Propellant storage - Revision history

Michel Lamontagne: /* Ship storage */

2025-02-19T22:18:59Z

Ship storage

RichardWSmith: Added new section, back up energy source.

2024-09-13T13:19:26Z

Added new section, back up energy source.

Michel Lamontagne: /* Hydrogen storage */

2021-07-15T13:26:17Z

Hydrogen storage

RichardWSmith: /* Hydrogen storage */ Discussed on how hydrogen is hard to store.

2021-06-07T18:14:40Z

Hydrogen storage: Discussed on how hydrogen is hard to store.

Michel Lamontagne at 22:48, 27 December 2019

2019-12-27T22:48:05Z

Michel Lamontagne: /* Oxygen storage */

2019-12-27T21:30:09Z

Oxygen storage

Michel Lamontagne at 12:17, 3 June 2019

2019-06-03T12:17:18Z

Michel Lamontagne: /* Pressurised methane storage */

2019-04-27T22:22:48Z

Pressurised methane storage

Michel Lamontagne at 22:10, 27 April 2019

2019-04-27T22:10:51Z

Michel Lamontagne: Created page with "Propellant storage facilities are required to store propellant for return vehicles and for Mars transit vehicles. Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energ..."

2019-04-27T22:02:02Z

Created page with "Propellant storage facilities are required to store propellant for return vehicles and for Mars transit vehicles. Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energ..."

New page

Propellant storage facilities are required to store propellant for return vehicles and for Mars transit vehicles.
Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energy storage for a settlement in case of emergencies.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ===Ship storage===
-If the ships are going to stay an entire synod on Mars, then their tanks can serve for propellant storage, reducing the infrastructure required.  Care must be taken to avoid condensation of CO2 on the exterior of ship stored propellant.  At Martian atmospheric pressure, CO2 becomes a solid at about -125°C.
+If the ships are going to stay an entire synod on Mars, then their tanks can serve for propellant storage, reducing the infrastructure required.  Care must be taken to avoid condensation of CO2 on the exterior of ship stored propellant.  At Martian atmospheric pressure, CO2 becomes a solid at about -125°C.  So cryogenic oxygen or methane tanks on Mars need to be insulated, and have some kind of vapor barrier to prevent condensation.
 ===Tank storage===

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:19, 13 September 2024
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	===Tank storage===		===Tank storage===
	Propellant can be stored in surface or underground tanks. This allows for ships from Earth to stay just a few days on the Mars surface and then return to Earth for the next synod, reducing ship inventory.		Propellant can be stored in surface or underground tanks. This allows for ships from Earth to stay just a few days on the Mars surface and then return to Earth for the next synod, reducing ship inventory.
		+
		+	==Back up energy source==
		+	Methane & oxygen and a fuel cell could be used to power rovers for long distance travel. However, if power for the base were to suddenly decrease (say the base used solar cells and there was a very dark [[Dust storm]] blocking light from the sun) then the stored propellent for the rovers could be used as an emergency back up. Or if you needed high heat (say, to weld a broken piece of equipment) a blow torch could be devised to burn the oxygen and methane directly.
		+
		+	It is likely that a significant proportion of the base's power load will be spent making propellents. Once a large amount is stored, this becomes a high quality energy resource available to the colony.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 Hydrogen storage is more difficult than methane storage.  If the transportation system uses methane for propulsion, then the hydrogen storage is limited to the time required to convert it to methane, from the hydrogen liberated by electrolysis of water.  Liquid hydrogen is cooled down to -252°C, or 20°K.
-Hydrogen molecules are so small, that the hydrogen can diffuse thru solid metal (making it brittle in the process).  Hydrogen will leak thru seals, valves, & pumps.  For short term storage, this is not a problem, for long term storage, it is better to react the hydrogen to make a compound that is easier to store (such as methane).
+Hydrogen molecules are so small, that the hydrogen can diffuse thru solid metal (making it brittle in the process).  Hydrogen will leak thru seals, valves, & pumps.  For short term storage, this is not a problem, for long term storage, it may be better to react the hydrogen to make a compound that is easier to store (such as methane).
 ==Storage strategies==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ==Hydrogen storage==
 Hydrogen storage is more difficult than methane storage.  If the transportation system uses methane for propulsion, then the hydrogen storage is limited to the time required to convert it to methane, from the hydrogen liberated by electrolysis of water.  Liquid hydrogen is cooled down to -252°C, or 20°K.
 ==Storage strategies==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Oxygen storage==
-Cryogenic oxygen storage requires cooling down to -183°C, or about 90°K.
+Cryogenic oxygen storage requires cooling down to -183°C, or about 90°K.  Specific heat of liquid Oxygen, 0.92 kJ/kg.  Density of 1100 kg/m3.
 ==Methane storage==
 [[Methane]] storage on Mars can use the technologies developed for natural gas (which is mostly methane) storage on Earth.
 ===Cryogenic methane storage===
@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ===Tank storage===
-Propellant can be stored in surface or underground tanks.  This allows for ships from Earth to stay just a few days on the mars surface and then return to Earth for the next synod, reducing ship inventory.
+Propellant can be stored in surface or underground tanks.  This allows for ships from Earth to stay just a few days on the Mars surface and then return to Earth for the next synod, reducing ship inventory.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:17, 3 June 2019
Line 15:		Line 15:

