Development of cryogenic propellant storage tank inner surface coating for elimination of cryogen boiloff in reduced gravity

The Development of Cryogenic Propellant Storage Tank Inner Surface Coating for Elimination of Cryogen Boiloff in Reduced Gravity project will test the effectiveness of several coating candidates to minimize/eliminate propellant boiloff. Propellant boiloff can occur on a storage tank’s internal surface from external heat leakage. The vapor generation due to boiloff can result in propellant loss. Exploring and developing capabilities of various coating materials and surface finish combinations could help in developing technology to minimize/eliminate boiloff and lead to substantial propellant savings.

Summary of April 15 to May 8, 2025 Flight Test
During the two weeks of April 25 to May 8, 2025, a team of five graduate students led by Professor Jacob Chung from the University of Florida Space Cryogenic Propellant Thermal-Fluid Management Laboratory completed a reduced gravity parabolic flight campaign on board Zero Gravity Corporation’s G-Force One Boeing 727 aircraft. The team successfully used coating materials, performed the reduced gravity experiment, and collected reduced gravity cryogenic zero-boil-off (ZBO) pool boiling heat transfer data in a simulated propellant storage tank. The team’s experimental system proved viable in extreme temperature changes and maintained integrity in microgravity and high-G forces during the research parabolic flights with ZERO-G Corporation. The data obtained from the reduced gravity experiment will be used to develop the technology for achieving cryogenic propellant storage tank zero-boil-off in space.

In-space cryogenic propellant thermal management will play a vital role in NASA’s return to the Moon and future Mars missions. For this reason, long-term storage of cryogenic propellants in space will be required. Several, if not all, of the NASA lunar architecture elements will require storage and pressurization of cryogenic propellants, specifically the space tug and propellant tanker stages. This project is targeted at addressing the need to minimize and eliminate the propellant boil-off due to boiling in microgravity. As noted in the NASA SSTIP (Strategic Space Technology Investment Plan), storage and transfer of cryogens in space is critical for deep space human exploration, making it one of the six NRC high priorities within the “Launch and In-Space Propulsion” Core Technology Investment.

This project will test the effectiveness of several coating candidates to minimize/eliminate propellant boiloff. Propellant boiloff can occur on a storage tank’s internal surface from external heat leakage. The vapor generation due to boiloff can result in propellant loss. Exploring and developing capabilities of the various coating materials and surface finish combinations could help in developing technology to minimize/eliminate boiloff and lead to substantial propellant savings. This has the potential to benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, and other government agencies.

Future Customers
Cryogenic propellant storage tank design and fluid management

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