Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Hydrogen Tank”

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.

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

At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Centaur Standard Shroud (CSS) cryogenic unlatch tests

Cryogenic tanking and partial jettison (unlatch) tests were performed on a full scale Centaur vehicle and Centaur Standard Shroud (CSS) to develop and qualify the CSS insulation system, the CSS and Centaur ground-hold purge systems, and the Centaur hydrogen tank flight vent system. Operation of the shroud/Centaur pyrotechnic systems, seals, and the shroud jettison springs, hinges, and other separation systems was demonstrated by a partial jettison of the shroud into catch nets. The Centaur tanks were filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid nitrogen. Prelaunch operations were performed, and data taken to establish system performances. Results from the initial tests showed a higher than expected heat transfer rate to the Centaur hydrogen tank. In addition, the release mechanism for the forward seal between the Centaur and the CSS did not function properly, and the seal was torn during jettison of the shroud.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

External Tank Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) Prepress Regression Analysis Independent Review Technical Consultation Report

The request to conduct an independent review of regression models, developed for determining the expected Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) External Tank (ET)-04 cycle count for the Space Shuttle ET tanking process, was submitted to the NASA Engineering and Safety Center NESC on September 20, 2005. The NESC team performed an independent review of regression models documented in Prepress Regression Analysis, Tom Clark and Angela Krenn, 10/27/05. This consultation consisted of a peer review by statistical experts of the proposed regression models provided in the Prepress Regression Analysis. This document is the consultation's final report.

Parsons, Vickie s.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A liquid hydrogen experiment as a Shuttle payload

The paper describes the cryogenic fluid management experiment (CFME) as a Shuttle payload. The experiment includes a liquid hydrogen tank containing a fine-mesh screen acquisition device, and a thermal control system consisting of a thermodynamic vent system to intercept heat leak to the hydrogen tank and control tank pressure. Engineering data obtained will be used to establish design criteria for subcritical cryogenic storage and supply tankage.

Eberhardt, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Effect of subcooling on the on-orbit pressurization rate of cryogenic propellant tankage

The SOLA-ECLIPSE code is being developed to enable prediction of the behavior of cryogenic propellants in spacecraft tankage. A brief description of the formulations used for modeling heat transfer and for determining thermodynamic state is presented. Code performance is verified through comparison to experimental data for the self-pressurization of scale model liquid hydrogen tanks. SOLA-ECLIPSE is used to examine the effect of initial subcooling of the liquid phase on the self-pressurization rate of an on-orbit full scale liquid hydrogen tank typical for a chemical propulsion Orbital Transfer Vehicle. The computational predictions show that even small amounts of subcooling will significantly decrease the self-pressurization rate. Further, if the cooling is provided by a Thermodynamic Vent System, it is concluded that small levels of subcooling will maximize propellant conservation.

Hochstein, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Prediction of self-pressurization rate of cryogenic propellant tankage

The SOLA-ECLIPSE code is being developed to enable prediction of the behavior of cryogenic propellants in spacecraft tankage. A brief description of the formulations used for modeling heat transfer and for determining the thermodynamic state is presented. Code performance is verified through comparison to experimental data for the self-pressurization of scale-model liquid hydrogen tanks. SOLA-ECLIPSE is used to examine the effect of initial subcooling of the liquid phase on the self-pressurization rate of an on-orbit full-scale liquid hydrogen tank typical for a chemical-propulsion orbit transfer vehicle. The computational predictions show that even small amounts of subcooling will significantly decrease the self-pressurization rate. Further, if the cooling is provided by a thermodynamic vent system, it is concluded that small levels of subcooling will maximize propellant conservation.

Hochstein, John I.↗
NASA NTRS1989

COLD-SAT: An orbital cryogenic hydrogen technology experiment

The COLD-SAT spacecraft will perform subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and transfer experiments under low-gravity conditions to provide engineering data for future space transportation missions. Consisting of an experiment module mated to a spacecraft bus, COLD-SAT will be placed in an initial 460 km circular orbit by an Atlas I commercial launch vehicle. After deployment, the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control and data management, communications, and attitude control along with propulsive acceleration levels ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-4)g. These accelerations are an important aspect of some of the experiments, as it is desired to know the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved. The experiment module will contain the three liquid hydrogen tanks, valves, pressurization equipment, and instrumentation. At launch all the hydrogen will be in the largest tank, which has helium-purged MLI and is loaded and topped off by the hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas. The two smaller tanks will be utilized in orbit for performing some of the experiments. The experiments are grouped into two classes on the basis of their priority, and include six regarded as enabling technology and nine regarded as enhancing technology.

Schuster, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

COLD-SAT - An orbital cryogenic hydrogen technology experiment

The COLD-SAT spacecraft will perform subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and transfer experiments under low-gravity conditions to provide engineering data for future space transportation missions. Consisting of an experiment module mated to a spacecraft bus, COLD-SAT will be placed in an initial 460 km circular orbit by an Atlas I commercial launch vehicle. After deployment, the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control and data management, communications, and attitude control along with propulsive acceleration levels ranging from 10 (-6) to 10(-4) g. These accelerations are an important aspect of some of the experiments, as it is desired to know the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved. The experiment module will contain the three liquid hydrogen tanks, valves, pressurization equipment, and instrumentation. At launch all the hydrogen will be in the largest tank, which has helium-purged MLI and is loaded and topped off by the hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas. The two smaller tanks will be utilized in orbit for performing some of the experiments. The experiments are grouped into two classes on the basis of their priority, and include six regarded as enabling technology and nine regarded as enhancing technology.

