The Shuttle and Constellation Programs require very large cryogenic ground storage tanks in which to store liquid oxygen and hydrogen. The existing LC-39 pad tanks, which will be passed onto Constellation, are 40 years old and have received minimal refurbishment or even inspection, because they can only be temperature cycled a few times before being overhauled (a costly operation in both time and dollars). Numerous questions exist on the performance and reliability of these old tanks which could cause a major Program schedule disruption. Consequently, with the passing of the first two tanks to Constellation to occur this year, there is growing awareness that NDE is needed to detect problems early in these tanks so that corrective actions can be scheduled when least disruptive. Time series thermal images of two sides of the Pad B LH2 tank have been taken over multiple days to demonstrate the effects of environmental conditions to the solar heating of the tank and therefore the effectiveness of thermal imaging.
Developing NDE Techniques for Large Cryogenic Tanks
2009-01-01
Miscellaneous
No indication
English
Developing NDE Techniques for Large Cryogenic Tanks
NTRS | 2011
|Advanced Insulation Techniques for Cryogenic Tanks
AIAA | 2009
|Thermal Imaging for Inspection of Large Cryogenic Tanks
NTRS | 2012
|Thermal Imaging for Inspection of Large Cryogenic Tanks
NTIS | 2012
|Online Contents | 1996