Cryo-Tracker™ Level, Temperature, and Mass Gauging Fluid
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Transcript Cryo-Tracker™ Level, Temperature, and Mass Gauging Fluid
Cryo-Tracker
Level, Temperature,
and Mass Gauging Fluid
Sensors
1
Behavior of Sub-cooled
Propellants in Room Temp.
Fig: Liquid Nitrogen
unloaded from a
small a Dewar Flask
to a bucket in a
laboratory.
Dewar Flask
Fig: A 25 l liquid
nitrogen laboratory
Dewar flask.
Inner wall linings
are silvered to
reduce heat
leakage.
Flexible Sensing Probe
Probe is made of
series of polyimide
layers of thickness
0.0254 mm.
Rakes made of
stainless steel
tubing, wire, and
phenolic insulators
weigh (6.70 g/cm).
Internal Structure of
Cryo-Tracker
Silicon diode sensors
incorporated with
the probe.
Conductor Traces
which constitute the
rake of the tempelement
Installed Cryo-Tracker Probe
Cryo-Tracker probe
60 ft. long.
2.5 cm wide.
containing 26 silicon
diode sensors.
It’s weight is less
than 0.59 kg.
Stratification of Sub-cooled
Propellants
The heat leak
causes the
propellant to warm
and stratify due to
natural buoyancy
forces.
Cryo-Tracker
Initially designed for
incorporating in the
propellant vessels of
reusable launch
vehicles.
Purpose of Cryo-Tracker
For knowing the amount of propellant
loaded in.
For knowing the liquid & ullage
temperature.
For knowing liquid level.
Mass Gauging Method
The entire liquid and ullage temperature
profile is first obtained.
Tank pressure can then be used to
calculate a liquid density profile.
Liquid density profile is integrated over
the known tank volume.
Dual-Purpose Probe.
Temperature measured
using silicon diode
sensors.
Liquid level detection
accuracy is a function of
the sensor spacing.
For 12 inch sensor
spacing, the overall
liquid level accuracy is
± 6 inches.
Performance
Consistent thermal
response can be
seen between the
sensing elements in
a dual-element
probe when it’s
thermal-cycled in
liquid nitrogen.
Hot-Fire Test
(anomaly condition)
The probe is also
capable of measuring
transient fluid
temperature changes.
Figure : Tracking the
rapid change in liquid
oxygen temperature
when warm gases
injected into the tank
mixed the contents.
Advantages of Cryo-Tracker
Operating Costs
Accuracy
Reliability
Safety
Efficiency
Scalability
Flexibility
Commercial Applications
Cryogenic storage and transport tanks
Home oxygen vessels
Medevac helicopter and military field
hospital oxygen-generating systems
Automobiles running on liquid hydrogen
or liqufied natural gas