Rocket propellant tanks are pressure vessels where liquid fuels are stored prior to use. They have to store the propellant; propellant combinations are used in rocket engines where the propellants spontaneously ignite when they come into contact with each other. The two propellant components usually consist of a fuel (Unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (UDMH)) and an oxidizer (nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4)).

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
THERMAL INVESTIGATION ON PROPELANT TANK MATERIAL BY USING FEM
APPROACH
Chellapilla Vamsi Krishna1
, V.V.Kamesh2
, S.N.CH.Dattu.V3
1 Research Scholar, Department of Thermal Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem, Andra Pradesh, India.
2 Associate Professor , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem, Andra Pradesh, India.
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem, Andra Pradesh, India.
*Corresponding Author:
Chellapilla Vamsi Krishna
Research Scholar,
Department of Thermal Engineering,
Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem,
Andra Pradesh, India.
Published: October 29, 2015
Review Type: peer reviewed
Volume: II, Issue : II
Citation: Chellapilla Vamsi Krishna, THERMAL INVESTIGATION
ON PROPELANT TANK MATERIAL BY USING FEM APPROACH
LITERATURE SURVEY
Mr. Anu Retnakar and miss Jayasree Ramanujan done
the research on “GEOMETRIC NONLINEAR ANALYSIS
OF AN AXISYMMETRICALLY MODELLED CRYO PRO-
PELLANT TANK” to describe about attributes of propel-
lant tank while using LH2& Lox as storage liquid used
in satellite launching vehicles these liquids are stored at
cryogenic Temperature -253°C using ANSYS.
As per their reaserch if tank is having more than 440Mpa
of stress it causes failure for the tank with traditional ma-
terials.
Mr. anu ratnakar and mr. ajin done the research on
“Linear Analysis of a Cryo Propellant Tank” to suggest
beast materials for the propellant tanks they have used
axi-symmetrical modeling to work in analysis and linear
analysis is conducted to obtain results.
They have used aluminum, alloy steel, titanium and
stainless steel material as per their result propallent tank
material should have a minimum yield strength of 671
MPa.
Mr. R. Carina Ludwig and Michael Dreyer done the re-
search on “Analyses of Cryogenic Propellant Tank Pres-
surization based Upon Experiments and Numerical Simu-
lations” as per their research work they have concluded
that “ The objective of this paper was to improve the un-
derstanding of the thermodynamic and fluid-dynamic
phenomena of cryogenic propellant tank pressurization
for the launcher application.
Therefore, ground experiments were performed using liq-
uid nitrogen as model propellant in order to investigate
the initial active-pressurization process.
As pressurant gases, gaseous nitrogen and gaseous he-
lium were analyzed at di_erent inlet temperatures. The
experimental set-up was described and the procedure for
the experiments was presented. The evolution of the tank
pressure and the temperatures in tank were investigated.
The required pressurant gas mass was determined ex-
perimentally with regard to the used pressurant gas and
pressurant gas temperature. For the gaseous nitrogen
pressurization an increased pressurant gas temperature
decreased the required pressurant gas mass, as it was
already stated by Stochl et al. The reason for this, which
was not mentioned by Stochl et al., is that for an in-
creased pressurant gas temperatures the pressurization
process is accelerated and therefore requires less pres-
surant gas mass.
Abstract
Rocket propellant tanks are pressure vessels where liquid fuels are stored prior to use. They have to store the propellant;
propellant combinations are used in rocket engines where the propellants spontaneously ignite when they come into
contact with each other. The two propellant components usually consist of a fuel (Unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine
(UDMH)) and an oxidizer (nitrogen tetroxide (N2
O4
)).
The aim of the project work is to estimate failure locations by doing analysis work in terms of pressure & temperature.
And also to suggest best suitable material. Presently tank is made with titanium and bladder with aluminum material
it is having failures due to lower strength, project is to find the failure locations, analyzing tank with various materials
to archive the goal.
Coupled field and fatigue Analysis will be done to find the failure locations, thermal stress, deformation and, safety fac-
tor, model will be modified according to the obtained results.
Analysis will be done to evaluate modified model and also to evaluate results for different materials conclusion will be
made according to that.
International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
1401-1402

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
INTRODUCTION
Spacecraft Propellant Bladder Tanks:
hydrazine bladder tanks are generally used in blow down
or pressure regulated modes/ conditions.
Section Through Bladder Tank
“A bladder tank comprises a rigid vessel containing a flex-
ible bladder and perforated axial stand-pipe. Propellant is
contained in the bladder and pressurant gas within the
tank occupies the volume between the tank wall and blad-
der”. the bladder forcing 'squeezes' propellant through the
stand-pipe to achieve a positive expulsion of propellant
using pressurant gas in a rocket engine or a set of thrust-
ers.
Operational Modes:
bladder tank can be operated in blow-down , or pressure-
regulated conditions.
In blow-down condition, the tank is loaded with propel-
lant and 'locked-up with a specified gas mass. :This mode
avoids the need for additional gas pressurant vessels
thereby reducing mass, volume and propulsion systems
complexity. The fixed gas mass does however result in
diminishing pressure during operation resulting in reduc-
ing thrust from Beginning of mission Life (BOL) to the End
of Life (EOL). The reducing thrust level can however be
very accurately predicted with guaranteed repeatability”.
In pressure regulated condition, “the tank is pressurised
from an independent pressurant vessel, via a pressure
regulator, supplying a constant pressure from BOL to
EOL. Consequently the propellant supply pressure, hence
thrust, is constant throughout operational life.”
3D MODELING OF PROPELLANT TANK
Above placed image is showing bottem dish base revolve
Above placed image is showing bottem dish
Above placed image is showing assembly view
2D DRAFTING OF PROPELLANT TANK
Above placed image is showing bottem dish
Above placed image is showing top dish

