Theoretical limits of vapor cooling large cylindrical structures using boil-off

•Vapor cooling.•Boil-off.•Liquid hydrogen tanks.•Upper stage cylindrical structures. The Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) is planning to demonstrate the performance benefits of using boil-off to reduce the heat load on various upper stage structural membe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cryogenics (Guildford) 2020-06, Vol.108 (103051), p.103051-7, Article 103051
Main Authors: Balasubramaniam, R., Johnson, Wesley L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Cooling
Cooling effects
Cylinders
Insulation
Mathematical models
Parameter sensitivity
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Structural members
Temperature dependence
Thermal conductivity
Vapors
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Summary:•Vapor cooling.•Boil-off.•Liquid hydrogen tanks.•Upper stage cylindrical structures. The Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) is planning to demonstrate the performance benefits of using boil-off to reduce the heat load on various upper stage structural members by using the boil-off vapor to intercept some of the heat load on the structures. A first order simplified analytical model was constructed in order to understand sensitivity of various parameters to performance as well as to understand the theoretical maximum performance of the vapor cooling of a thin-walled cylindrical structure. Constant fluid properties and a temperature dependent thermal conductivity of the structure material were assumed. The model showed that vapor cooling of an aluminum cylindrical structure with hydrogen can reduce the heat load along the cylinder by as much as 70%. Also, cooling a portion of the cylinder is quite effective in comparison with cooling it entirely.
ISSN:0011-2275
1879-2235
DOI:10.1016/j.cryogenics.2020.103051