SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “TANKS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1993

CFM technologies for space transportation: Multipurpose hydrogen testbed system definition and tank procurement

The development of a test bed tank and system for evaluating cryogenic fluid management technologies in a simulated upper stage liquid hydrogen tank is covered. The tank is 10 ft long and is 10 ft in diameter, and is an ASME certified tank constructed of 5083 aluminum. The tank is insulated with a combination of sprayed on foam insulation, covered by 45 layers of double aluminized mylar separated by dacron net. The mylar is applied by a continuous wrap system adapted from commercial applications, and incorporates variable spacing between the mylar to provide more space between those layers having a high delta temperature, which minimizes heat leak. It also incorporates a unique venting system which uses fewer large holes in the mylar rather than the multitude of small holes used conventionally. This significantly reduces radiation heat transfer. The test bed consists of an existing vacuum chamber at MSFC, the test bed tank and its thermal control system, and a thermal shroud (which may be heated) surrounding the tank. Provisions are made in the tank and chamber for inclusion of a variety of cryogenic fluid management experiments.

Fox, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Thermocryogenic buckling and stress analyses of a partially filled cryogenic tank subjected to cylindrical strip heating

Thermocryogenic buckling and stress analyses were conducted on a horizontally oriented cryogenic tank using the finite element method. The tank is a finite-length circular cylindrical shell with its two ends capped with hemispherical shells. The tank is subjected to cylindrical strip heating in the region above the liquid-cryogen fill level and to cryogenic cooling below the fill level (i.e., under thermocryogenic loading). The effects of cryogen fill level on the buckling temperature and thermocryogenic stress field were investigated in detail. Both the buckling temperature and stress magnitudes were relatively insensitive to the cryogen fill level. The buckling temperature, however, was quite sensitive to the radius-to-thickness ratio. A mechanical stress analysis of the tank also was conducted when the tank was under: (1) cryogen liquid pressure loading; (2) internal pressure loading; and (3) tank-wall inertia loading. Deformed shapes of the cryogenic tanks under different loading conditions were shown, and high-stress domains were mapped on the tank wall for the strain-gage installations. The accuracies of solutions from different finite element models were compared.

Ko, William L.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Thermal Structures Technology Development for Reusable Launch Vehicle Cryogenic Propellant Tanks

Analytical and experimental studies conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center for investigating integrated cryogenic propellant tank systems for a Reusable Launch Vehicle are described. The cryogenic tanks are investigated as an integrated tank system. An integrated tank system includes the tank wall, cryogenic insulation, Thermal Protection System (TPS) attachment sub-structure, and TPS. Analysis codes are used to size the thicknesses of cryogenic insulation and TPS insulation for thermal loads, and to predict tank buckling strengths at various ring frame spacings. The unique test facilities developed for the testing of cryogenic tank components are described. Testing at cryogenic and high-temperatures verifies the integrity of materials, design concepts, manufacturing processes, and thermal/structural analyses. Test specimens ranging from the element level to the subcomponent level are subjected to projected vehicle operational mechanical loads and temperatures. The analytical and experimental studies described in this paper provide a portion of the basic information required for the development of light-weight reusable cryogenic propellant tanks.

Johnson, Theodore F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Microgravity Propellant Tank Geyser Analysis and Prediction

An established correlation for geyser height prediction of an axial jet inflow into a microgravity propellant tank was analyzed and an effort to develop an improved correlation was made. The original correlation, developed using data from ethanol flow in small-scale drop tower tests, uses the jet-Weber number and the jet-Bond number to predict geyser height. A new correlation was developed from the same set of experimental data using the jet-Weber number and both the jet-Bond number and tank-Bond number to describe the geyser formation. The resulting correlation produced nearly a 40% reduction in geyser height predictive error compared to the original correlation with experimental data. Two additional tanks were computationally modeled in addition to the small-scale tank used in the drop tower testing. One of these tanks was a 50% enlarged small-scale tank and the other a full-scale 2 m radius tank. Simulations were also run for liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Results indicated that the new correlation outperformed the original correlation in geyser height prediction under most circumstances. The new correlation has also shown a superior ability to recognize the difference between flow patterns II (geyser formation only) and III (pooling at opposite end of tank from the bulk fluid region).

