Showing papers on "Ullage published in 2008"

Storage tank for a cryogenic fluid with a partitioned cryogen space

Abstract: A cryogenic storage tank comprises a partition that divides a cryogen space into a main storage space and an auxiliary space. A valve disposed inside the cryogen space is associated with a first fluid passage through the partition. The valve comprises a valve member that is actuatable by fluid forces within the cryogen space. A second fluid passage through the partition comprises a restricted flow area that is dimensioned to have a cross-sectional flow area that is smaller than that of a fill conduit such that there is a detectable increase in back-pressure when the main storage space is filled with liquefied gas. A preferred method comprises establishing a vapor-filled ullage space when the main storage space is being vented and re-filled with cryogenic fluid, by draining liquefied gas from the auxiliary space through the first fluid passage under the influence of a vapor pressure differential permitted by the partition. If the vapor pressure differential reverses during re-filling, the valve can close to preserve the vapor-filled ullage volume. Re-filling is stopped when an increase in back pressure is detected during re-filling.

Propellant Mass Gauging: Database of Vehicle Applications and Research and Development Studies

Abstract: Gauging the mass of propellants in a tank in low gravity is not a straightforward task because of the uncertainty of the liquid configuration in the tank and the possibility of there being more than one ullage bubble. Several concepts for such a low-gravity gauging system have been proposed, and breadboard or flight-like versions have been tested in normal gravity or even in low gravity, but at present, a flight-proven reliable gauging system is not available. NASA desired a database of the gauging techniques used in current and past vehicles during ascent or under settled conditions, and during short coasting (unpowered) periods, for both cryogenic and storable propellants. Past and current research and development efforts on gauging systems that are believed to be applicable in low-gravity conditions were also desired. This report documents the results of that survey.

Effect of Ullage on Properties of Small‐Scale Pool Fires

Abstract: An experimental technique is described for accurately measuring the steady-state fuel consumption rates in small-scale pool fires, less than 7 cm diameter. The technique is applied to studying ethanol fires burning in cylindrical vessels constructed from various materials. The results indicate that the distance between the top of a vessel and the fuel surface profoundly influences the properties of liquid pool fires, including their structure and their burning rates. For combustion in glass cylinders, the burning rates decrease exponentially with increasing freeboard until a critical ullage is attained. At this ullage, the fuel begins to burn on the inside of the vessel, and the burning rate tends to increase slightly. With a further increase of the lip height, flame instabilities develop leading ultimately to flame self-extinction. The exponential decline in fuel consumption with the lip height depends strongly on the vessel material of construction. For fires in cylinders constructed from better conducting materials (copper and mild steel), the ethanol starts to boil beyond a certain ullage. The appearance of this phenomenon redefines the fuel consumption curve. Finally, free convection leads to non-negligible heat losses, especially from the more conducting copper and steel vessels, with the burning rates becoming dependent on the outside surface area of the cylinders.

Numerical modeling of propellant boil-off in a cryogenic storage tank

Abstract: A numerical model to predict boil-off of stored propellant in large spherical cryogenic tanks has been developed. Accurate prediction of tank boil-off rates for different thermal insulation systems was the goal of this collaboration effort. The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program, integrating flow analysis and conjugate heat transfer for solving complex fluid system problems, was used to create the model. Calculation of tank boil-off rate requires simultaneous simulation of heat transfer processes among liquid propellant, vapor ullage space, and tank structure. The reference tank for the boil-off model was the 850,000 gallon liquid hydrogen tank at Launch Complex 39B (LC- 39B) at Kennedy Space Center, which is under study for future infrastructure improvements to support the Constellation program. The methodology employed in the numerical model was validated using a sub-scale model and tank. Experimental test data from a 1/15th scale version of the LC-39B tank using both liquid hydrogen and liquid nitrogen were used to anchor the analytical predictions of the sub-scale model. Favorable correlations between sub-scale model and experimental test data have provided confidence in full-scale tank boil-off predictions. These methods are now being used in the preliminary design for other cases including future launch vehicles

