propellant heating due to both solar and on-board fluxes. However, low-altitude planet orbits can result in high propellant heating rates due to planetary radiation reflected from the shields. For low-altitude orbits of more than a few days, foils appear to be desirable for all cryogenic-tank surfaces. Foils are also effective in reducing the on-board heating. A choice of shadow shields or foils cannot be made until a particular vehicle and a particular mission are chosen. The thermal conductivity of insulation materials would have to be lower by about two orders of magnitude with no increase in density before insulation could compete with reflective surfaces for use in long-duration thermal protection of cryogenic tanks in space. To demonstrate the application of the methods devised, thermal-protection systems are developed for a hydrogen-oxygen terminal stage for typical Mars missions.

SPACE VEHICLE↗

NASA NTRS1962

Analysis of Thermal-Protection Systems for Space-Vehicle Cryogenic-Propellant Tanks

Analytical techniques are presented that permit the calculation of heat-transfer rates with various thermal-protection systems for liquid-cryogenic-propellant tanks subjected to on-board, solar, and planetary heat fluxes . The effectiveness of these protection systems in reducing propellant heating is shown both for ideal heat-transfer models and for a simplified hydrogen-oxygen terminal stage used for typical Mars missions.

Smolak, George R.↗