CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF SPACE EFFICIENT TANKS

For spacecraft propellant tank applications, an all-metal spherical pressure vessel is always the most mass-efficient construction. However, on board spacecrafts where available space is limited, spherical tanks or tanks with spherical heads are not the most efficient packaging solution. This paper summarizes some of the space-efficient tank designs currently being employed or considered by the aerospace industry, including tanks with ellipsoidal heads, common bulkhead tanks, and nested tanks. We will also touch upon the feasibility of Propellant Management Devices (PMDs) within these tanks. Due to the summary nature of this paper, no design details are provided.