Design and Fabrication of a Small Lightweight Expendable Type Gas Cylinder for Use With Helium
Abstract
The program was undertaken to design and fabricate a pilot run quantity of a small lightweight expendable type cylinder and valve assembly charged with helium to be used by combat weather teams for inflating small meteorological balloons. The cylinders were designed with an internal volume of fifteen cubic inches to contain 1.6 to 1.8 free cubic feet of helium at a filling pressure of 3600 psig and a temperature of 70 deg F. The cylinder assembly was designed to be sealed after filling, with gas discharge accomplished manually by means of a pierced disc technique, using a non-integral puncturing stem device. The assembly was designed to permit seal-off and flow control after disc puncture by manipulation of the stem. A total of 100 charged cylinder assemblies and 14 puncture stems were supplied under this program. 24 cylinders and 4 stems were used for development tests at Walter Kidde and the balance were delivered to AFCRL for environmental and field tests. All test results to date have demonstrated full compliance with the desired performance requirements.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0664354
Entities
People
- T. F. Hunter