Wesley Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University in 2007 and a master’s degree from the Univ. of Central Florida in 2010. Mr. Johnson began at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a Cooperative Education Student in 2004 working in the Cryogenics Test Laboratory where he spent over nine years developing advanced cryogenic technologies as well as trouble shooting problems on the Space Shuttle. He transferred to NASA Glenn Research Center in 2014 to continue his research in cryogenic fluid management. His research activities include thermal characterization of insulations as systems as well as collaboration with multiple projects focusing on cryogenic fluid system design, analysis, and testing. His current position is the Cryogenics Team Lead in the Fluid and Cryogenic Systems Branch.
Liquid hydrogen (LH2) aircraft developments are highly dependent on the hydrogen tankage as well as the insulation system requirements. Recently, Georgia Tech investigators, as part of a NASA preliminary evaluation activity, have been developing a single-aisle LH2 passenger jet to better understand the sensitivities that hydrogen puts onto the aircraft as a system. As a part of the activity, NASA and Georgia Tech developed the ability to integrate a tank set into the aircraft including insulation systems. Several key observations were made on the insulation system requirements that were driven by the observation of the system-level operations. Aircraft were evaluated with the assumption of constant tank pressure control. Assessments were made on several insulation system options to avoid venting of hydrogen during nominal and worst-case hot-day flights. Additional evaluations were performed based on ground profiles. The insulation solutions were then implemented in the Georgia Tech flight simulation software and simulations of the aircraft missions were performed verifying that minimal venting of the aircraft occurred pre-takeoff with no venting during flight.
Attendees will learn how insulation systems and tank design for liquid hydrogen aircraft are driven by the aircraft integration and performance. Lessons learned from space-flight liquid hydrogen systems are documented along with the aircraft applications.
