Special heat treatment for helium tanks in rocket engines

#THROWBACK2020

3 – 2 – 1 – Go! The engines are ignited, vast amounts of fuel are burned, and the rocket lifts off into space. It is hard to imagine the forces that act on the components and the environment during such a rocket launch. Thanks to HTR, this is no longer a problem for the aluminum tanks of the engines!

Following the expansion of the company's premises last year, HTR has now taken another major step forward in its history. A new process has been developed for treating helium tanks for European rocket engines. This brings space travel to Thalheim near Wels.

Thanks to the specially developed heat treatment, the tanks—which are made of an aluminum alloy and, after hardening, are additionally wrapped in a carbon fiber layer by the customer—can easily withstand the forces. The tanks are subjected to high stresses not only during the rocket's takeoff, but also before that. The helium is permanently under a pressure of 400 bar and is discharged in a few seconds during launch. These are incredible forces that the tanks must withstand over a long period of time.

For pressure vessels such as these, the prescribed burst pressure is > 600 bar. For the tanks treated by HTR, this prescribed value could be increased to > 800 bar.

With the new, modern, and well-equipped facility, as well as its competent and reliable employees, the company is perfectly positioned to meet the wishes and requirements of its customers. There are no limits for this Upper Austrian company with 54 employees—thanks to its determination and expertise, HTR has made it into space.