pat@grebyn.com (Pat Bahn) (04/11/90)
Why do they dump the fuel in the ET after a scrub? couldn't it be mostly reclaimed? it seem to be a big savings in energy to make a handling facility then to chill air for the liquid O2/H2. That or for the electrolytic plant to split water. So why dump it? is it too dangerous to handle again at the pad? I mean they get it out there, so there must be a reasonable way to pump it back to the tank farm. thanks -- ============================================================================= Pat @ grebyn.com | If the human mind was simple enough to understand, 301-948-8142 | We'd be too simple to understand it. =============================================================================
whitehrc@ingr.com (Robert C. Whitehead) (04/11/90)
In article <19546@grebyn.com>, pat@grebyn.com (Pat Bahn) writes: > Why do they dump the fuel in the ET after a scrub? couldn't it be > mostly reclaimed? it seem to be a big savings in energy to make > a handling facility then to chill air for the liquid O2/H2. That > or for the electrolytic plant to split water. > > So why dump it? is it too dangerous to handle again at the pad? > I mean they get it out there, so there must be a reasonable way > to pump it back to the tank farm. Yeah, I'd say it's dangerous. Remember the Hindenburg? Seriously, I think the economics of offloading the H2 and O2 don't justify the amount of damage that could result from an explosion if an accidient occurred. (Which brings up the interesting question - isn't it just as dangerous to dump the fuel? I'd think there would be a significant danger of explosion then, too....) ---------------------------- | Robert C. (Bob) Whitehead | | --=rcw=-- | Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville | Direct Email Replies: | Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are | ingr!b32a!rw8024!bob | strictly mine ----------------------------
petej@phred.UUCP (Pete Jarvis) (04/12/90)
In article <19546@grebyn.com> pat@grebyn.UUCP (Pat Bahn) writes: >Why do they dump the fuel in the ET after a scrub? couldn't it be >mostly reclaimed? it seem to be a big savings in energy to make > >So why dump it? is it too dangerous to handle again at the pad? >I mean they get it out there, so there must be a reasonable way >to pump it back to the tank farm. > They *do* reclaim the fuel. It's pumped back into the tank farms. If anyone knows any different, let me know. Everything I've heard says they drain the fuel back down into the tanks. Peter Jarvis......
pat@grebyn.com (Pat Bahn) (04/13/90)
Well I read "A MAjor Malfunction" about the challenger accident and one of the service techs on the scrub before launch was complaining about them worrying about the door assist assembly needing to be cut off, when the scrub cost a $250,000 in dumped fuel. that's why I made the entry. Does anyone (Henry, mary, peter) know if they dump the fuel or recover it?????? -- ============================================================================= Pat @ grebyn.com | If the human mind was simple enough to understand, 301-948-8142 | We'd be too simple to understand it. -Emerson Pugh =============================================================================