Thermal and Flow Data From Liquid-Oxygen System
Extensive flow rate, pressure, and temperature data available for validating computer models of liquid-oxygen transfer systems. Data on "waterhammer" pressure spikes included.
Lin, F.↗
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Design guide for high pressure oxygen systems
A repository for critical and important detailed design data and information, hitherto unpublished, along with significant data on oxygen reactivity phenomena with metallic and nonmetallic materials in moderate to very high pressure environments is documented. This data and information provide a ready and easy to use reference for the guidance of designers of propulsion, power, and life support systems for use in space flight. The document is also applicable to designs for industrial and civilian uses of high pressure oxygen systems. The information presented herein are derived from data and design practices involving oxygen usage at pressures ranging from about 20 psia to 8000 psia equal with thermal conditions ranging from room temperatures up to 500 F.
Bond, A. C.↗
Aircrew oxygen system
Closed-loop rebreather system which includes pilot provides oxygen for use in aircraft by safe, reliable method of low weight and size and reduces expense of ground equipment. Water electrolysis generated oxygen is fed into rebreather loop which allows nitrogen elimination and water and carbon dioxide removal.
Babinsky, A. D.↗
Resonance tube hazards in oxygen systems
An experimental and analytical program was carried out to determine whether fluid dynamic oscillations could create a hazard in gaseous oxygen flow systems. The particular fluid dynamic oscillation studied was the resonance tube phenomena as it was excited in a tee-shaped configuration characteristic of configurations found in many industrial high pressure gas flow systems. The types of hazards that could be caused by the oscillations were direct heating and ignition of the piping system by the gas, the greatly augmented heating that could occur if inert contaminants were present, and the ignition of metallic contaminants. Asbestos was used as the inert contaminant; titanium, aluminum, magnesium and steel were chosen as ignitable metallic contaminants. The oscillations in the tee-shaped configuration were compared to oscillations driven by choked convergent nozzles and were found to differ markedly. Temperature generated at the end or base of the resonance tube exceeded 1089 K for both gaseous oxygen and nitrogen and reached 1645 K when asbestos was added. Aluminum in both powder and fiber form was readily ignited within the resonance tube when the supply pressures were less than 8270 kPa whereas at higher supply pressures the mixture exploded with enough violence to destory the apparatus in less than 10 sec. In addition to aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, samples of 400 series stainless steels were also ignited within the resonance tube. The ignition occurred within a few seconds after the oxygen flow began.
Phillips, B. R.↗
Post-Flight Microbial Analysis of Samples from the International Space Station Water Recovery System and Oxygen Generation System
The Regenerative, Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on the International Space Station (ISS) includes the the Water Recovery System (WRS) and the Oxygen Generation System (OGS). The WRS consists of a Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) and Water Processor Assembly (WPA). This report describes microbial characterization of wastewater and surface samples collected from the WRS and OGS subsystems, returned to KSC, JSC, and MSFC on consecutive shuttle flights (STS-129 and STS-130) in 2009-10. STS-129 returned two filters that contained fluid samples from the WPA Waste Tank Orbital Recovery Unit (ORU), one from the waste tank and the other from the ISS humidity condensate. Direct count by microscopic enumeration revealed 8.38 x 104 cells per mL in the humidity condensate sample, but none of those cells were recoverable on solid agar media. In contrast, 3.32 x lOs cells per mL were measured from a surface swab of the WRS waste tank, including viable bacteria and fungi recovered after S12 days of incubation on solid agar media. Based on rDNA sequencing and phenotypic characterization, a fungus recovered from the filter was determined to be Lecythophora mutabilis. The bacterial isolate was identified by rDNA sequence data to be Methylobacterium radiotolerans. Additional UPA subsystem samples were returned on STS-130 for analysis. Both liquid and solid samples were collected from the Russian urine container (EDV), Distillation Assembly (DA) and Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (RFTA) for post-flight analysis. The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungus Chaetomium brasiliense were isolated from the EDV samples. No viable bacteria or fungi were recovered from RFTA brine samples (N= 6), but multiple samples (N = 11) from the DA and RFTA were found to contain fungal and bacterial cells. Many recovered cells have been identified to genus by rDNA sequencing and carbon source utilization profiling (BiOLOG Gen III). The presence of viable bacteria and fungi from WRS and OGS subsystems demonstrates the need for continued monitoring of ECLSS during future ISS operations and investigation of advanced antimicrobial controls.
