Design of Prototype Storage and Delivery Device for Cryogenic Solid Hydrogen Propellants

The proposal is for an engineering design, including detailed shop drawings, of a cryostat for the condensation of solid hydrogen from the vapor phase, for storage with a heat leak of less than 10-4 watts/grams of hydrogen, and with controlled expulsion to a combustion chamber at greater than atmospheric pressure. The cryostat uses liquid helium as a coolant, and has a transparent freezing chamber and radiation shields with shutters to allow visual inspection of the morphology of the solid hydrogen. Delivery of the solid hydrogen to the combustion chamber is achieved by extruding the hydrogen with a plunger. The capacity of this freezing chamber is in excess of the 13cc needed to hold 1 gram of solid hydrogen.