Methods and systems for tank wall thermal insulation

Abstract

Techniques and materials provide for thermal insulation for tanks, such as tanks for use in space flight missions. Microporous glass blocks may be used as an insulative bridge between spray-on foam insulation and a stainless steel wall of a tank, for example. Blocks of microporous glass may be mechanically attached to the interior of the tank, after which spray-on foam insulation is applied directly to the blocks. The bridging insulation provided by the microporous glass blocks allows the temperature of the stainless steel tank wall to exceed the usable temperature of the spray-on foam insulation by preventing a substantial portion of heat of the stainless steel wall from reaching the spray-on foam insulation. An insulated tank may instead comprise a tank wall that is a sandwich-structured composite layer including an exterior skin, an interior skin, and a core that presents a relatively long thermal path, for improved thermal insulation.