Thornton, Randall J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Modeling and Test Data Analysis of a Tank Rapid Chill and Fill System for the Advanced Shuttle Upper Stage (ASUS) Concept

The Advanced Shuttle Upper Stage (ASUS) concept addresses safety concerns associated .with cryogenic stages by launching empty, and filling on ascent. The ASUS employs a rapid chill and fill concept. A spray bar is used to completely chill the tank before fill, allowing the vent valve to be closed during the fill process. The first tests of this concept, using a flight size (not flight weight) tank. were conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) during the summer of 2000. The objectives of the testing were to: 1) demonstrate that a flight size tank could be filled in roughly 5 minutes to accommodate the shuttle ascent window, and 2) demonstrate a no-vent fill of the tank. A total of 12 tests were conducted. Models of the test facility fill and vent systems, as well as the tank, were constructed. The objective of achieving tank fill in 5 minutes was met during the test series. However, liquid began to accumulate in the tank before it was chilled. Since the tank was not chilled until the end of each test, vent valve closure during fill was not possible. Even though the chill and fill process did not occur as expected, reasonable model correlation with the test data was achieved.

Flachbart, Robin↗

NASA NTRS2003

Nonlinear Thermal Analyses of a Liquid Hydrogen Tank Wall

A thermal evaluation of a composite tank wall design for a liquid hydrogen tank was performed in the present study. The primary focus of the current effort was to perform one-dimensional, temperature nonlinear, transient thermal analyses to determine the through-the-thickness temperature profiles. These profiles were used to identify critical points within the flight envelope that could have detrimental effects on the adhesive bondlines used in the construction of the tank wall. Additionally, this paper presents the finite element models, analysis strategies, and thermal analysis results that were determined for several vehicle flight conditions. The basic tank wall configuration used to perform the thermal analyses consisted of carbon-epoxy facesheets and a Korex honeycomb core sandwich that was insulated with an Airex cryogenic foam and an Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier (AETB-12). Nonlinear, transient thermal analyses were conducted using the ABAQUS finite element code. Tank wall models at a windward side location on the fuel tank were analyzed for three basic flight conditions: cold-soak (ground-hold), ascent, and re-entry. Additionally, three ambient temperature boundary conditions were applied to the tank wall for the cold-soak condition, which simulated the launch pad cooldown process. Time-dependent heating rates were used in the analyses of the ascent and reentry segments of the flight history along with temperature dependent material properties. The steady-state through-the-thickness temperature profile from the cold-soak condition was used as the initial condition for the ascent analyses. Results from the nonlinear thermal analyses demonstrated very good correlation with results from similar models evaluated by Northrop- Grumman using a different analysis tool. Wall through-the-thickness temperature gradients as a function of flight time were obtained for future incorporation into a full-scale thermostructural analysis to evaluate the adhesive bondlines. As a result of the thermal analyses conducted, a sufficient level of confidence was demonstrated in the thermal modeling and analysis capabilities of ABAQUS to warrant future use as a thermo-structural analysis tool to evaluate cryogenic tank wall designs.

Smeltzer, Stanley S., III↗

NASA NTRS1958

Free-Spinning-Tunnel Investigation of a 1/28-Scale Model of the North American FJ-4 Airplane with External Fuel Tanks, TED No. NACA AD 3112

A supplementary investigation to determine the effect of external fuel tanks on the spin and recovery characteristics of a l/28-scale model of the North American FJ-4 airplane has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel. The model had been extensively tested previously (NACA Research Memorandum SL38A29) and therefore only brief tests were made to evaluate the effect of tank installation. Erect spin tests of the model indicate that flat-type spins-are more prevalent with 200-gallon external fuel tanks than with tanks not installed. The recovery technique determined for spins without tanks, rudder reversal to full against the spin accompanied by simultaneous movement of ailerons to full with the spin, is recommended for spins encountered with external tanks installed. If inverted spins are encountered with external tanks installed, the tanks should be jettisoned and recovery attempted by rudder reversal to full against the spin with ailerons maintained at neutral.

Healy, Frederick M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Ventless pressure control of two-phase propellant tanks in microgravity

This work studies pressurization and pressure control of a large liquid hydrogen storage tank. A finite element model is developed that couples a lumped thermodynamic formulation for the vapor region with a complete solution of the Navier-Stokes and energy equations for the flow and temperature fields in the liquid. Numerical results show that buoyancy effects are strong, even in microgravity, and can reposition a vapor bubble that is initially at the center of the tank to a region near the tank wall in a relatively short time. Long-term tank pressurization with the vapor bubble at the tank wall shows that after an initial transient lasting about a week, the final rate of pressure increase agrees with a purely thermodynamic analysis of the entire tank. However, the final pressure levels are quite different from thermodynamic predictions. Numerical results also show that there is significant thermal stratification in the liquid due to the effects of natural convection. A subcooled jet is used to provide simultaneous cooling and mixing in order to bring the tank pressure back down to its initial value. Three different jet speeds are examined. Although the lowest jet speed is ineffective at controlling the pressure because of insufficient penetration into the liquid region, the highest jet speed is shown to be quite effective at disrupting thermal stratification and reducing the tank pressure in reasonable time.