Vapor Containment and Electrical Power Generation

Abstract: A fuel vapor and energy conservation system includes one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to at least one fuel dispenser for delivering liquid fuel to vehicle fuel tanks and a motor/generator set powered by the evaporated fuel vapor and/or liquid fuel, used alone or in combination to generate electrical power. In some implementations, the fuel vapor and energy conservation system also includes a vapor conservation system with a tank defining a tank volume and a bladder disposed within the tank volume and defining a bladder volume for receiving fuel vapor from the ullage space, the tank and the bladder defining an air space external of the bladder, with a system of vapor conduit for conducting evaporated fuel vapor between the ullage space and the bladder volume and a system of air conduit for conducting air into and out of the air space external of the bladder.

Cryogenic Pressure Control Modeling for Ellipsoidal Space Tanks in Reduced Gravity

Abstract: A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to simulate pressure control of an ellipsoidal-shaped liquid hydrogen tank under external heating in low gravity. Pressure control is provided by an axial jet thermodynamic vent system (TVS) centered within the vessel that injects cooler liquid into the tank, mixing the contents and reducing tank pressure. The two-phase cryogenic tank model considers liquid hydrogen in its own vapor with liquid density varying with temperature only and a fully compressible ullage. The axisymmetric model is developed using a custom version of the commercially available FLOW-3D software and simulates low gravity extrapolations of engineering checkout tests performed at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1999 in support of the Solar Thermal Upper Stage Technology Demonstrator (STUSTD) program. Model results illustrate that stable low gravity liquid-gas interfaces are maintained during all phases of the pressure control cycle. Steady and relatively smooth ullage pressurization rates are predicted. This work advances current low gravity CFD modeling capabilities for cryogenic pressure control and aids the development of a low cost CFD-based design process for space hardware.

Cryocooler for air liquefaction onboard large aircraft

Abstract: Creare has developed a turbo-Brayton cryocooler for the Air Force that is designed to produce approximately 1 kW of refrigeration at 95 K. The cryocooler is intended to provide cryogenic cooling for an air separation system being developed to produce and store liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen onboard large aircraft. The oxygen will be used for high-altitude breathing and medical evacuation operations, while the nitrogen will be used to inert the ullage space inside the fuel tanks. The cryocooler utilizes gas bearings in the turbomachines for long life without maintenance, which is a critical requirement for this application. The mass of a flight version of this cryocooler is expected to be around 270 kg, while the input power is expected to be 21 to 25 kW. This paper describes the design and testing of the technology demonstration cryocooler that was constructed to establish the feasibility of the approach. In the future, the cryocooler will be integrated and tested with a distillation column subsystem. Subsequent testing may also be performed in-flight on an Air Force transport aircraft.Creare has developed a turbo-Brayton cryocooler for the Air Force that is designed to produce approximately 1 kW of refrigeration at 95 K. The cryocooler is intended to provide cryogenic cooling for an air separation system being developed to produce and store liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen onboard large aircraft. The oxygen will be used for high-altitude breathing and medical evacuation operations, while the nitrogen will be used to inert the ullage space inside the fuel tanks. The cryocooler utilizes gas bearings in the turbomachines for long life without maintenance, which is a critical requirement for this application. The mass of a flight version of this cryocooler is expected to be around 270 kg, while the input power is expected to be 21 to 25 kW. This paper describes the design and testing of the technology demonstration cryocooler that was constructed to establish the feasibility of the approach. In the future, the cryocooler will be integrated and tested with a distillation column subsystem. ...

Laterally Excited Sloshing Tests with Liquid Nitrogen LN2

Abstract: ight maneuvers after launching. The investigation and numerical analysis of these phenomena are of major importance concerning the next generation of cryogenic upper stages. In order to investigate the coupled phenomena, benchmark analyses are currently being carried out that focus on sloshing of LN2 in a cylindrical container. This paper focuses on the characteristics of sloshing liquid nitrogen LN2 in a closed cylindrical glass Dewar tank to investigate occurring pressure drop phenomena in a 1g environment. The pressure and the temperature are measured inside the vessel, whereas the temperature sensors are located at dened positions in the ullage and the liquid phase.

