Cryogenic Tank Multi-Liner Structure for Leak Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryogenic tanks using fiber-reinforced composite materials face issues with liner damage and leakage due to differential thermal contraction, leading to reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic tank design with multiple inner layers, each comprising a liner and a release member made of resin, where the release members have higher melting points than the liners, allowing for redundancy in liquid-tightness even if a crack occurs in the innermost liner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single liner made of resin is used in the cryogenic tank, then the tank achieves light weight and basic liquid-tight function, but the liner is vulnerable to damage and separation due to differential thermal contraction with the outer shell
Solution Approach 1:
The single liner is divided into multiple liners arranged in layers. Each liner functions as an independent liquid-tight barrier, so that if one liner is damaged, the other liners remain intact and maintain liquid-tightness. This segmentation transforms a single-point-failure system into a redundant multi-layer defense system, significantly improving reliability without requiring fundamental changes to the tank structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple liners are disposed in advance within the tank structure to provide preemptive protection against potential liner damage. The redundant liners act as a safety buffer, ensuring that even if differential thermal contraction causes one liner to separate or crack, the tank maintains its liquid-tight function through the remaining intact liners.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coefficient of linear expansion of the resin liner is significantly higher than that of the fiber-reinforced composite outer shell, then the liner can accommodate thermal changes, but the liner is prone to tensile stress and separation from the outer shell during cryogenic operation
Solution Approach 1:
The single liner subject to high tensile stress is segmented into multiple liners. This distribution reduces the stress burden on each individual liner, as the differential thermal contraction forces are shared across multiple layers rather than concentrated on one liner, thereby improving overall liner integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple liners are pre-positioned to provide a buffer against thermal stress-induced damage. The redundant structure ensures that even if one liner experiences separation or damage due to high tensile stress from thermal contraction, the other liners remain functional and maintain the liquid-tight barrier.
3Reliability
If a crack occurs in the liner of a conventional cryogenic tank, then liquid-tightness is immediately lost and cryogenic fluid leaks, but adding multiple liners prevents immediate leakage upon crack occurrence
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-tight barrier is segmented into multiple independent liner layers. Each liner serves as a separate protective barrier, so that a crack in one liner does not compromise the entire tank's liquid-tightness. The other intact liners continue to prevent cryogenic fluid leakage, providing a fail-safe mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple liners are disposed in advance to create a redundant defense system against potential cracks. This preemptive multi-layer configuration ensures that even if one liner develops a crack during operation, the tank maintains its liquid-tight function through the remaining liners, preventing immediate leakage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides enhanced reliability by preventing immediate loss of liquid-tightness and leakage, ensuring redundancy in the event of liner damage.
Implementation Method 1
when the tank falls into a cryogenic state by the inside of the tank being filled with the cryogenic fluid, the outer shell that contracts relatively less may limit shrinkage of the liner with the relatively high coefficient of linear expansion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Provided is a cryogenic tank having improved reliability as compared with a cryogenic tank of related art. The cryogenic tank includes an outer shell made of a fiber-reinforced composite material, and multiple inner layers disposed on an inner side of the outer shell. The multiple inner layers include respective liners made of resins, and respective release members made of resins and disposed at outer surfaces of the respective liners.