Weightlessness↗

NASA NTRS1999

Rapid Chill and Fill of a Liquid Hydrogen Tank Demonstrated

The NASA Lewis Research Center, in conjunction with Boeing North American, has been supporting the High Energy Upper Stage (HEUS) program by performing feasibility studies at Lewis Supplemental Multilayer Insulation Research Facility (SMIRF). These tests were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of chilling and filling a tank with liquid hydrogen in under 5 minutes. The goal of the HEUS program is to release a satellite from the shuttle cargo bay and then use a cryogenic (high-energy) upper stage to allow the satellite to achieve final orbit. Because of safety considerations, the propellant tanks for the upper stage will be launched warm and dry. They will be filled from the shuttle's external tank during the mission phase after the solid rocket boosters have jettisoned and prior to jettison of the external tank. Data from previous shuttle missions have been analyzed to ensure that sufficient propellant would be available in the external tank to fill the propellant tank of the proposed vehicle upper stage. Because of mission time-line considerations, the propellant tanks for the upper stage will have to be chilled down and filled in approximately 5 minutes. An existing uninsulated flight weight test tank was installed inside the vacuum chamber at SMIRF, and the chamber was evacuated to the 10(exp -5) torr range to simulate space vacuum conditions in the cargo bay with the doors open. During prerun operations, the facility liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply piping was prechilled with the vent gas bypassing the test article. The liquid hydrogen supply dewar was saturated at local ambient pressure and then pressurized with ambient temperature gaseous helium to the test pressure. A control system was used to ensure that the liquid hydrogen supply pressure was maintained at the test pressure.

Kudlac, Maureen T.↗

NASA NTRS2005

STS-114: Discovery Tanking Operations for Launch

Jessica Rye from NASA Public Affairs is the narrator for the tanking operations for the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. She presents a video of the arrival and processing of the new external tank at the Kennedy Space Center. The external tank is also shown entering the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The external tank underwent new processing resulting from its redesign including inspection of the bipod heater and the external separation camera. The changes to the external tank include: 1) Electric heaters to protect from icing; and 2) Liquid Oxygen feed line bellows to carry fuel from the external tank to the Orbiter. Footage of the external tank processing facility at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La. prior to its arrival at Kennedy Space Center is shown and a video of the three key modifications to the external tank including the bipod, flange and bellows are shown.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2005

Thermal Structures Technology Development for Reusable Launch Vehicle Cryogenic Propellant Tanks

Analytical and experimental studies conducted at the NASA, Langley Research Center (LaRC) for investigating integrated cryogenic propellant tank systems for a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) are described. The cryogenic tanks are investigated as an integrated tank system. An integrated tank system includes the tank wall, cryogenic insulation, thermal protection system (TPS) attachment sub-structure, and TPS. Analysis codes are used to size the thicknesses of cryogenic insulation and TPS insulation for thermal loads, and to predict tank buckling strengths at various ring frame spacings. The unique test facilities developed for the testing of cryogenic tank components are described. Testing at cryogenic and high-temperatures verifies the integrity of materials, design concepts, manufacturing processes, and thermal/structural analyses. Test specimens ranging from the element level to the subcomponent level are subjected to projected vehicle operational mechanical loads and temperatures. The analytical and experimental studies described in this paper provide a portion of the basic information required for the development of light-weight reusable cryogenic propellant tanks.

Johnson, Theodore F.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Spherical Cryogenic Hydrogen Tank Preliminary Design Trade Studies

A structural analysis, sizing optimization, and weight prediction study was performed by Collier Research Corporation and NASA Glenn on a spherical cryogenic hydrogen tank. The tank consisted of an inner and outer wall separated by a vacuum for thermal insulation purposes. HyperSizer (Collier Research and Development Corporation), a commercial automated structural analysis and sizing software package was used to design the lightest feasible tank for a given overall size and thermomechanical loading environment. Weight trade studies were completed for different panel concepts and metallic and composite material systems. Extensive failure analyses were performed for each combination of dimensional variables, materials, and layups to establish the structural integrity of tank designs. Detailed stress and strain fields were computed from operational temperature changes and pressure loads. The inner tank wall is sized by the resulting biaxial tensile stresses which cause it to be strength driven, and leads to an optimum panel concept that need not be stiffened. Conversely, the outer tank wall is sized by a biaxial compressive stress field, induced by the pressure differential between atmospheric pressure and the vacuum between the tanks, thereby causing the design to be stability driven and thus stiffened to prevent buckling. Induced thermal stresses become a major sizing driver when a composite or hybrid composite/metallic material systems are used for the inner tank wall for purposes such as liners to contain the fuel and reduce hydrogen permeation.

