Liquid Oxygen Tank
The liquid oxygen (LOX) supply is carried in a triple-compartmented tank, just aft of the No. 2 equipment compartment.
The center section area of the cylindrical tank is hollow and forms a case for a gaseous helium high-pressure storage tank.
When the liquid oxygen tank is not under pressurization, it is vented to atmosphere.
The tank compartments are check-valve-vented. Each compartment feeds rearward toward the airplane center of gravity. The liquid oxygen is fed from the rear compartment under 48 psi of helium pressure to the turbopump or jettison line through a series of control valves.
The total volume of the tank is 1034 US gallons; of this amount, 14 gallons is residual at a liquid surface angle of 38 degrees, and 17 gallons is vent and expansion space. The total usable liquid oxygen is 1003 gallons.
LOX tank filler.
The tank is filled for flight through the carrier airplane's supply system. The tank incorporates a liquid oxygen fluid level sensing switch that permits the tank to be topped off automatically whenever fluid drops below a predetermined level. For ground operational checks, the tank is serviced through the receptacle mounted on the engine feed line. The tank filler is on the topside of the wing fairing tunnel forward of the left wing root leading edge.
Note: The remaining quantity of liquid oxygen can be monitored on the system monitor panel.
In this section:
See also:
Engine and Propellant Control Helium System