Cryogenic stretch form bottle test program Final report
Weld tests of stainless steel pressure vessels fabricated with cryogenic forming techniques
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Weld tests of stainless steel pressure vessels fabricated with cryogenic forming techniques
Stress wave analysis techniques for monitoring crack growth in Ti-6Al-4V alloy pressure vessel walls
Metal lined boron and graphite composites exhibit high strength and minimum weight, making them superior to aluminum cylindrical shell structures and to steel or aluminum constructed pressure vessels. S glass filament-epoxy resin matrix with aluminum liner is suitable for cryogenic tanks.
Transmitter allows transmission of rotational or single planar arc motion through hermetically sealed chamber without use of dynamic seals or complex mechanisms. Device may interest pressure vessel designers and those who need to isolate equipment from a hostile environment.
Each modular element consists of two hemispherical shells with material removed near their apexes to permit joining by a weldment to form a passage. Elements are welded together at their largest dimensions to form either a straight line continuous or a circular pressure vessel.
Control of gas flow from pressurized vessel by thermal expansion of metal plug
Method and apparatus for inducing compressive stresses in pressure vessel to prevent stress corrosion
Development of calorimeter for spacecraft batteries comprising pressurized vessel, heat sink, and copper conductor
Tension, biaxial, and creep tests of 5Al-2.5Sn titanium alloy and computerized design for fiberglass-epoxy overwrapped titanium pressure vessel
Filament tensile strengths and pressure-strain characteristics of high modulus, high-strength, boron-filament-wound/resin-composite pressure vessel at ambient and cryogenic temperatures
Graphite fiber resin composites physical and mechanical properties at ambient and cryogenic temperatures, discussing unidirectional ring and bar specimens and filament wound pressure vessels
Spacecraft structures weight optimization based on fracture mechanics and reliability cost constraints applied to pressure vessel design
During the past few years, ground tests of high-powered propulsion-prototype reactors have provided several opportunities to observe the external radiation environment. Reactor tests have been conducted in free air and inside of open well shields. Measurements were taken over distances ranging from contact with the pressure vessel out to greater than 5000' both during operation and after shutdown. Some measurements characteristic of each of the systems are presented and compared with results of calculations.
The role of heating from nuclear radiation in design of the NERVA engine is treated. Some components are subjected to very high gamma heating rates in excess of 0.5 Btu/cubic inch/sec in steel in the primary nozzle or 0.25 Btu/cubic inch/sec in aluminum in the pressure vessel. These components must be cooled by a fraction of the liquid hydrogen propellant before it is passed through the core, heated, and expanded out the nozzle as a gas. Other components that are subjected to lower heating rates such as the thrust structure and the disk shield are designed so that they would not require liquid hydrogen cooling. Typical gamma and neutron heating rates, resulting temperatures, and their design consequences are discussed. Calculational techniques used in the nuclear and thermal analyses of the NERVA engine are briefly treated.
In the radiation analysis of the NERVA nuclear rocket system, two-dimensional discrete ordinates calculations are sufficient to provide detail in the pressure vessel and reactor assembly. Other parts of the system, however, require three-dimensional Monte Carlo analyses. To use these two methods in a single analysis, a means of coupling was developed whereby the results of a discrete ordinates calculation can be used to produce source data for a Monte Carlo calculation. Several techniques for producing source detail were investigated. Results of calculations on the NERVA system are compared and limitations and advantages of the coupling techniques discussed.
Materials development topics include: development of analysis techniques to adjust heterogeneous data; determination of thermal conductivity for AISI 347 stainless steel and elastic moduli and Poisson's ratio for Inconel 718 and Ti 5Al-2.5Sn; embrittlement effects of 1400 psi gaseous hydrogen for alloy 718 and Ti 5Al-2.5Sn; cryogenic radiation damage of Ti 5Al-2.5Sn; and evaluation of prepreg, impregnation, and fabric materials for optimum fibrous graphite properties. Component support topics include: tensile design allowable development of Ti 5Al-2.5Sn for turbopump applications; evaluation of fatigue, fracture toughness, and stress corrosion properties of AA 7039-T63 for pressure vessel applications; development of AISI 347 sheet tensile and creep properties for nozzle applications; evaluation of orbital weld techniques for aluminum line fabrication; material selection of shield materials; development of high load friction and wear properties of hard chrome/gold plate combinations; and evaluation of weld processes for NASS duct coolant channel fabrication.
A high modulus polymeric fiber was evaluated as a reinforcement for filament wound pressure vessels. Winding parameters and design data were established for the fiber with two different epoxy resin systems. Comparison was made between the performance factors of the polymeric fiber and those of S-glass and high modulus graphite vessels.