A getter assembly is provided and includes a first canister, an internal can including getter, and a second canister. The internal can is disposable in the first canister to occupy a first position at which the getter is hermetically sealable and second positions at which the getter is exposed to an exterior environment. The second canister is engageable with the first canister to drive movements of the internal can between the first position and the second positions following activation and hermetic sealing of the getter.

An apparatus includes: a getter material (310) disposed within a vacuum chamber (210) to absorb stray molecules within the vacuum chamber; a thermal mass (340) disposed adjacent the getter material and in thermal communication with the getter material; a cold station (312) disposed within the vacuum chamber above the thermal mass; and a convective cooling loop (310) connected between the thermal mass and the cold station and configured to convectively cool the thermal mass when the cold station is at a lower temperature than the thermal mass, and to thermally isolate the thermal mass from the cold station when the cold station is at a higher temperature than the thermal mass. The thermal mass may be water ice and may be thermally isolated from the walls of vacuum chamber by low loss support links (360, 362, 364) and/or thermal reflective shielding.

A hydrogen storage tank for a hydrogen fueled aircraft. The tank has a wall made of layers of aerogel sections around a hard shell layer, sealed within a flexible outer layer, and having the air removed to form a vacuum. The periphery of each layer section abuts other sections of that layer, but only overlies the periphery of the sections of other layers at individual points. The wall is characterized by a thermal conductivity that is lower near its gravitational top than its gravitational bottom. The tank has two exit passageways, one being direct, and the other passing through a vapor shield that extends through the wall between two layers of aerogel. A control system controls the relative flow through the two passages to regulate the boil-off rate of the tank.

A getter assembly is provided and includes a first canister, an internal can including getter, and a second canister. The internal can is disposable in the first canister to occupy a first position at which the getter is hermetically sealable and second positions at which the getter is exposed to an exterior environment. The second canister is engageable with the first canister to drive movements of the internal can between the first position and the second positions following activation and hermetic sealing of the getter.

A heat-insulating container being used under an environment where exposure to water of liquid is possible, includes a container main body having a substance holding portion which holds a substance at a temperature which is lower than a normal temperature on the inside of the substance holding portion; and a heat-insulating structure body which is provided in the container main body and includes at least a vacuum heat-insulating material. In addition, the vacuum heat-insulating material includes an outer cover material and an inner member sealed in a tightly closed and decompressed state on an inside of the outer cover material. In addition, the inner member is configured of a material which does not generate hydrogen in a case of coming into contact with the moisture of the liquid.

A double-shell tank includes: an inner shell storing liquefied gas; an outer shell surrounding the inner shell, the outer shell forming a vacuum space between the inner shell and the outer shell; at least one metal sheet mounted to the inner shell, such that the metal sheet faces at least a bottom surface of the inner shell; an adsorbent placed on the metal sheet, the adsorbent adsorbing gas molecules by physisorption; and a thermal insulator covering the inner shell over the metal sheet.

A hydrogen storage tank for a hydrogen fueled aircraft. The tank has a wall made of layers of aerogel sections around a hard shell layer, sealed within a flexible outer layer, and having the air removed to form a vacuum. The periphery of each layer section abuts other sections of that layer, but only overlies the periphery of the sections of other layers at individual points. The wall is characterized by a thermal conductivity that is lower near its gravitational top than its gravitational bottom. The tank has two exit passageways, one being direct, and the other passing through a vapor shield that extends through the wall between two layers of aerogel. A control system controls the relative flow through the two passages to regulate the boil-off rate of the tank.

A low-cost getter material comprising palladium and manganese oxide and methods of making the same. A tank including said getter material, and a method of removing hydrogen gas.

A method of storing liquid hydrogen employs a tank with inner and outer shells. A support beam with its ends supported in endwalls of the outer shell extends through a central sleeve in the inner shell. Raised formations on the support beam engage the interior of the sleeve to support the inner shell within the outer shell. The sealed space formed between the shells inhibits heat conduction into the liquid hydrogen held in the inner shell. Pins extending transversely through the support beam prevent turning of the support beam in its endwall supports and turning of inner shell about the support beam. Getter material and radiation shielding placed about the support beam within the sleeve of the inner shell afford additional impediments to heat transfer into the inner shell.

A getter assembly is provided and includes a first canister, an internal can including getter, and a second canister. The internal can is disposable in the first canister to occupy a first position at which the getter is hermetically sealable and second positions at which the getter is exposed to an exterior environment. The second canister is engageable with the first canister to drive movements of the internal can between the first position and the second positions following activation and hermetic sealing of the getter