Developments in cryogenic tanks
By Staff | November 01, 2004
The two major players in the cryogenic tank market recently announced advances. Northrop Grumman Corp. (El Segundo, Calif., U.S.A.) announced that it, together with engineers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., have successfully tested a new cryogenic composite tank design. The 6-ft-diameter, 15-ft-long tank was automatically tape layed using ultrasonic tape lamination (UTL) ultrasonic tape debulking methods, a new composite fabrication method (see HPC March 2004, p. 11). Drew Smith, NASA's cryotanks project leader, said the series of tests prove that a lightweight and reliable composite tank is possible for liquid hydrogen storage.
Source: Lockheed Martin
Meanwhile, a NASA and Lockheed Martin (New Orleans, La., U.S.A.) team has also completed successful proof-testing and life-cycle testing of another liquid oxygen composite tank. The Lockheed Martin team used automated fiber placement methods to make its tank, which was subjected to multiple pressurizations at limit loads, then depressurized and drained, 52 times. Both projects are aimed at producing a reusable, lightweight tank for future launch technology.
