HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITE HOT HYDROGEN CONTROL VALVE DEVELOPMENT

CERAMIC COMPOSITES PRESENTLY DEMONSTRATE GOOD MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 2100 DEG F WITHOUT DEGRADATION AND LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING THERMAL SHOCK TOLERANCE. THESE FACTORS COMBINED WITH LOW DENSITY AND LOW THERMAL EXPANSION CHARACTERISTICS MAKE THESE MATERIALS AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE FOR A HIGH RESPONSE RATE VALVE MOVING PARTS WHILE LIMITING HOT VALVE THERMAL LOADS ON ELECTRICALLY POWERED ACTUATORS WITHOUT EXCESSIVE VOLUME OR WEIGHT PENALTIES. HOT HYDROGEN FLOW CONTROL AND SHUT-OFF VALVES WILL BE REQUIRED FOR SCRAMJET ENGINE CONTROL AND HYDROGEN COOLING CONTROL PURPOSES FOR MANNED HYPERSONIC VEHICLES. SUFFICIENT HOT HYDROGEN CORROSION DATA AND COMPOSITE FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO MAKE A QUANTUM LEAP IN HYDROGEN VALVE TECHNOLOGY FEASIBLE.