Cryogenic Bellows Conduit With Interstitial Leak Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible conduits in cryogenic propulsion systems are susceptible to manufacturing variances and incidental damage, which can lead to potential failure of pressurized-propellant feed lines, posing a risk to the main propulsion system if not timely identified.
Innovation Solution
A conduit design featuring a bellows structure with corrugated plies and a sensor system to monitor conditions within an interstitial space, allowing for detection of leaks and accommodating displacements, along with threadable collars for efficient hermetic coupling and reduced stress during formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible conduit is used to accommodate displacements in cryogenic propulsion systems, then adaptability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to susceptibility to manufacturing variances and incidental damage
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit employs a nested multi-ply structure where an inner corrugated ply is surrounded by an outer corrugated ply, with an interstitial space between them. This nesting provides both flexibility for displacement accommodation and enhanced reliability through structural redundancy and leak detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor is placed in the interstitial space between the inner and outer plies to detect leaks. This intermediary sensing mechanism allows early detection of failures before they compromise the entire system, thereby improving reliability while maintaining the flexible design.
2Reliability
If a sensor system is added to detect leaks in the conduit, then reliability is improved through timely identification, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit structure itself provides the sensing mechanism by using the interstitial space between plies as the detection zone. The sensor simply monitors this existing space for pressure or fluid changes, allowing the structure to serve its own monitoring function without requiring separate complex detection systems.
3Reliability
If multiple corrugated plies are used to hermetically couple collars, then reliability is improved through sealed connections, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is divided into separate collars that are assembled around the multi-ply bellows structure. This segmentation allows each collar to be independently manufactured and then assembled via threadable coupling, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining hermetic sealing through the multi-ply design.
Data Source
AI summary
A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a corrugated inboard ply , a first corrugated outboard ply, an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply, and a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space. The first corrugated outboard ply and the corrugated inboard ply are hermetically coupled to the first collar and the second collar. The conduit additionally comprises a first sensor, communicatively coupled with an interstitial space. The second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion or the second inner collar portion.