Birmele, Michele N.↗
Material Usage in High Pressure Oxygen Systems for the International Space Station
The Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) for the International Space Station (ISS) Program was required as part of the Space Shuttle retirement efforts to sustain the ISS life support systems. The system is designed around a 7000 psia Oxygen or Nitrogen Recharge Tank Assembly which is able to be utilized both internally and externally to the ISS. Material selection and usage were critical to ensure oxygen compatibility for the design, while taking into consideration toxicity, weldability, brazability and general fabrication and assembly techniques. The system uses unique hardware items such a composite overwrap pressure vessel (COPV), high pressure mechanical gauges, compact regulators and valves, quick disconnects, metal tubing and flexhoses. Numerous challenges and anomalies were encountered due to the exotic nature of this project which will be discussed in detail. The knowledge gained from these anomalies and failure resolutions can be applied to more than space applications, but can also be applicable to industry pressurized systems.
Kravchenko, Michael↗
Multidisciplinary approach to the design of high pressure oxygen systems
Several examples of spacecraft systems fires are examined. Much of the design, manufacture, inspection, test, and operation of current high pressure oxygen components and systems has been driven by weight, cost, functional, and schedule requirements. As a result, little coordination has been expended on design for safe operation. While the number of oxygen related fires has not been large, their cost, including program losses and delays, has been very large. Most of these failures need not have occurred.
Johnston, R. L.↗
An Overview of Fires in Oxygen Systems
The presentation includes information about testing, space, aircraft, medical issues, oxygen production and distribution, cutting and welding, diving and deep sea, and hyperbaric chambers. Additional files include an NFPA Appendix, wrapup, supporting files from White Sands Testing Facility.
Stoltzfus, Joel M.↗
Shock tube measurements of growth constants in the branched-chain ethane-carbon monoxide-oxygen system
Exponential free radical growth constants have been measured for ethane carbon monoxide oxygen mixtures by monitoring the growth of oxygen atom concentration as manifested by CO flame band emission. Data were obtained over the temperature range of 1200 to 1700 K. The data were analyzed using an ethane oxidation mechanism involving seven elementary reaction steps. Calculated growth constants were close to experimental values at lower temperatures, up to about 1400 K, but at higher temperatures computed growth constants were considerably smaller than experiment. In attempts to explain these results additional branching reactions were added to the mechanism. However, these additional reactions did not appreciably change calculated growth constants.
Brokaw, R. S.↗
Space Suit Portable Life Support System Oxygen Regulator History, Development, & Testing Results
An oxygen regulator has been in development for the space suit Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The regulator provides the necessary oxygen pressure for the crew member during pre-breathe, extra-vehicular activity (EVA), post EVA airlock operations, and decompression sickness treatment. The last time a spacesuit oxygen regulator was designed was for the Space Shuttle Program EMU. The regulator & EMU were then used on the International Space Station (ISS) with no significant changes to the regulator throughout its life. This xEMU PLSS spacesuit oxygen regulator implements many elements of the previous EMU Secondary Oxygen Pack (SOP) design while integrating numerous new improvements and changes. There are changes both to the high-level regulator architecture approach in the suit itself, in addition to modernizations with electrical motor control & sensing. For architecture, there are two oxygen regulators for each space suit, a primary and secondary that are nearly identical to each other and have the same maximum design pressure of 3750 Pounds per Square Inch Absolute (PSIA). The primary regulator provides nominal pressure during EVA, while the secondary provides a backup pressure only in case of primary regulator failure or if an emergency purge of the suit oxygen is required. The design was based originally off of the secondary oxygen regulator on the EMU which utilizes a two-stage regulator to improve safety and controllability. The xEMU PLSS Oxygen Regulator development started with a modification to add a linear actuator to the design to control the downstream pressure electronically instead of a manual control with a wire linkage system used with the EMU. The design was iterated to include a Monel body for oxygen fire safety, and sensors for pressure verification at each stage. Then the regulator design was packaged to fit into the xEMU PLSS envelope. Development included extensive testing which brought to light some issues with the design which were addressed at each stage of development. This paper will review the design history, development, testing results, and lessons learned designing the xEMU PLSS Oxygen Regulator.