Schuster, J. R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SHIIVER Assemby Thermal Model Prediction for Transient Test Conditions

An integrated thermal model of the Structure Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) was built in Thermal Desktop/Sinda-Fluint and used to predict thermal performance of the system with the technologies being tested from the eCryo project. The technologies tested include the vapor cooling of the structure using the boil-off and multilayer insulation (MLI) on the hydrogen tank. The thermal model is used to 1) understand system transient behaviors; 2) perform trade studies of different vapor-cooling designs; 3) define the test operations matrix, test procedures, and conditions; and 4) address thermal-related questions at different phases of SHIIVER project. Details of the thermal model are herein described, and results corresponding to the test operations are presented for four different configurations at different fill levels. The thermal performance of each configuration is predicted with the thermal model regarding the heat reduction and boil-off reduction by using vapor cooling and/or MLI on the structures attached to the hydrogen tank.

thermal modeling↗
NASA NTRS1978

Study of thermal insulation for airborne liquid hydrogen fuel tanks

A concept for a fail-safe thermal protection system was developed. From screening tests, approximately 30 foams, adhesives, and reinforcing fibers using 0.3-meter square liquid nitrogen cold plate, CPR 452 and Stafoam AA1602, both reinforced with 10 percent by weight of 1/16 inch milled OCF Style 701 Fiberglas, were selected for further tests. Cyclic tests with these materials in 2-inch thicknesses bonded on a 0.6-meter square cold plate with Crest 7410 adhesive systems, were successful. Zero permeability gas barriers were identified and found to be compatible with the insulating concept.

Ruccia, F. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Welding of the external tank of the Space Shuttle

Welding processes and assembly techniques used in the fabrication of the external tank of the Space Shuttle are discussed. Each external tank consists of one liquid oxygen tank and one liquid hydrogen tank connected by an intertank skirt which is mechanically assembled; the fabrication of the external tank pressure vessel involves about 36,000 linear inches of weld required to join 138 pieces of 2219 aluminum. The discussion includes several innovations, such as building domes using the 1/4 panel assembly technique, which have been used in the fabrication of the tank.

Clover, F. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Selection process for trade study: Reusable Hydrogen Composite Tank System (RHCTS)

This document describes the selection process that will be used to identify the most suitable structural configuration option for an SSTO winged vehicle capable of delivering 25,000 lbs to a 220 nm circular orbit at 51.6 degree inclination. The most suitable RHCTS is within this configuration and will be the prototype design for subsequent design and analysis and the basis for the design and fabrication of a scale test article to be subjected to life cycle testing. The selection process for this TA 1 trade study is the same as that for the TA 2 trade study. As the trade study progresses additional insight may result in modifications to the selection criteria within in this process. Such modifications will result in an update of this document as appropriate.

Greenberg, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Trade study plan for Reusable Hydrogen Composite Tank System (RHCTS)

This TA 1 document describes the trade study plan (with support from TA 2) that will identify the most suitable structural configuration for an SSTO winged vehicle capable of delivering 25,000 lbs to a 220 nm circular orbit at 51.6 degree inclination. The analysis uses information derived in the TA 2 study as identified within the study plan. In view of this, for convenience, the TA 2 study plan is included as an appendix to this document.

Greenberg, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Milestone 4: Test plan for Reusable Hydrogen Composite Tank System (RHCTS). Task 3: Composite tank materials

This document is the detailed test plan for the series of tests enumerated in the preceding section. The purpose of this plan is to present the test objectives, test parameters and procedures, expected performance and data analysis plans, criteria for success, test schedules, and related safety provisions and to describe the test articles, test instrumentation, and test facility requirements. Initial testing will be performed to screen four composite materials for suitability for SSTO LH2 tank loads and environmental conditions. The laminates for this testing will be fabricated by fiber placement, which is the manufacturing approach identified as baseline for the tank wall. Even though hand layup will be involved in fabricating many of the internal structural members of the tank, no hand-layup laminates will be evaluated in the screening or subsequent characterization testing. This decision is based on the understanding that mechanical properties measured for hand-layup material should be at least equivalent to properties measured for fiber-placed material, so that the latter should provide no less than a conservative approximation of the former. A single material will be downselected from these screening tests. This material will be subsequently characterized for impact-damage tolerance and durability under conditions of mechanical and thermal cycling, and to establish a preliminary design database to support ongoing analysis. Next, testing will be performed on critical structural elements fabricated from the selected material. Finally, the 8-foot diameter tank article, containing the critical structural features of the full-scale tank, will be fabricated by fiber placement and tested to verify its structural integrity and LH2 containment.

Greenberg, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Computational Model of the Chilldown and Propellant Loading of the Space Shuttle External Tank

This paper describes a computational model of the chilldown and propellant loading of the Space Shuttle External Tank liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks at Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. The purpose of the computational model is to predict the time required to chilldown the entire assembly consisting of the ground system transfer line and propellant tanks in order to compare with observed loading times, to evaluate the feasibility of similar models developed for the Ares I Upper Stage. The model also predicts the history of inflow and outflow from the tank, pressure and temperature inside the tank, and heat leak through the walls. The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a general purpose network flow analysis code, has been used to develop this computational model. The paper describes the simulation of the loading process for both tanks and compares the resulting predictions to measurements

LeClair, Andre C.↗