Thesis
Parahydrogen-orthohydrogen conversion on catalyst loaded scrim for vapor cooled shielding of cryogenic storage vessels
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
05/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103449
Abstract
As long distance human space travel becomes more realistic, the need for long term storage of cryogenic propellants becomes a forefront issue. Effective cryo-fluid system management becomes a necessity to solve this issue. Over a 5 day mission, 1% per day of cryogenic fuel boil-off is not an issue; adding only approximately 6% to the gross lift-off weight (GLOW). Over a 500 day mission, however, this quickly becomes unsustainable due to increased mass required to offset the boil-off, increasing both the GLOW of the vehicle, and cost of a launch. The fuel/oxidizer combination of choice for NASA is LH2 (liquid hydrogen) and LOX (liquid oxygen). The current strategy used on many upper stage vehicles, including United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES), is to use the boil-off gasses of the colder cryogen (LH2) to help insulate the warmer cryogen (LOX) and reduce the static boil-off. Previous research has shown that a catalyst present in hydrogen vapor cooling channels can give a theoretical 50% increase in cooling capacity. Experimental values obtained previously in the Cryocatalysis Hydrogen Experiment Facility (CHEF) in the Hydrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) lab have approached this limit, as the values showed a 35% increase. This thesis is an extension of previous research, in a practical application. Data was collected for a range of catalyst materials and weight loadings of Fe2O3 and RuO2 catalysts on a Nomex Scrim Blanket in a non-isothermal catalytic reactor over a 23 Kelvin input temperature heated up to 90 Kelvin output temperature. An avenue of implementation of this research is on a spacecraft: placing the catalyst within the multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets currently used to reduce radiation heat transfer to the tank. Results of catalyzation of parahydrogen to orthohydrogen gas is presented as well as a catalyzation model to represent the measurements for future use.
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Details
- Title
- Parahydrogen-orthohydrogen conversion on catalyst loaded scrim for vapor cooled shielding of cryogenic storage vessels
- Creators
- Brandt Patrick Pedrow
- Contributors
- Jacob W. Leachman (Chair)Konstantin Matveev (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School ofDustin F McLarty (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Number of pages
- 98
- Identifiers
- 99900525053801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis