NANOSONIC INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: SB162-014

Description

NanoSonic has developed a hydrogen (H2) dispenser hose to realize H2 as a safe, reliable, and cost competitive replacement for gasoline.This material exhibits ultra-low H2 permeance (0.31 cc/100in2Atmday) before and after being fully folded (180-degrees) three times under cryogenic conditioning (-50C).It is thus feasible as a leak-free cryotank for liquid oxygen (LOX), RP-1, and liquid methane containment.NanoSonics low glass transition temperature (Tg of -70C) polymer core meets the hose cryo-flexibility requirements of -50C for 25,550 fills/year, and is designed for ultra-high pressure burst strengths >51,000 psi, for safe H70 service at 875-bar.This state-of-the-art lightweight hose (0.99g/cc) derives its high burst strength and load-bearing capability from a proprietary custom 3D carbon filament wound design.This metal-free design resists hydrogen embrittlement, survives Joule-Thompson effect thermal cycles, and shall endure mechanical wear and fatigue.NanoSonic proposes to transition this technology as a safe, leak-free (6ft diameter, volume 350ft3) cryotank that operates under multi-axis strain levels >15,000 microstrain, and exhibits burst strengths >120 psi after 25 - 1000 cryogenic and pressure cycles.NanoSonic shall work with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to bring this affordable (< $1000/ft3) cryotank onto their supply chain for hypersonic aircraft and DARPAs XS-1 program.