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news release:
AWARD WINNING ALL-COMPOSITE TANK
TECHNOLOGY FOR NASA IS WELL SUITED FOR SUPERCONDUCTOR APPLICATIONS
Hawthorne, CA, 2 April 2007: Scorpius Space Launch Company, (Scorpius
SLC) an aerospace manufacturing and launch services firm in Hawthorne, CA,
announced that it had been selected by Microcosm, Inc. to build lightweight
all-composite cryogenic tanks for a NASA Phase I SBIR contract.
These are the first all-composite
tanks to overcome the problem of microcracking (and therefore leaks) at
cryogenic temperatures. This makes them very well suited for cryogenic
superconductor applications such as power generation, transformation and
distribution, as well as public transportation systems such as maglev trains.
They can also be applied to high energy particle accelerators, rail guns, or
laser guns. According to Microcosm President, Dr. James Wertz, “The results are
dramatic. Our previous 42 inch diameter all composite tanks weighed 550 lbs and
leaked through the tank wall at 630 psi. Our current tanks of the same size and
thickness weigh 480 lbs and never leak up to pressures of over 2100 psi.” The
tanks can use either carbon fibers for maximum strength per unit weight or
E-glass fibers that are electrically isolating and magnetically neutral.
The technology on which the tank
design is based was recently awarded the American Composites Manufacturers
Association (ACMA) and Composites
Manufacturing magazine 2006 Award
for Excellence and Innovation in Composites Engineering. This was the first time
the ACMA has issued an award in this category.
Commenting on this contract, Jack
Kulpa, President and CEO of the Scorpius SLC, said: “We are extremely pleased
with the exceptional performance of these award-winning tanks. In addition to
using these tanks on launch vehicles, we are offering this technology as
PRESSURMAXX products in a range of sizes as well as custom-made pressure vessels
for advanced industrial, commercial and scientific applications where ultra-high
strength-to-weight ratio and superior cryogenic characteristics are important”.
PRESSURMAXX tanks conform to ASME
standards and their liner-less design reduces cost and weight by over 60%
compared to metal tanks. They also offer significant advantages over metal or
metal-lined tanks, where fatigue characteristics and separation issues of the
liner materials can compromise operations. This superior performance profile is
expected to benefit many applications such as automotive, marine, oil and gas
transportation and storage, chemical and pharmaceutical processing.
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