Cracking of foam insulation in a liquid methane tank

Tanks used for storing liquid methane at atmospheric pressure is made from an aluminum alloy in order to avoid any risk of brittle failure. Protection from leaks is achieved by placing the tank in a leak-proof mild steel jacket and inserting a layer of closed-cell foam made from rigid polyurethane (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Engineering failure analysis 1995-06, Vol.2 (2), p.159-164
Main Author: Jones, D.R.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Tanks used for storing liquid methane at atmospheric pressure is made from an aluminum alloy in order to avoid any risk of brittle failure. Protection from leaks is achieved by placing the tank in a leak-proof mild steel jacket and inserting a layer of closed-cell foam made from rigid polyurethane (PUR) into the space between the two. The theory is that if the tank leaks, the flow of methane will be arrested by the closed-cell structure of the PUR and the jacket will be protected. However, incidents have occurred where the PUR in this type of tank has cracked. The deformation and fracture of foams due to thermal stresses is studied by using the Weibull equation to estimate the probability of fracture.
ISSN:1350-6307
1873-1961
DOI:10.1016/1350-6307(95)00012-F