Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2681

Date

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Mechanical Engineering

Committee Member

Jeffery Marchetta

Committee Member

Firouzeh Sabri

Committee Member

John Hochstein

Abstract

Storage of cryogenic liquids is key to the success of long duration space missions like a manned mission to Mars. Current cyrogenic storage tanks are constructed from metals with high thermal conductivities. This study presents the novel methods used to construct a prototype cryogenic storage tank made from RTV-655 embedded with polyimide aerogel. The low temperature performance of the prototype RTV-655 + aerogel tank is analyzed when partially filled with liquid nitrogen and pressurized. The data collected from the RTV-655 + aerogel tank is compared to a tank of the same size made of RTV-655 to gauge the effectiveness of the aerogel layer. Stress tolerance at low temperature, pressurization rate, and liquid boil off time are parameters used to gauge the tank performance. Tank construction methods along with testing parameters, procedures, and a comparison of performance results between the RTV-655 + aerogel tank and RTV-655 tank are presented in this paper.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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