Common bulkhead cryogenic propellant tank
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corportation
InventorsWilliam James Clark, Robert John Wetherall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses a novel fuel structure for housing and delivering disparate cryogenic fuels to combustion zones in an aerospace vehicle. The tank comprises a plurality of containers having volumes that are separated by common wall bulkheads and which are arranged substantially side-by-side in conformance with the interior of the aerospace vehicle. A tank support structure positioned within the vehicle interior includes lengthwise supports as well as cross-wise supports, with the latter including openings within which the rear ends of the containers are supported. Fuel from the containers is delivered to the vehicle's combustion system via appropriate fuel lines carried by dome shaped end caps at the rear ends of the containers.
Claims9
A cryogenic propellant fuel tank for a single stage to orbit aircraft, said fuel tank comprising:
- a propellant container comprising a plurality of chambers for holding first and second cryogenic propellants, the chambers being separated from one another by a common bulkhead, said container having a forward and rearward portions, the width of the rearward portion being greater than the width of the forward portion, and
- structural support means for securing said container within the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.