Arnold, Steven M.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Computational Analyses of Pressurization in Cryogenic Tanks

A) Advanced Gas/Liquid Framework with Real Fluids Property Routines: I. A multi-fluid formulation in the preconditioned CRUNCH CFD(Registered TradeMark) code developed where a mixture of liquid and gases can be specified: a) Various options for Equation of state specification available (from simplified ideal fluid mixtures, to real fluid EOS such as SRK or BWR models). b) Vaporization of liquids driven by pressure value relative to vapor pressure and combustion of vapors allowed. c) Extensive validation has been undertaken. II. Currently working on developing primary break-up models and surface tension effects for more rigorous phase-change modeling and interfacial dynamics B) Framework Applied to Run-time Tanks at Ground Test Facilities C) Framework Used For J-2 Upper Stage Tank Modeling: 1) NASA MSFC tank pressurization: a) Hydrogen and oxygen tank pre-press, repress and draining being modeled at NASA MSFC. 2) NASA AMES tank safety effort a) liquid hydrogen and oxygen are separated by a baffle in the J-2 tank. We are modeling pressure rise and possible combustion if a hole develops in the baffle and liquid hydrogen leaks into the oxygen tank. Tank pressure rise rates simulated and risk of combustion evaluated.

Ahuja, Vineet↗

NASA NTRS2001

Space Shuttle Upgrade Liquid Oxygen Tank Thermal Stratification

In 1997, NASA initiated a study of a liquid oxygen and ethanol orbital maneuvering and reaction control system for space shuttle upgrades as well as other reusable launch vehicle applications. The pressure-fed system uses sub-cooled liquid oxygen at 2413.2 KPa (350 psia) stored passively using insulation. Thermal stratification builds up while the space shuttle is docked at the international space station. The venting from the space shuttle's liquid oxygen tank is not desired during this 96-hr time period. Once the shuttle undocks from the space station there could be a pressure collapse in the liquid oxygen tank caused by fluid mixing due to the thruster fU"ings . The thermal stratification and resulting pressure rise in the tank were examined by a computational fluid dynamic model. Since the heat transfer from the pressurant gas to the liquid will result in a decrease in tank pressure the final pressure after the 96 hours will be significantly less when the tank is pressurized with ambient temperature helium. Therefore, using helium at ambient temperature to pressurize the tank is preferred to pressurizing the tank with helium at the liquid oxygen temperature. The higher helium temperature will also result in less mass of helium to pressurize the tank.

Tunc, Gokturk↗

NASA NTRS2011

Burst Pressure Failure of Titanium Tanks Damaged by Secondary Plumes from Hypervelocity Impacts on Aluminum Shields

Metallic pressure tanks used in space missions are inherently vulnerable to hypervelocity impacts from micrometeoroids and orbital debris; thereby knowledge of impact damage and its effect on the tank integrity is crucial to a spacecraft risk assessment. This paper describes tests that have been performed to assess the effects of hypervelocity impact (HVI) damage on Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) pressure vessels burst pressure and characteristics. The tests consisted of a pair of HVI impact tests on water-filled Ti-6Al-4V tanks (water being used as a surrogate to the actual propellant) and subsequent burst tests as well as a burst test on an undamaged control tank. The tanks were placed behind Aluminum (Al) shields and then each was impacted with a 7 km/s projectile. The resulting impact debris plumes partially penetrated the Ti-6Al-4V tank surfaces resulting in a distribution of craters. During the burst tests, the tank that failed at a lower burst pressure did appear to have the failure initiating at a crater site with observed spall cracks. A fracture mechanics analysis showed that the tanks failure at the impact location may have been due to a spall crack that formed upon impact of a fragmentation on the Titanium surface. This result was corroborated with a finite element analysis from calculated Von-Mises and hoop stresses.

