New Tanks/Pipes Handle Aggressive Fluids with Less Weight A NASA Technology to Improve your Bottom Line

Cryogenics, caustics, and corrosives"some of the most difficult materials to manage"may have met their match in a new technology developed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Inventor Tom Delay, non-metallic materials and processes engineer at the Marshall Space Flight Center, has developed a process to build composite-layered tanks able to ease some of the demands of managing aggressive fluids. One of NASA’s hottest technologies, the process for building these strong, lightweight tanks and pipes is now available for commercial partnership.           

The tanks, which are 25 percent lighter than those made of aluminum and 20 percent lighter than those made of fiberglass, offer the strength, reduced weight and resistance to aggressive fluids required for NASA missions. However, NASA isn’t the only organization that can benefit from this technology.           

"The technology can be applied to caustic solutions," Delay says, "including the paper and pulp industry, which uses high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. These conditions require that all lines, tanks and piping be compatible with peroxide. The technology also overcomes the problems associated with metallic and other composite tanks, including high weight, cracking and the inability to contain highly unstable fluids."           

The fully adaptable and customizable tank structure consists of four layers:

• Metallic or non-metallic liner fabricated using thermal spray techniques and/or electrodeposition.
• Layers of woven graphite with epoxy over the liner.
• Insulating foam (sprayed or cut) covering the graphite/epoxy layers
• Kevlar or impregnated glass as an outer coating.

Delay emphasizes that the tanks are completely customizable, using a variety of Materials, to suit the application. Tanks have been developed using lining materials including, copper, nickel, Teflon, nylon and polyethylene. This versatility lends to a variety of applications, particularly in the automotive industry, especially as alternative fuels, such as natural gas, are explored.           

"A layer of copper serves as a permeation barrier for compressed natural gas," Delay said. "And nylon does very well with basic fossil fuels, like gasoline and kerosene."           

In addition, the tanks have potential application as breathing air tanks when weight is critical as in scuba diving and mountain climbing environments.           

The layered structure of the tanks not only produces superior containment and transportation, but also creates much lighter-weight tank with excellent insulation and impact resistance.            

"If you’re containing cryogenic materials, it insulates well," Delay said. "and it works great for storage in high-temperature environments as well, to insulate the contained material from the external conditions."           

To date, the testing of prototype tanks has been limited to the fill and drain of liquid nitrogen, but more tests are scheduled this fall. These will include tests with pressurized hydrogen and other materials.           

This NASA technology is ready for commercial partnership development. As part of NASA’s technology transfer initiative, commercial companies are invited to participate in the testing and development of this tanks and piping technology.           

Sammy Nabors of the Commercialization Assistance Team at Marshall Space Flight Center says these innovative tanks are in ideal representation of NASA’s technology transfer initiative in action.           

"The tank is a good example of how Americans’ investments in NASA’s space program are returned to Americans in the form of a new technology that will improve their lives," Nabors said. "It’s part of our role to transfer NASA inventions and technologies to U.S.-owned companies to help them stay competitive in the global marketplace to benefit the U.S. economy."           

If you are interested in obtaining more information about this technology contact awitsil@rti.org