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
Above placed image is showing top dish adopter
INTRODUCTION TO ANSYS
Ansys is one of the famous FEM based numerical analysis
software which is used to calculate structural, thermal,
vibrational, and electromagnetic problems.
Complex models are divided into number of elements and
nodes which in turns used to deconstruct calculations to
simplify the critical problem.
Workbench involve all the material property’s like yield
strength, compressive strength, tensile strength, thermal
property’s and S-N curve to provide accurate results.
In Ansys models can be built using mechanical model
generator or we can import in the formats of IGES. Para-
solid, step and other….
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Constrains: center with weld constrain
Pressure on inner surface
Coupled field analysis of propellant tank using mate-
rial titanium
Above placed image is showing imported model
Above placed image is showing meshed model
Above placed image is showing load applied
Above placed image is showing temperature
Above placed image is showing total heat flux

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
Coupled field analysis of propellant tank using mate-
rial aluminum
Above placed image is showing temperature
Above placed image is showing total heat flux
Coupled field analysis of propellant tank using mate-
rial s2 glass carbon composite
Above placed image is showing temperature
Above placed image is showing total heat flux
Above placed image is showing total deformation
Above placed image is showing stress
RESULT TABLE
COUPLED FIELD
Titanium Aluminium S2 glass
carbon com-
posite
Temperature -139.22 -150.57 -139.22
Total heat
flux
0.000944 0.0097717 0.00944
Thermal error 5.9055e5 2.8578e5 5.9055e5

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
Coupled field analysis on modified model of propel-
lant tank using material s2 glass carbon composite
Above placed image is showing temperature
Above placed image is showing total heat flux
COUPLED FIELD
Titanium Aluminium S2 glass
carbon
composite
S2 Glass-
modified
Model
Tempera-
ture
-139.22 -150.57 -139.22 -59.498
Total heat
flux
0.000944 0.0097717 0.00944 0.01388
Thermal
error
5.9055e5 2.8578e5 5.9055e5 6.5509e6
GRAPHS
COUPLED FIELD
The above graph shows Temperature
The above graph shows total heat flux
CONCLUSION
Present project work deals with (FAILURE CASE ESTIMA-
TION AND RECTIFICATION OF PROPELLANT TANK US-
ING GEOMETRIC OPTIMIZATION AND FOR THE SELEC-
TION OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL.)
Generally propellant tanks are causes to damage and re-
quired high level insulation to reduce heat transfer rate,
this types of tanks are also called as cryogenic tanks
which contains negative temperatures fluids(-1650c).
In the present project work data collection and literature
survey is done for the observation of previous studies/
research and for the selection of material .
In the next stage 3d modeling is done to conduct further
analysis in Ansys.
Static, model fatigue and coupled field analysis is done
on object to find failure locations and heat transfer rate.
Geometrically modifications are done at top end and bot-
tom positions of tank and thickness is increase to in-
crease insulation quality.
As per the analysis results modified model along with s2
glass carbon composite is a best option.
By increasing the thickness it is showing 60% more ef-
ficiency as insulated ,and s2glass is stronger & liter than
aluminium and tungstenbut it is having higher frequency
value, by increasing the thickness value and by doing ge-
ometric modifications and frequency will be reduced than
original model.
And also weight is reduced by 60% even after increasing
thickness (while comparing with titanium tank)

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International Journal of Research and Innovation (IJRI)
REFERENCES
1. GEOMETRIC NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF AN AXISYM-
METRICALLY MODELLED CRYO PROPELLANT TANK
AnuRetnakar 1, JayasreeRamanujan 2, Ajin A.S 3, G.
Jeganlal 4
2. Linear Analysis of a Cryo Propellant Tank
*AnuRetnakar **Ajin A.S
3. Design and FE Analysis of Anti-Slosh Baffles for Fourth
Stage of PSLV
C. Bhavya, Sanya Maria Gomez and R. Krishnakumar
4. Analyses of Cryogenic Propellant Tank Pressurization
based
upon Experiments and Numerical Simulations
Carina Ludwig?and Michael Dreyer??
5. PROPELLANT TANK PRESSURIZATION MODELING
FOR A HYBRID ROCKET
Margaret Mary Fernandez
6. NUMERICAL MODELING OF PROPELLANT BOIL-OFF
IN A CRYOGENIC STORAGE TANK A.K. Majumdar1, T.E.
Steadman2, J.L. Maroney2, J.P. Sass3 and J.E. Fesmire3
7. Review and Evaluation of Models for Self-Pressurizing
Propellant Tank Dynamics
Jonah E. Zimmerman_, Benjamin S. Waxmany, and Bri-
an J. Cantwellz
8. Bringing a PMD Propellant Tank Assembly to the Mar-
ketplace:
A Model of US-Europe-Industry-Academia Collaboration
Walter Tam1, Manoj Bhatia2, Haroon Ali3, and Brian
Wise4
9.THERMAL–STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OF INTE-
GRATED CRYOGENIC PROPELLANT TANK CONCEPTS
FOR A REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE1
Theodore F. Johnson and W. Allen Waters
Author
Chellapilla Vamsi Krishna,
Research Scholar,
Department of Thermal Engineering,
Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem,
Andra Pradesh, India.
V.V.Kamesh
Associate Professor ,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem,
Andra Pradesh, India.
S.N.CH.Dattu.V,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem,
Andra Pradesh, India.