Fluid handling – Systems – System with plural openings – one a gas vent or access opening
Patent
1993-12-23
1996-03-19
Chambers, A. Michael
Fluid handling
Systems
System with plural openings, one a gas vent or access opening
137382, F16K 2400
Patent
active
054996562
ABSTRACT:
A system, a portable propellant loading tank and loading method for bipropellant spacecraft servicing to load propellant into a spacecraft. The spacecraft has a propellant storage tank with a propellant input and a vent output. The system comprises a portable propellant loading tank for storing and transferring propellant that is couplable to the propellant input of the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft. The propellant loading tank is a stainless steel tank that is electropolished on its interior surface. A portable weighing system having a plurality of load cells provides output signals indicative of the weight of the propellant loading tank. A load cell readout device is coupled to the portable weighing system for providing an output indicative of the weight of the propellant storage tank. A receiver tank is coupled to the vent output of the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft. A second weighing system having a plurality of load cells provides output signals indicative of the weight of the receiver tank. A second load cell readout device is coupled to the second weighing system for providing an output indicative of the weight of the receiver tank. A helium supply is provided and a pressure load panel is coupled between the helium supply and the propellant loading tank for providing pressure to transfer the propellant to the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft. One method of loading propellant into the spacecraft comprises storing and transferring propellant in a portable propellant loading tank, temperature conditioning and helium saturating the propellant in the propellant loading tank, transferring the loading tank to a launch site, coupling the loading tank to the propellant storage tank, and pressurizing the portable propellant loading tank to transfer the propellant to the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4609169 (1986-09-01), Schweickert et al.
patent: 4898030 (1990-02-01), Yeh
patent: 4976398 (1990-12-01), Bruhn
patent: 5064153 (1991-11-01), Gindre et al.
patent: 5092170 (1992-03-01), Honstvet et al.
patent: 5188714 (1993-02-01), Davidson et al.
Fulkerson Don K.
Stotelmyer L. Scott
Chambers A. Michael
Denson-Low W. K.
Gudmestad Terje
Hughes Aircraft Company
Leitereg Elizabeth E.
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