Abstract:
The cover member is adapted to receive a fuel-containing cell for a vehicle, such as a stock car racing vehicle, and is configured to cover and fit snugly against substantially all of the surfaces of the fuel cell. The cover member comprises a plurality of layers of penetration-resistant, synthetic material, which is lightweight but high strength, flexible and, to an extent, stretchable, so that in the event of a penetration of the fuel cell by a moving object, such as debris caused by a vehicle crash, material in the vicinity of the penetration is drawn through the opening in the fuel cell with the object, preventing contact of the object and the exposed edges of the opening in the fuel cell.
Abstract:
Watertight and thermally insulating tank intended for the transportation of liquefied gases by sea, said tank being built into a bearing structure (1) comprising longitudinally adjacent faces (2) forming a dihedron (4); said tank comprising two successive watertightness barriers, one of them a primary watertightness barrier in contact with the product contained in the tank and the other a secondary watertightness barrier (14,55,30,40) arranged between said primary watertightness barrier and the bearing structure, a primary thermally insulating barrier (12,13,24,27,28,29,37,38,51,54,71) being arranged between these two watertightness barriers and a secondary thermally insulating barrier (15,16,57,58,31,32,41) being arranged between said secondary watertightness barrier and the bearing structure; said primary watertightness barrier comprising substantially flat running metal strakes (62) and, on each side of the longitudinal solid angle of intersection (A) of at least one of said dihedra, a longitudinal row of corner strakes (65) which are corrugated so that they can deform transversely.
Abstract:
The development of polymer composite liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks is a critical step in creating the next generation of launch vehicles. A composite LOX tank will weigh significantly less than conventional metal tanks. This benefit of reduced weight is critical to enable future launch vehicles to meet required mass fractions. The high strength and low weight of a composite tank allows for a lighter weight craft and/or higher payload capacity which results in lower costs per pound to place an object in orbit. The unique, nontraditional idea described here is to use resin-based composite materials to make such a composite tank or other oxygen carrying component such as a feedline. Polymer composites have traditionally been regarded as being more flammable than metals and therefore deemed not oxygen compatible. However, several cyanate ester composites have been tested for their ability to withstand ignition in the presence of oxygen, and have shown to be resistant to ignition.
Abstract:
A disposable shipping container for storing materials at cryogenic temperatures with: a specimen holding chamber, an open cell plastic foam material surrounding the specimen holding chamber for holding liquid nitrogen in suspension, a plurality of insulating and cushioning materials surrounding the plastic foam, a removable and replaceable primary cap for enclosing the specimen holding chamber allowing for the insertion and removal of the specimen from the specimen holding chamber and for adding liquid nitrogen to the plastic foam. A secondary removable and replaceable cap covers the primary cap. A preferred embodiment includes a specimen holding chamber that is comprised of a resin impregnated paper cylinder at its top half and a similarly sized stainless steel mesh screen cylinder attached to the lower edge of the paper cylinder at the specimen holders bottom half. The stainless steel cylinder has an attached stainless steel mesh floor at its lower most portion. The first and second rigid surrounding walls are joined at their top most portion and continue perpendicularly at their bottom most portions thereby forming a standard vacuum vessel. The plenum created by the first and second rigid walls contain an amount of either carbon dioxide or water vapor so that when liquid nitrogen is introduced to the plastic foam, the low temperature of the surrounding liquid nitrogen causes a vacuum to be created within the first and second rigid surrounding walls.
Abstract:
A highly reliable digital level sensor assembly is provided to replace optical and capacitance type sensors in high purity chemical delivery systems. The digital level sensor assembly is particularly useful in bulk chemical refill delivery systems for high purity chemicals employing a manifold that ensures contamination free operation and canister change outs with a minimum of valves and tubing.
Abstract:
Improved process for evacuating the thermally insulating jacket of a dewar having an inner wall and an outer wall, with the inner space between said walls completely or partially filled with an insulating material, containing also a moisture sorbing material and a getter material, in which said moisture sorbing material is a chemical drying agent.
Abstract:
Apparatus for gauging the amount of liquid in a container of liquid and gas under low or zero gravity net conditions includes an accumulator and appropriate connector apparatus for communicating gas between the accumulator and the container. In one form of the invention, gas is removed from the container and compressed into the accumulator. The pressure and temperature of the fluid in the container is measured before and after removal of the gas; the pressure and temperature of gas in the accumulator is measured before and after compression of the gas into the accumulator from the container. These pressure and temperature measurements are used in determining the volume of gas in the container, whereby the volume of liquid in the container can be determined from the difference between the known volume of the container and the volume of gas in the container. Gas from the accumulator may be communicated into the container in a similar process as a verification of the gauging of the liquid volume, or as an independent process for determining the volume of liquid in the container.
Abstract:
A Post-mix beverage dispenser cabinet including a carbonator, water reservoir, flavor concentrate containers and a CO.sub.2 cylinder disposed therein. The flavor concentrate containers and CO.sub.2 cylinder are disposed adjacent a front wall of the cabinet. A water entrance chute extends from the front wall to the water reservoir. The flavor concentrate containers, CO.sub.2 cylinder and water may be manually introduced at the front wall of the cabinet.
Abstract:
Prefabricated rigid insulating panels of great length, made of a fiberglass reinforced prestressed foam enclosed in a gas tight envelope and covered on their inner face by a folded metal membrane are glued directly to the cavity walls of the load bearing structure of a cryogenic tank by means of variable thickness adhesive mastic strips, which also separate channels for a gas circulation against the panels' back face. The beveled edge surfaces of adjacent panels are rigidly bonded under pressure. Panel handling, gluing operations, and membrane welding inside the closed space of a tank are done using telescopic towers fitted with four mobile arms, one of them supporting a worker-carrying bucket. Complete self standing inner tanks may also be assembled outside and inserted into the cavity of a vessel before it is covered over. Inflated air hoses attached to the outer faces of the inner tank center it inside the cavity during the injection and curing of a liquid thermosetting bonding agent between the cavity walls and the inner tank. The hoses subsequently provide channels for a gas circulation against the back face of each panel for monitoring its integrity.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a heat-insulation-lined storage tank for low-temperature liquids having a liquid-impervious layer secured on the inside of the tank shell through a heat-insulation layer. The tank of this invention has a second barrier impervious to liquids inside the heat-insulation layer and temperaturesensing members for electrically or electromagnetically detecting low temperatures inside or along the second barrier, thereby providing a storage tank for low-temperature liquids capable of detecting breaks of the liquid-impervious layer. The members for electrically or electromagnetically detecting low temperatures may be thermocouples, resistors for temperature measurement, temperature-sensing magnetic substances, and coil temperaturesensing magnetic substances.