Nahra, Henry↗

NASA NTRS2004

Composite-Material Tanks with Chemically Resistant Liners

Lightweight composite-material tanks with chemically resistant liners have been developed for storage of chemically reactive and/or unstable fluids . especially hydrogen peroxide. These tanks are similar, in some respects, to the ones described in gLightweight Composite-Material Tanks for Cryogenic Liquids h (MFS-31379), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 1 (January, 2001), page 58; however, the present tanks are fabricated by a different procedure and they do not incorporate insulation that would be needed to prevent boil-off of cryogenic fluids. The manufacture of a tank of this type begins with the fabrication of a reusable multisegmented aluminum mandrel in the shape and size of the desired interior volume. One or more segments of the mandrel can be aluminum bosses that will be incorporated into the tank as end fittings. The mandrel is coated with a mold-release material. The mandrel is then heated to a temperature of about 400 F (approximately equal to 200 C) and coated with a thermoplastic liner material to the desired thickness [typically approxiamtely equal to 15 mils (approximately equal to 0.38 mm)] by thermal spraying. In the thermal-spraying process, the liner material in powder form is sprayed and heated to the melting temperature by a propane torch and the molten particles land on the mandrel. The sprayed liner and mandrel are allowed to cool, then the outer surface of the liner is chemically and/or mechanically etched to enhance bonding of a composite overwrap. The etched liner is wrapped with multiple layers of an epoxy resin reinforced with graphite fibers; the wrapping can be done either by manual application of epoxy-impregnated graphite cloth or by winding of epoxy-impregnated filaments. The entire assembly is heated in an autoclave to cure the epoxy. After the curing process, the multisegmented mandrel is disassembled and removed from inside, leaving the finished tank. If the tank is to be used for storing hydrogen peroxide, then the liner material should be fluorinated ethylene/propylene (FEP), and one or more FEP O ring(s) should be used in the aluminum end fitting(s). This choice of materials is dictated by experimental observations that pure aluminum and FEP are the only materials suitable for long-term storage of hydrogen peroxide and that other materials tend to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. Other thermoplastic liner materials that are suitable for some applications include nylon 6 and polyethylene. The processing temperatures for nylon 6 are lower than those for FEP. Nylon 6 is compatible with propane, natural gas, and other petroleum-based fuels. Polyethylene is compatible with petroleum- based products and can be used for short-term storage of hydrogen peroxide.

DeLay, Thomas K.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Composite Cryotank Technologies and Development 2.4 and 5.5M out of Autoclave Tank Test Results

The Composite Cryotank Technologies and Demonstration (CCTD) project substantially matured composite, cryogenic propellant tank technology. The project involved the design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of large-scale (2.4-m-diameter precursor and 5.5-m-diameter) composite cryotanks. Design features included a one-piece wall design that minimized tank weight, a Y-joint that incorporated an engineered material to alleviate stress concentration under combined loading, and a fluted core cylindrical section that inherently allows for venting and purging. The tanks used out-of-autoclave (OoA) cured graphite/epoxy material and processes to enable large (up to 10-m-diameter) cryotank fabrication, and thin-ply prepreg to minimize hydrogen permeation through tank walls. Both tanks were fabricated at Boeing using automated fiber placement on breakdown tooling. A fluted core skirt that efficiently carried axial loads and enabled hydrogen purging was included on the 5.5-m-diameter tank. Ultrasonic inspection was performed, and a structural health monitoring system was installed to identify any impact damage during ground processing. The precursor and 5.5-m-diameter tanks were tested in custom test fixtures at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Marshall Space Flight Center. The testing, which consisted of a sequence of pressure and thermal cycles using liquid hydrogen, was successfully concluded and obtained valuable structural, thermal, and permeation performance data. This technology can be applied to a variety of aircraft and spacecraft applications that would benefit from 30 to 40% weight savings and substantial cost savings compared to aluminum lithium tanks.

Jackson, Justin R.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Development and Testing of a Novel Green Propellant Piston Tank

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA), in cooperation with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Branch, developed and tested a novel propellant tank design that employs an internal piston pressurized with an inert gas to expel propellant to thrusters. During the course of this activity, AMA designed, oversaw fabrication, and delivered to MSFC for testing, a piston propellant tank sized for 3U or larger CubeSats. MSFC conducted liquid expulsion testing using ethylene glycol as a referee fluid to map the tank's performance at different pressures and piston positions. Following the expulsion test campaign, the tank is planned to be integrated into a propulsion system test bed for hot fire tests with a 100mN monopropellant thruster to evaluate the tank's influence on thruster performance when operated in a flight like manner. Described in this paper is a comprehensive summary of how the tanks were designed, built, and tested. The fundamental knowledge gained through the fabrication and testing of these tanks gives evidence that the piston tank design may be scalable to meet the requirements and constraints of other small satellites.

Diaz, C. E.↗