Abstract: Architectures and methods of operation for a pump for pumping two-phase magnetic fluids are described. The pump is capable of such pumping and may operate with no moving parts. Instead, the pump operates by selectively activating and deactivating each of a series of electrical circuits to control the presence or absence of magnetic fields applied to the two-phase magnetic fluid. The two-phase magnetic fluid may include liquid phase and gas phase, which may be in the form of bubbles. Though a presence of bubbles in a liquid may lead to cavitation and failure in some pumps, pumps for pumping two-phase magnetic fluids can avoid such a failure mechanism, in addition to avoiding another failure mechanism of wear and tear on moving parts.

Abstract: Techniques and materials provide for thermal insulation for tanks, such as tanks for use in space flight missions. Microporous glass blocks may be used as an insulative bridge between spray-on foam insulation and a stainless steel wall of a tank, for example. Blocks of microporous glass may be mechanically attached to the interior of the tank, after which spray-on foam insulation is applied directly to the blocks. The bridging insulation provided by the microporous glass blocks allows the temperature of the stainless steel tank wall to exceed the usable temperature of the spray-on foam insulation by preventing a substantial portion of heat of the stainless steel wall from reaching the spray-on foam insulation. An insulated tank may instead comprise a tank wall that is a honeycomb-structured composite layer including an exterior skin, an interior skin, and a core that presents a relatively long thermal path, for improved thermal insulation.

Abstract: A diffuser for separating a gas component and a liquid component of a liquid-gas mixture to reduce slosh in vehicle systems is described herein. The diffuser includes a wall with a gas end, a liquid end, and multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid side to the gas side. The vanes are spaced apart from each other by a given distance to permit the liquid to flow toward the liquid end via capillary action.

Abstract: A boiler system and methods of operating the system in a low-gravity environment are disclosed. The boiler system, which converts a cryogenic liquid to its gas phase, may be used in various types of space vehicles for various types of missions. The system principally operates using waste heat that is invariably produced during the many functions and processes that occur during space flight. The waste heat is collected and applied to a boiler tank in the system, where the cryogenic liquid is resultantly heated to a gas, which may be subsequently used or collected in one or more accumulator tanks, for example. Because waste heat is used in this liquid-to-gas conversion process, the boiler system consumes relatively low amounts of energy produced by, or stored in, a space vehicle.

Abstract: A diffuser for separating a gas component and a liquid component of a liquid-gas mixture to reduce slosh in vehicle systems is described herein. The diffuser includes a wall with a gas end, a liquid end, and multiple vanes partially extending from the liquid side to the gas side. The vanes are spaced apart from each other by a given distance to permit the liquid to flow toward the liquid end via capillary action.

Abstract: Techniques and materials provide for thermal insulation for tanks, such as tanks for use in space flight missions. Microporous glass blocks may be used as an insulative bridge between spray-on foam insulation and a stainless steel wall of a tank, for example. Blocks of microporous glass may be mechanically attached to the interior of the tank, after which spray-on foam insulation is applied directly to the blocks. The bridging insulation provided by the microporous glass blocks allows the temperature of the stainless steel tank wall to exceed the usable temperature of the spray-on foam insulation by preventing a substantial portion of heat of the stainless steel wall from reaching the spray-on foam insulation. An insulated tank may instead comprise a tank wall that is a honeycomb-structured composite layer including an exterior skin, an interior skin, and a core that presents a relatively long thermal path, for improved thermal insulation.

Abstract: Techniques and materials provide for thermal insulation for tanks, such as tanks for use in space flight missions. Microporous glass blocks may be used as an insulative bridge between spray-on foam insulation and a stainless steel wall of a tank, for example. Blocks of microporous glass may be mechanically attached to the interior of the tank, after which spray-on foam insulation is applied directly to the blocks. The bridging insulation provided by the microporous glass blocks allows the temperature of the stainless steel tank wall to exceed the usable temperature of the spray-on foam insulation by preventing a substantial portion of heat of the stainless steel wall from reaching the spray-on foam insulation. An insulated tank may instead comprise a tank wall that is a sandwich-structured composite layer including an exterior skin, an interior skin, and a core that presents a relatively long thermal path, for improved thermal insulation.

Abstract: Systems, a device, and methods of operating the device are disclosed. The device acquires cryogenic liquid in a tank in low-gravity and provides the liquid to an end user, such as a rocket engine. The device helps reduce vortex flows that tend to occur in tanks. The device, the liquid therein, and liquid in the tank may be cooled by a fluid flow from a thermodynamic vent or cryocooler. Such cooling may resultantly reduce pressure in the tank. Thus, the device may provide tank pressure control in space vehicles with cryogenic propellant. The device may have an annular shape that allows flow to a main tank output port to be substantially uninterrupted so as to have a relatively low pressure drop.

Abstract: Techniques and systems involve a magnetically enhanced cryogenic boiler that produces, without requiring pumps, high pressure gaseous oxygen from liquid oxygen for use in a spacecraft or other applications. The boiler heats, using a heat exchanger element, a closed container of liquid oxygen to boil the liquid oxygen at constant volume and increasing the pressure in the container. When a desired target pressure is reached, the boiler may release and transfer the high pressure fluid into a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storage. Magnets may be used to draw low pressure liquid oxygen into the boiler and to keep the liquid oxygen on or near one or more heat exchanger elements in the boiler, by exploiting paramagnetism of oxygen. The magnets produce a magnetic field that maintains relatively strong thermal contact between the heat exchanger elements and the liquid oxygen, even in the absence of gravity.