Ryan Ogilvie↗
Space Suit Portable Life Support System Oxygen Regulator History, Development, & Testing Results
An oxygen regulator has been in development for the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The regulator provides the necessary oxygen pressure control for the crew member during prebreathe, Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), post EVA airlock operations, and Decompression Sickness (DCS) treatment. It has been over four decades since a new spacesuit oxygen regulator has been designed. The regulator and EMU that is presently used on the International Space Station (ISS) was developed for the space shuttle program without any significant changes made throughout its service life. The xEMU spacesuit oxygen regulator is based on the previous EMU Secondary Oxygen Pack (SOP). The new design integrates numerous improvements and changes including an innovative approach to regulator architecture, a more robust first stage pressure sensing mechanism, digital actuation control, and electronic pressure sensing. These upgrades replace manual control linkages, physical gauges, and enable infinitely variable pressure set points. The new setpoints can decrease prebreathe time and make in suit DCS treatment possible. Throughout its four iterations design concerns have been addressed, safety features have been added, and the envelope of the regulator designed to fit inside the xEMU PLSS package. This paper will review the history, design, testing, and lessons learned during the development of the xEMU PLSS Oxygen Regulator.
Ryan Eric Ogilvie↗
MSC Apollo 13 Investigation Team. Panel 8 - High Pressure Oxygen Systems Survey
Analysis of procedures for determining fire or explosion hazards of materials exposed to liquid or gaseous oxygen
Source record↗
Evaluation of alternatives for trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113) to clean and verify liquid oxygen systems
NASA Langley Research Center (LARC) investigated several alternatives to the use of tri-chloro-tri-fluoroethane(CFC-113) in oxygen cleaning and verification. Alternatives investigated include several replacement solvents, Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis. Among the solvents, 1, 1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC 141b) and di-chloro-penta-fluoro-propane (HCFC 225) are the most suitable alternatives for cleaning and verification. However, use of HCFC 141b is restricted, HCFC 225 introduces toxicity hazards, and the NDE and TOC methods of verification are not suitable for processes at LaRC. Therefore, the interim recommendation is to sparingly use CFC-113 for the very difficult cleaning tasks where safety is critical and to use HCFC 225 to clean components in a controlled laboratory environment. Meanwhile, evaluation must continue on now solvents and procedures to find one suited to LaRCs oxygen cleaning needs.
Morris, Michelle L.↗
The diluter-demand oxygen system used during the international Himalayan expedition to Mount Everest.
The diluter-demand regulators are designed in such a way that as the individual inspires he simultaneously draws ambient air and pure oxygen from a tank into his mask. The size of the ambient air orifice is made directly proportional to the barometric pressure by use of a passive aneroid valve. As altitude increases the ambient air orifice is automatically made smaller and the individual inspires a greater proportion of oxygen.
Blume, F. D.↗
Insight into Primordial Solar System Oxygen Reservoirs from Returned Cometary Samples
The recent successful rendezvous of the Stardust spacecraft with comet Wild-2 will be followed by its return of cometary dust to Earth in January 2006. Results from two separate dust impact detectors suggest that the spacecraft collected approximately the nominal fluence of at least 1,000 particles larger than 15 micrometers in size. While constituting only about one microgram total, these samples will be sufficient to answer many outstanding questions about the nature of cometary materials. More than two decades of laboratory studies of stratospherically collected interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) of similar size have established the necessary microparticle handling and analytical techniques necessary to study them. It is likely that some IDPs are in fact derived from comets, although complex orbital histories of individual particles have made these assignments difficult to prove. Analysis of bona fide cometary samples will be essential for answering some fundamental outstanding questions in cosmochemistry, such as (1) the proportion of interstellar and processed materials that comprise comets and (2) whether the Solar System had a O-16-rich reservoir. Abundant silicate stardust grains have recently been discovered in anhydrous IDPs, in far greater abundances (200 5,500 ppm) than those in meteorites (25 ppm). Insight into the more subtle O isotopic variations among chondrites and refractory phases will require significantly higher precision isotopic measurements on micrometer-sized samples than are currently available.
Brownlee, D. E.↗
Mass-spectrometric study of the rhenium-oxygen system
Rhenium, having the second highest melting point among the metals, is used for refractory containers. Thermodynamic values for rhenium oxide is determined by mass spectrometry and X ray diffraction.
Battles, J. E.↗
MSC Apollo 13 investigation team. Panel 8 - High pressure oxygen systems survey Final report
Survey of breathing systems design and reliability conducted by accident investigation panel following Apollo 13 flight emergency
Source record↗
ASRDI Oxygen Technological Survey: Oxygen Systems Engineering Review - Volume 9
The design and safe operation of O2 systems at high pressures and temperatures are discussed. Data cover O2 reactivity with system materials, environmental limits, flow rate, contamination, and physical and chemical stresses of materials.
Schmidt, H. W.↗