STTR Phase I: 3D Printed Vapor Cooled Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank for Use in Enterprise Level Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

STTR 第一阶段：3D 打印气冷液氢储罐，用于企业级无人机

• 批准号: 1747234
• 负责人: Patrick Adam
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: The Protium Company
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1747234&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; 3D; Printed; Vapor

This STTR Phase I project will develop 3D printed liquid hydrogen fuel tanks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs are currently powered by long endurance low reliability gasoline engines, or short endurance highly reliable electric propulsion. Hydrogen fuel cells offer the potential for long endurance highly reliable propulsion if the proper hydrogen storage method is used. Through the innovative hydrogen storage system developed by this project, fuel cell electric vehicles can advance national health and welfare through reduction of emissions, and promotion of energy independence both on the ground and in the air. This project will develop a new class of liquid hydrogen storage tanks for electric UAVs that will increase the reliability and performance of surveillance platforms in the armed forces, reducing risk to American service personnel while they secure the defense of our nation. The same electric platforms will promote the national welfare by enabling the inspection of key energy and transportation infrastructure and serving as intelligence and communications platforms for first responders during natural disasters. In addition, the key technology developed in this project will expand the utility of additive manufacturing by demonstrating the capabilities and performance of engineered plastics in cryogenic ( -238°F) environments. Such cryogenic rated 3D printed polymer parts have wide ranging impacts, including cost reduction, across cryogenic dependent technology areas from medical devices and spacecraft to drug and food processing.Additively manufactured polymers have never been used in cryogenic applications until now. The correct selection of polymer blend, testing and selection of a lightweight impermeable membrane, and thermal characterization of novel insulation materials are critical to project success. Since most cryogenic research, such as -423°F permeation of hydrogen through polymers, has not been studied since the 1960s, extensive cryogenic engineering and testing experience is required to apply modern materials and manufacturing methods to the project. The objectives of this project will fill knowledge gaps by testing metallized polymer films for hydrogen permeability, as well as manufacturing methods to cost effectively apply it to insulation panels or tank walls. While prior research has identified a polymer blend that is robust to cryogenic thermal cycling, the possibility of microcracking has not yet been thoroughly addressed and will be evaluated in this project. Novel insulation materials never before used in commercial cryogenic applications will be thermally characterized and integrated into the prototype tank. This project will conclude by completing a liquid hydrogen fuel fill and measuring the mass boil-off rate to test computational fluid dynamic modeled performance.

这个STTR I期项目将开发3D印刷的液体氢油箱，用于无人驾驶汽车（UAV）。目前，无人机由长耐力低的可靠性汽油发动机提供动力，或耐用的耐力高度可靠的电推进。如果使用适当的氢储存方法，氢燃料电池为长耐力提供了高度可靠的推进的潜力。通过该项目开发的创新氢存储系统，燃料电池电动汽车可以通过减少排放和促进地面和空气中的能源独立性来提高国家健康和福利。该项目将为电动无人机开发一类新的液态氢储罐，以提高武装部队监视平台的可靠性和性能，从而在确保对我们国家的辩护的同时降低对美国服务人员的风险。相同的电动平台将通过启用该项目中开发的关键技术来促进国家福利，这将扩大添加剂制造的实用性，通过证明低温（-238°F）环境中工程塑料的能力和性能。这种低温级打印聚合物零件的低温级别具有广泛的影响，包括降低成本，从医疗设备和航天器到药物和食品加工的高温依赖性技术领域。正确选择聚合物混合物，轻质不渗透膜的测试和选择以及新型绝缘材料的热表征对于项目成功至关重要。由于大多数低温研究（例如-423°F通过聚合物渗透渗透）尚未研究。自1960年代以来，需要广泛的低温工程和测试经验才能将现代材料和制造方法应用于项目。该项目的目标将通过测试金属化聚合物膜以填补知识差距，以实现氢的渗透性，以及制造方法，以有效地将其应用于隔热面板或储罐壁。虽然先前的研究已经确定了一种对低温热循环鲁棒的聚合物混合物，但微裂纹的可能性尚未得到彻底解决，并且将在该项目中进行评估。在商业低温应用中从未使用过的新型绝缘材料将被热表征并整合到原型罐中。该项目将包括完成液态氢燃料填充并测量质量沸腾速率以测试计算流体动态建模性能。