Reducing pollutant discharge from gasoline storage tanks

Abstract: An active adsorbent pollutant reducing system includes a canister containing activated carbon, a pump and a series of valves connected to the canister and the pump. The valves and pump of the system are controlled so that vapor/air in the ullage of a gasoline storage tank is pumped to the canister/adsorbent material when tank pressure reaches a first level with vapor being adsorbed and air being discharged to atmosphere. When a second tank pressure level, lower than the first tank pressure level, is achieved, the valves are controlled to reconfigure the pump and canister so that continued pump operation pulls a vacuum on the canister resulting in adsorbed gasoline vapor being purged from the adsorbent material and returned to the storage tank. Tank pressure, HC content in the vapor flow and canister weight can be used for control of the system.

Fiber-Optic Determination of N2, O2, and Fuel Vapor in the Ullage of Liquid-Fuel Tanks

Abstract: A fiber-optic sensor system has been developed that can remotely measure the concentration of molecular oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), hydrocarbon vapor, and other gases (CO2, CO, H2O, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.) in the ullage of a liquid-fuel tank. The system provides an accurate and quantitative identification of the above gases with an accuracy of better than 1 percent by volume (for O2 or N2) in real-time (5 seconds). In an effort to prevent aircraft fuel tank fires or explosions similar to the tragic TWA Flight 800 explosion in 1996, OBIGGS are currently being developed for large commercial aircraft to prevent dangerous conditions from forming inside fuel tanks by providing an inerting gas blanket that is low in oxygen, thus preventing the ignition of the fuel/air mixture in the ullage. OBIGGS have been used in military aircraft for many years and are now standard equipment on some newer large commercial aircraft (such as the Boeing 787). Currently, OBIGGS are being developed for retrofitting to existing commercial aircraft fleets in response to pending mandates from the FAA. Most OBIGGS use an air separation module (ASM) that separates O2 from N2 to make nitrogen-enriched air from compressed air flow diverted from the engine (bleed air). Current OBIGGS systems do not have a closed-loop feedback control, in part, due to the lack of suitable process sensors that can reliably measure N2 or O2 and at the same time, do not constitute an inherent source of ignition. Thus, current OBIGGS operate with a high factor-of-safety dictated by process protocol to ensure adequate fuel-tank inerting. This approach is inherently inefficient as it consumes more engine bleed air than is necessary compared to a closed-loop controlled approach. The reduction of bleed air usage is important as it reduces fuel consumption, which translates to both increased flight range and lower operational costs. Numerous approaches to developing OBIGGS feedback-control sensors have been under development by many research groups and companies. However, the direct measurement of nitrogen (N2) is a challenge to most OBIGGS ullage sensors (such as tunable diode laser absorption) as they cannot measure N2 directly but depend on the measurement of oxygen (O2). The problem with a singular measure of O2, is that as the concentration (number density) of O2 decreases due to the inerting process or due to lower pressures from high altitudes, the precision and accuracy of the O2 measurement decreases. However, measuring O2 density in combination with N2 density (which is more abundant in air and in a N2-inerted fuel tank) can provide a much more accurate and reliable determination of the OBIGGS efficacy.

Thermal Analysis of Prelaunch Transients in Cryogenic Oxidizer Tank of Liquid Propulsion Rocket

Abstract: The prelaunch thermal transients in the cryogenic oxidizer tank of liquid propulsion rocket subjected to uniform heat flux from outside are numerically analyzed through thermodynamic equations and heat and mass transfer relations. The prelaunch stage is assumed to be composed of five idealized sub-stages including pressurization process by helium gas injection. The Peng-Robinson equation of state is utilized in the lumped analysis of ullage gas. The liquid region is divided into a number of horizontal layers of uniform properties to account for the thermal stratification. The computational result for the typical case shows that the temperature rise of liquid oxidizer is less than 1K and the adsorbed helium into the liquid is approximately 10g.

