Tanks fabricated using this process offer better containment of fluids and weigh less than aluminum or fiberglass tanks. The liner is chosen to be compatible with the fluid that it contains and to serve as a permeation barrier. The insulating foam resists cryogenic temperatures and large temperature gradients, while the outer Aramid coating provides impact resistance and fireproofing. The tanks and pipes are 25 percent lighter than those made of aluminum and 20 percent lighter than those made of fiberglass.
Containers can be custom designed to withstand a wide variety of temperatures and pressures.
For more information, contact Amy Witsil of the NASA Technology Applications Team at Research Triangle Institute. Please mention you read about it in Innovation. Glenn Research Center seeks qualified companies to develop and commercialize fabrication technology for Environment Conscious Ceramics. The fabrication approach, developed in collaboration with Dynacs Engineering Company, Inc., is being used to produce silicon carbide-based ceramics and interpenetrating phase composites with tailored microstructure and properties. The precursor materials used in this process are low cost.