Quick disconnect devices for high pressure fluid transfer, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative quick disconnect system includes a first connector and a second connector. The second connector can have an opening sized and shaped to receive a first end of the first connector. The second connector can include a poppet positioned to open the first connector when the first connector is connected to the second connector. The second connector can include an inner sleeve moveable between a first position wherein the poppet head forms a fluid-tight seal with the annular seat of the inner sleeve, and a second position wherein the second end portion is open to permit fluid flow through the end portion of the inner sleeve. In some embodiments, the inner sleeve is pressure balanced in every direction.

A connection system for a cryogenic tank with a tank wall formed with a first material. A connector is provided for a component to be connected to the tank. The connector is formed with a second material, and the connector is positioned on an exterior side of the tank and essentially congruent with a passage opening of the tank wall. At least one sealing element is provided, and the first and the second material have different thermal expansion coefficients. A counterpart formed with the second material is positioned on an interior side of the tank, and is connected with the connector via at least two fastening elements, such that the tank wall is clamped between the counterpart, the connector and the at least one sealing element, and a slight displaceability of the connector and the counterpart parallel to the tank wall remains to compensate for thermally induced mechanical stresses.

A load-decoupling attachment system is configured to secure to a primary structure. The load-decoupling attachment system includes one or more baffle tiers. One or more beams are coupled to the one or more baffle tiers. The one or more beams include a fore end and an aft end. A fore end coupling joint is configured to secure the fore end to a first portion of the primary structure. The fore end coupling joint includes a spherical bearing that allows the fore end to rotate in relation to the first portion of the primary structure. An aft end coupling joint is configured to secure the aft end to a second portion of the primary structure. The aft end coupling joint includes a slot that allows the aft end to linearly translate in relation to the second portion of the primary structure.

A heat exchanger generally employs a method for supplying liquid having critical pressure or higher or high pressure in order to suppress boiling. However, gas obtained by a evaporator behind the heat exchanger has relatively low pressure, and therefore supplying the liquid to the heat exchanger requires a system for converting an energy form of the obtained gas into kinetic energy or electrical energy, and increasing the pressure by a mechanical pump. Thus, the complicated system involving an efficiency loss is only solution, and it is difficult to achieve simplification of a system or reduction in the weight of a propellant supply device in a moving body, specifically, a flying object.

Techniques and systems involve a magnetically enhanced cryogenic boiler that produces, without requiring pumps, high pressure gaseous oxygen from liquid oxygen for use in a spacecraft or other applications. The boiler heats, using a heat exchanger element, a closed container of liquid oxygen to boil the liquid oxygen at constant volume and increasing the pressure in the container. When a desired target pressure is reached, the boiler may release and transfer the high pressure fluid into a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storage. Magnets may be used to draw low pressure liquid oxygen into the boiler and to keep the liquid oxygen on or near one or more heat exchanger elements in the boiler, by exploiting paramagnetism of oxygen. The magnets produce a magnetic field that maintains relatively strong thermal contact between the heat exchanger elements and the liquid oxygen, even in the absence of gravity.

A pressurization device for pressurizing an enclosure may include a container containing a pressurized fluid, a pin that is inserted into the container, an actuator, and a heating device operably coupled to the actuator. The actuator may initially hold the pin in a closed position and allow the pin to move to an open position, disengaging from the container when the actuator increases in temperature. The pressurized fluid may force the pin toward the open position to release the pressurized fluid from the container. The actuator may include a frangible hollow bulb configured to fracture at a pre-defined temperature. The pressurized fluid may be vented into the enclosure through at least one fluid passage in fluid communication between the enclosure and the container.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to controlling the fueling process for a space launch vehicle based on a composition of a Liquefied (LNG) propellant being loaded onto the space launch vehicle. According to one embodiment, controlling a fueling process for a launch vehicle can comprise monitoring a flow of a fuel being loaded into a tank of the launch vehicle during the fueling process. Loading of the fuel into the tank of the launch vehicle can then be controlled based on the determined mass of the fuel and a predefined mass loading target for the fuel.

A toroid pressure vessel includes a toroid body having an inner shell and an outer shell. The toroid body includes a toroid outer perimeter. The outer shell extends along the toroid outer perimeter. A planar exterior face extends along at least a portion of the outer shell and the toroid outer perimeter. A support belt circumscribes the toroid outer perimeter and is coupled along the planar exterior face. The support belt braces and supports the pressure vessel along the toroid outer perimeter against bulging force (and hoop stress) generated by pressurized fluids within the vessel. The support belt facilitates the use of thinner pressure vessel shells and thereby decreases the weight of the pressure vessel while providing a support to the outer shell that substantially prevents deformation of the planar exterior face.

A semi-ellipsoidal, semi-toroidal, or toroidal shell includes an annular sheet metal wall that is longitudinally segmented so as to include a plurality of annular wall segments. Each of the plurality of annular wall segments is joined to an adjacent wall segment by a respective latitudinal wall weld. Also disclosed is a tank including the shell, a vehicle including the shell, a multi-conic preform used to manufacture the shell, a method for assembling the preform, and a method for manufacturing the shell using the preform.

A diffuser for separating a gas component and a liquid component of a liquid-gas mixture to reduce slosh in vehicle systems is described herein. The diffuser includes a wall with a gas end, a liquid end, and multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid side to the gas side. The vanes are spaced apart from each other by a given distance to permit the liquid to flow toward the liquid end via capillary action.