Abstract: Architectures and methods of operation for a pump for pumping two-phase magnetic fluids are described. The pump is capable of such pumping and may operate with no moving parts. Instead, the pump operates by selectively activating and deactivating each of a series of electrical circuits to control the presence or absence of magnetic fields applied to the two-phase magnetic fluid. The two-phase magnetic fluid may include liquid phase and gas phase, which may be in the form of bubbles. Though a presence of bubbles in a liquid may lead to cavitation and failure in some pumps, pumps for pumping two-phase magnetic fluids can avoid such a failure mechanism, in addition to avoiding another failure mechanism of wear and tear on moving parts.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to Additive Manufacturing (AM) pressurization diffusers. An example diffuser includes an integral component configurable for receiving and diffusing pressurant. Particularly, the integral component includes multiple elements manufactured as a single-piece structure, including an inner filter, outer shell, and flange. The inner filter includes micro-diamond holes that enable pressurant received at an opening of the inner filter to diffuse out of the inner filter and subsequently through holes positioned in a shell surface of the outer shell. The flange can position the diffuser such that the opening of the inner filter is in pressurant communication with a pressurant source (e.g., opening of a tank) enabling the diffuser to receive and diffuse pressurant in a predefined pattern.

Abstract: Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a housing defining a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet. The housing has a first valve seat and a second valve seat positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The first valve seat is spaced from the second valve seat. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The flow control member has a first disk and a second disk. The first disk is to engage the first valve seat and the second disk to engage the second valve seat.

Abstract: Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid flow passageway and a plurality of valve seats. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway of the valve body. The flow control member having a plurality of disks. A respective one of the disks moves relative to a respective one of the valve seats to control fluid flow through the valve body. The flow control member is adjustable relative to a longitudinal axis of the valve body to provide a preload to the disks. Each of the disks has a cracking pressure corresponding to the preload.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to Additive Manufacturing (AM) pressurization diffusers. An example diffuser includes an integral component configurable for receiving and diffusing pressurant. Particularly, the integral component includes multiple elements manufactured as a single-piece structure, including an inner filter, outer shell, and flange. The inner filter includes micro-diamond holes that enable pressurant received at an opening of the inner filter to diffuse out of the inner filter and subsequently through holes positioned in a shell surface of the outer shell. The flange can position the diffuser such that the opening of the inner filter is in pressurant communication with a pressurant source (e.g., opening of a tank) enabling the diffuser to receive and diffuse pressurant in a predefined pattern.

Abstract: A diffuser is disclosed and includes a channel with an inner portion having an inlet and an outlet through which a gaseous substance enters and exits the diffuser, respectively. The inner portion includes a first conical section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to a central axis, in a first direction. The inner portion also includes a second conical section that has a decreasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in the first direction. The second conical section is communicatively coupled with the first conical section. The outer portion includes a first annular section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in a second direction opposite the first direction. The diffuser further includes a plurality of orifices that communicatively couple the second conical section with the first annular section.

Abstract: Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a housing defining a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet. The housing has a first valve seat and a second valve seat positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The first valve seat is spaced from the second valve seat. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The flow control member has a first disk and a second disk. The first disk is to engage the first valve seat and the second disk to engage the second valve seat.

Abstract: Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid flow passageway and a plurality of valve seats. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway of the valve body. The flow control member having a plurality of disks. A respective one of the disks moves relative to a respective one of the valve seats to control fluid flow through the valve body. The flow control member is adjustable relative to a longitudinal axis of the valve body to provide a preload to the disks. Each of the disks has a cracking pressure corresponding to the preload.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for conditioning fluids stored in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel system includes a fuel cell and a storage vessel, which stores a first fluid that is supplied to the fuel cell and a second fluid that is produced by the fuel cell. The fuel system also includes a thermal conditioning module that receives the first fluid from the storage vessel and receives the second fluid from the fuel cell. The first fluid stored in the storage vessel is conditioned by absorbing heat from the second fluid, such that the fuel cell receives the conditioned first fluid. The second fluid received from the fuel cell is in gaseous state and is converted to a liquid. The liquid second fluid is stored in the storage vessel.

Abstract: A diffuser is disclosed and includes a channel with an inner portion having an inlet and an outlet through which a gaseous substance enters and exits the diffuser, respectively. The inner portion includes a first conical section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to a central axis, in a first direction. The inner portion also includes a second conical section that has a decreasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in the first direction. The second conical section is communicatively coupled with the first conical section. The outer portion includes a first annular section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in a second direction opposite the first direction. The diffuser further includes a plurality of orifices that communicatively couple the second conical section with the first annular section.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for conditioning fluids stored in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel system includes a fuel cell and a storage vessel, which stores a first fluid that is supplied to the fuel cell and a second fluid that is produced by the fuel cell. The fuel system also includes a thermal conditioning module that receives the first fluid from the storage vessel and receives the second fluid from the fuel cell. The first fluid stored in the storage vessel is conditioned by absorbing heat from the second fluid, such that the fuel cell receives the conditioned first fluid. The second fluid received from the fuel cell is in gaseous state and is converted to a liquid. The liquid second fluid is stored in the storage vessel.