Long-Term Storage of Liquid Rocket Propellant Tankage and Components

Format:

Conference/Event

Author/Creator:

Branigan, John E., author.

Conference Name:

National Aeronautic and Space Engineering and Manufacturing Meeting (1970-10-05 : Los Angeles, California, United States)

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Warrendale, PA SAE International 1970

Summary:

Air Force weapons systems require long-term maintenance-free storage, preferably under uncontrolled environmental conditions. Liquid propulsion system components must be capable of satisfactory operation after years of exposure to highly reactive propellants while retaining the propellant without leakage under severe ambient conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Oxidizer leakage caused by improper component design and severe ambient storage conditions has presented serious operational problems.The Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (AFRPL) has initiated a program to investigate the storability of liquid system components and tankage under extreme conditions of relative humidity and temperature. A variety of system components and tankage materials are being evaluated for long-term storability with storable liquid rocket fuels and oxidizers. Storage conditions are 85 F temperature and 85% RH for oxidizer systems and +65 to +165 F temperature for fuel systems. The propellants under test are N2O4, C1F5, N2H4, and MHF-5. Tankage materials under test are various alloys of aluminum, steel, and titanium.The results of almost 3 years of testing on a representative number of tankage materials have indicated that leakage of propellant can occur as a result of improper weld joint design, inadequate quality control in fabrication and inadequate acceptance leakage testing. Factors which can contribute to the development of oxidizer leakage are a high ambient relative humidity (30%) and stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility of the tank material in combination with the propellant and trace quantities of foreign compounds/elements in the propellant

Notes:

Vendor supplied data

Publisher Number:

700800

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license