Composite cryogenic tank apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An aerospace vehicle composite cryogen tank apparatus, comprising:
- a) a space structural tank body having means for containing a cryogenic material;
b) a tank body having an interior for containing a cryogenic material that has a temperature of as low as minus 400 degrees F.;
c) the tank body having a tank wall with an inner surface, the tank wall having a composite construction that includes a fiber reinforced portion;
d) liner means for lining the interior of the tank, said liner means having low permeability to gases and comprising;
i) a laminate of film layers including at least two film layers, each having a vacuum deposited metalized coating thereon, and a first layer of adhesive bonding the two metalized surfaces together;
ii) a second layer of adhesive for bonding the liner means to the composite tank inner surface; and
e) wherein the liner means has a thickness of about 0.5-2.0 mils.
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Abstract
An aerospace vehicle fuel pressure, or cryogen tank apparatus includes a tank load bearing wall of composite laminate construction that is lined with a film laminate liner that includes at least two metalized layers bonded with adhesive with the metalized coatings facing each other. The liner is bonded to the load bearing wall with an adhesive. The improved tank apparatus is able to withstand extreme pressure and extreme temperature conditions, and while containing cryogens such as liquid helium and liquid hydrogen.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An aerospace vehicle composite cryogen tank apparatus, comprising:
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a) a space structural tank body having means for containing a cryogenic material; b) a tank body having an interior for containing a cryogenic material that has a temperature of as low as minus 400 degrees F.; c) the tank body having a tank wall with an inner surface, the tank wall having a composite construction that includes a fiber reinforced portion; d) liner means for lining the interior of the tank, said liner means having low permeability to gases and comprising; i) a laminate of film layers including at least two film layers, each having a vacuum deposited metalized coating thereon, and a first layer of adhesive bonding the two metalized surfaces together; ii) a second layer of adhesive for bonding the liner means to the composite tank inner surface; and e) wherein the liner means has a thickness of about 0.5-2.0 mils. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An aerospace vehicle composite cryogen tank apparatus, comprising:
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a) a space vehicle having structural means for containing a cryogenic material; b) a tank body having an interior for containing a cryogenic material that has a temperature of as low as minus 400 degrees F.; c) the tank body having a tank wall with an inner surface, the tank wall having a composite construction that includes a fiber reinforced portion; d) liner means for lining the interior of the tank, said liner means having low permeability to gases and comprising; i) a laminate of bonded layers and including at least two film layers, each film layer having a vacuum deposited metalized coating thereon, and a first layer of adhesive bonding the two metalized surfaces together; ii) a second layer of adhesive for bonding the liner means to the composite tank inner surface; and e) wherein the liner means has a thickness of about 0.5-1.0 mils, and the two film layers are of substantially equal thickness. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An aerospace vehicle composite cryogen tank apparatus, comprising:
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a) a tank body for containing cryogenic material during use; b) the tank body having an interior for containing a cryogenic material that has a temperature of as low as minus 450 degrees F.; c) a load bearing wall including an inner surface, the tank wall having a composite construction that includes a fiber portion embedded in a matrix material; d) liner means for lining the inner surface of the load bearing wall, said liner means having low permeability to gases and comprising; i) a laminate of layers including at least two film layers, each film layer having a metalized surface with a vacuum deposited metalized thereon, and a first layer of adhesive bonding the two metalized surfaces of the two film layers together; ii) a second layer of adhesive for bonding the liner means to the load bearing wall inner surface; and e) wherein the liner means has a thickness of about 0.5-2.0 mils. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An aerospace vehicle tank apparatus, comprising:
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a) a tank body having structural means for containing a cryogenic material; b) the tank body having an interior for containing a cryogenic material that has a temperature of as low as minus 400 degrees F.; c) the tank body having a tank wall comprising laminate composite construction that includes a fiber reinforced portion; d) liner means for lining the interior of the tank, said liner means having low permeability to gases and comprising; i) a laminate of bonded layers and including at least two film layers, each film layer having at least one outer surface with a vacuum deposited metalized coating thereon, and a first layer of adhesive bonding the two metalized surfaces together of each film layer; ii) a second layer of adhesive for bonding the liner means to the tank wall; and e) wherein the liner means has a thickness of about 0.5-2.0 mils, and the two film layers are of substantially equal thickness. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification