This purpose of this paper is to review several historical cryogenic test programs that were conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), Cleveland, Ohio over the past fifty years. More recently these technology programs were intended to study new and improved denser forms of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LO2) cryogenic rocket fuels. Of particular interest are subcooled cryogenic propellants. This is due to the fact that they have a significantly higher density (eg. triple-point hydrogen, slush etc.), a lower vapor pressure and improved cooling capacity over the normal boiling point cryogen. This paper, which is intended to be a historical technology overview, will trace the past and recent development and testing of small and large-scale propellant densification production systems. Densifier units in the current GRC fuels program, were designed and are capable of processing subcooled LH2 and L02 propellant at the X33 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) scale. One final objective of this technical briefing is to discuss some of the potential benefits and application which propellant densification technology may offer the industrial cryogenics production and end-user community. Density enhancements to cryogenic propellants (LH2, LO2, CH4) in rocket propulsion and aerospace application have provided the opportunity to either increase performance of existing launch vehicles or to reduce the overall size, mass and cost of a new vehicle system.


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    Title :

    Recent Advances and Applications in Cryogenic Propellant Densification Technology


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2000


    Size :

    14 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





    Cryogenic Propellant Densification Study

    R. O. Ewart / R. H. Dergance | NTIS | 1978


    Cryogenic Propellant Densification Study

    Ewart, R. O. / Dergance, R. H. | NTRS | 1978


    Fundamental Analysis of Cryogenic Propellant Densification

    LeMoyne, R. / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2008