	==Hydrogen storage==		==Hydrogen storage==
		+	Hydrogen storage is more difficult than methane storage. If the transportation system uses methane for propulsion, then the hydrogen storage is limited to the time required to convert it to methane, from the hydrogen liberated by electrolysis of water.
		+
		+	== Storage strategies ==
		+
		+	=== Ship storage ===
		+	If the ships are going to stay an entire synod on Mars, then their tanks can serve for propellant storage, reducing the infrastructure required. Care must be taken to avoid condensation of CO2 on the exterior of ship stored propellant.
		+
		+	=== Tank storage ===
		+	Propellant can be stored in surface or underground tanks. This allows for ships from Earth to stay just a few days on the mars surface and then return to Earth for the next synod, reducing ship inventory.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energy storage for a settlement in case of emergencies.
-== Oxygen storage ==
+==Oxygen storage==
 Cryogenic oxygen storage
-== Methane storage ==
+==Methane storage==
 [[Methane]] storage on Mars can use the technologies developed for natural gas (which is mostly methane) storage on Earth.
-=== Cryogenic methane storage ===
+===Cryogenic methane storage===
 '''Liquefied methane''' is cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage. It takes up about 1/600th the volume of methane in the gaseous state (at standard conditions for temperature and pressure). It is odorless, colorless, non-toxic and non-corrosive. Hazards include flammability after vaporization into a gaseous state, freezing and asphyxia. The liquefaction process involves removal of certain components, such as dust, acid gases, helium, water, and heavy hydrocarbons, which could cause difficulty downstream. The natural gas is  condensed into a liquid at close to atmospheric pressure by cooling it to approximately −162 °C (−260 °F); maximum pressure is set at around 25 kPa (4 psi). See [[w:Liquefied_natural_gas|Liquified Natural Gas]].
-=== Pressurised methane storage ===
+===Pressurised methane storage===
-== Hydrogen storage ==
+==Hydrogen storage==

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:10, 27 April 2019
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Propellant storage facilities are required to store propellant for return vehicles and for Mars transit vehicles.		Propellant storage facilities are required to store propellant for return vehicles and for Mars transit vehicles.
	Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energy storage for a settlement in case of emergencies.		Large scale propellant storage can also serve as backup energy storage for a settlement in case of emergencies.
		+
		+	== Oxygen storage ==
		+	Cryogenic oxygen storage
		+
		+	== Methane storage ==
		+	[[Methane]] storage on Mars can use the technologies developed for natural gas (which is mostly methane) storage on Earth.
		+
		+	=== Cryogenic methane storage ===
		+	'''Liquefied methane''' is cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage. It takes up about 1/600th the volume of methane in the gaseous state (at standard conditions for temperature and pressure). It is odorless, colorless, non-toxic and non-corrosive. Hazards include flammability after vaporization into a gaseous state, freezing and asphyxia. The liquefaction process involves removal of certain components, such as dust, acid gases, helium, water, and heavy hydrocarbons, which could cause difficulty downstream. The natural gas is condensed into a liquid at close to atmospheric pressure by cooling it to approximately −162 °C (−260 °F); maximum pressure is set at around 25 kPa (4 psi). See [[w:Liquefied_natural_gas\|Liquified Natural Gas]].
		+
		+	=== Pressurised methane storage ===
		+
		+	== Hydrogen storage ==