A storage tank for liquified gas, in particular for liquid hydrogen, including a vessel having a vessel wall formed from a fiber metal laminate including metal layers formed with an aluminum alloy and one or more synthetic layers with reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. Further, an aircraft or spacecraft including such a storage tank as well as a hydrogen-based propulsion system configured to be supplied with hydrogen at least from the storage tank is disclosed. Further, fiber metal laminates are disclosed.

A storage system for storing a cryogenic medium, in particular, for storing hydrogen. The storage system includes storage container for receiving the cryogenic medium, at least one pipe projecting from outside the storage container into the storage container, and a shut-off valve in fluidic communication with the at least one pipe. The at least one pipe is closed at an end thereof facing away from the storage container and is open at another end thereof located in the storage container. The shut-off valve is moveable between an open operating state in which an inner space of the at least one pipe is in fluidic communication with an inner space of the storage container, and a closed operating state in which the inner space of the at least pipe is not in fluidic communication with the inner space of the storage container.

The present invention relates to a reinforced bulging tank of a launch vehicle and a manufacturing method therefor. The tank is made of metal material with good plasticity. Firstly, the tank is manufactured by welding annealed plastic metal materials, wherein internal longitudinal reinforcing ribs and internal annular frames/annular plates of barrel sections are welded with a barrel section shell by a low energy laser welding method, and tank bottoms are progressively welded by a plurality of conical sections. Weldments are strengthened and formed through internal pressure bulging under the constraint of external tooling. The outer walls of the barrel sections are not radially deformed under the constraint of a plurality of small width metal rings, and the metal rings are not connected to each other axially. The strength of the materials can be greatly improved by a deep cooling bulging technology.

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.

A heat exchange system includes cooling tubes that carry coolant and are placed on an external surface of a storage tank, which may be spherical, cylindrical, or other shape. The storage tank may be a cryogenic rocket fuel tank. The cooling tubes are bent to particular radius of curvatures that correspond to the varying curvatures of the storage tank. A network of spacers and bridge brackets with adjustable setscrews are used to precisely place the cooling tubes in correct positions on the external surface of the storage tank. Once placed in the desired position, the setscrews are adjusted to maximize the surface area contact between the cooling tubes and the exterior surface of the storage tank, resulting in optimal heat transfer without overstressing the materials of the tubing or the storage tank. The precisely positioned tubes may then be permanently affixed to the exterior surface of the storage tank using a cryogenic adhesive.

A device configured to couple a rounding ring to a tank is provided. In one aspect, the device includes a bracket having a first leg angled relative to a second leg, the first leg comprising a tank-facing side and a first opening, the second leg configured to couple to the rounding ring; a mount comprising a tank-facing side and a stud on a second side opposite the tank-facing side, the tank-facing side of the mount configured to place an adhesive into contact with the tank when the stud is inserted into the first opening of the bracket via the tank facing side of the first leg of the bracket; a spring between the second side of the mount and the tank-facing side of the first leg of the bracket when the stud is inserted into the first opening of the bracket; and a nut configured to couple to the stud and compress the spring when the stud is inserted into the first opening of the bracket and the second leg is coupled to the rounding ring. Movement of the nut away from the mount uncompresses the spring to place adhesive on the tank-facing side of the mount into contact with the tank.

A heat exchange system includes cooling tubes that carry coolant and are placed on an external surface of a storage tank, which may be spherical, cylindrical, or other shape. The storage tank may be a cryogenic rocket fuel tank. The cooling tubes are bent to particular radius of curvatures that correspond to the varying curvatures of the storage tank. A network of spacers and bridge brackets with adjustable setscrews are used to precisely place the cooling tubes in correct positions on the external surface of the storage tank. Once placed in the desired position, the setscrews are adjusted to maximize the surface area contact between the cooling tubes and the exterior surface of the storage tank, resulting in optimal heat transfer without overstressing the materials of the tubing or the storage tank. The precisely positioned tubes may then be permanently affixed to the exterior surface of the storage tank using a cryogenic adhesive.

A pressurization method for increasing a pressure within a propellant tank containing hydrogen peroxide H.sub.2O.sub.2. The pressurization method includes irradiating at least some of the hydrogen peroxide H.sub.2O.sub.2 with ultraviolet light emitted by at least one ultraviolet light source. With the UV light, a photolysis is actively provoked which causes the irradiated hydrogen peroxide H.sub.2O.sub.2 to at least partially decompose into water H.sub.2O and gaseous oxygen O.sub.2. Also a filling method for at least partially filling a receiving propellant tank with the pressurization method, a tank assembly, a filling system, and a spacecraft.

The enabling of in-space cryogenic engines and cryogenic fuel depots for future space exploration missions begins with development of cryogenic fluid management systems upstream in the propellant feed system. Before single-phase liquid can flow to the engine or customer spacecraft receiver tank, the connecting transfer line can be chilled down to cryogenic temperatures. In some examples, a method to quench the line is to use the cold propellant itself. When a cryogenic fluid is introduced into a warm transfer system, two-phase flow quenching ensues. Due to the projected cost of space exploration, it is desired to perform this chilldown process using the least amount of propellant. The embodiments include enhancements that reduce the amount of propellant consumed during chilldown while in a microgravity environment. Experiments were performed to examine the effects of using low thermally conductive coatings and pulse flow on the chilldown process.

A space electric propulsion system and a xenon filling method therefor are provided, suitable for a filling process of an electric propulsion system using high-purity xenon as a working medium. By reasonably designing a filling process, the precision of a xenon filling amount is ensured, and xenon filling can be performed without weighing the whole spacecraft. This method features a simple and efficient filling device, short preparation time, precise and controllable filling process, as well as safety and convenience, which can effectively meet the requirements for a high-purity xenon rapid filling task of a satellite.