Analyzing the Use of Gaseous Helium as a Pressurant with Cryogenic Propellants with Thermodynamic Venting System Modelling and Test Data

Abstract: Cryogens are viable candidate propellants for NASA's Lunar and Mars exploration programs. To provide adequate mass flow to the system's engines and/or to prevent feed system cavitation, gaseous helium (GHe) is frequently considered as a pressurant. During low gravity operations, a Thermodynamic Venting System (TVS) is designed to maintain tank pressure during low gravity operations without propellant resettling. Therefore, a series of tests were conducted in the Multi-purpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in order to evaluate the effects of GHe pressurant on pressure control performance of a TVS with liquid hydrogen (LH2) and nitrogen (LN2) as the test liquids. The TVS used in these test series consists of a recirculation pump, Joule-Thomson (J-T) expansion valve, and a parallel flow concentric tube heat exchanger combined with a longitudinal spray bar. Using a small amount of liquid extracted from the tank recirculation line, passing it through the J-T valve, and then through the heat exchanger, thermal energy is extracted from the bulk liquid and ullage thereby enabling pressure control. The LH2/GHe tests were performed at fill levels of 90%, 50%, and 25% and LN2/GHe tests were conducted at fill levels of 50% and 25%. Moreover, each test was conducted with a specified tank ullage pressure control band. A one-dimensional TVS performance program was used to analyze and correlate the test data. Predictions and comparisons with test data of ullage pressure and temperature and bulk liquid saturation pressure and temperature with test data are presented.

A Consideration of Analytical Thermodynamic Modeling of Bipropellant Propulsion System

Abstract: This paper is to consider analytical thermodynamic modeling of bipropellant propulsion system. The objective of thermodynamic modeling is to predict thermodynamic conditions such as pressures, temperatures and densities in the pressurant tank and the propellant tank in which heat and mass transfer occur. In this paper also it shows analytic equations that calculate the evolution of ullage volume and interface areas. Since the ullage interface areas are time-varying, (the liquid propellant volume decreases as the rocket engine is firing; the change of ullage volume correspond to the change of liquid propellant volume) for a numerical convenience nondimensionalized correlations are commonly used in most literatures with limitations; a few percentages of inherent error. The analytic equations are derived from analytic geometry, subsequently without inherent error. Those equations are important to calculate the heat transfer areas in the heat transfer equations. It presents the comparison result of both analytic equations and correlation method.

Volatile emission control for inaccessible storage tanks

Abstract: A system controls emissions to the atmosphere of environmentally harmful components of vapor from liquids, typically hydrocarbons, supplied to, stored in and dispensed from difficult-to-access tanks such as underground storage tanks of gasoline dispensing stations. The system preferably utilizes a vapor processor to separate environmentally benign components from the the hydrocarbons and returns a comparatively hydrocarbon rich composition to the ullage of the storage tank. The system is especially useful for storage facilities in which the underground tanks each have only a single vapor port communicating with the ullage.

Investigation on Temperature Drop during Pressurant Discharging from Pressurant Tank of Liquid Rocket Propulsion System (II)

Abstract: Propellant pressurization system in liquid rocket propulsion system plays a role in supplying pressurant gas at a controlled pressure into the ullage space of propellant tanks The most important design parameter for such propellant pressurization system is the temperature of pressurant gas fed from pressurant tank, which is placed inside of cryogenic propellant tank Such pressurant is gaseous state, of which density is very sensitive to the temperature of pressurant Previous investigation dealt with thermal correlation of pressurant and external fluid at room temperature This study investigates the temperature variation of cryogenic pressurant (GHe) at the time when the pressurant is coming out of pressurant tank, which is submerged in a liquid oxygen, experimentally as well as numerically