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An ultralightweight, evacuated, load-bearing, high-performance insulation systemA new hollow-glass microsphere insulation and a flexible stainless-steel vacuum jacket were demonstrated on a flight-weight cryogenic test tank, 1.17 m in diameter. The weight of the system is three times lighter than the most advanced vacuum-jacketed design demonstrated to date, a free-standing honeycomb hard shell with a multilayer insulation system (for a Space Tug application). Design characteristics of the flexible vacuum jacket are presented along with a model describing the insulation thermal performance as a function of boundary temperatures and emittance, compressive load on the insulation and insulation gas pressure. Test data are compared with model predictions and with prior flat-plate calorimeter test results. Potential applications for this insulation system or a derivative of this system include the cryogenic Space Tug, the Single-Stage-to-Orbit Space Shuttle, LH2 fueled subsonic and hypersonic aircraft, and LNG applications.
Document ID
19780052096
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Parmley, R. T.
(Lockheed Aircraft Corp. Palo Alto, CA, United States)
Cunnington, G. R., Jr.
(Lockheed Research Laboratories Palo Alto, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1978
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 78-878
Meeting Information
Meeting: Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Conference
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Start Date: May 24, 1978
End Date: May 26, 1978
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Accession Number
78A36005
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-17817
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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