Water Storage Tanks
water_storage_tank_system
Insulated, hermetically sealed tank system for storing purified water at various grades and temperatures, with level monitoring and overflow protection.
Purpose
Buffer water supply between production, consumption, and electrolysis demand, ensuring continuous availability even during extraction or purification maintenance.
Context
Central reservoir connecting all water producers (melting, purification, reclamation) to all water consumers (life support, electrolysis, manufacturing, distribution), also providing radiation shielding mass.
Principles
- ▸Stratified storage separates water grades: potable, process, raw
- ▸Hermetic containment prevents any vapor loss to vacuum
- ▸Thermal insulation prevents freezing in unheated lunar zones
- ▸Bladder or diaphragm tanks manage liquid position in low gravity
- ▸Redundant tanks prevent single-point loss of water reserves
Typical implementations
- ▸Double-walled stainless steel or titanium tanks with vacuum insulation
- ▸Flexible bladder tanks for positive expulsion in low gravity
- ▸Level sensing via capacitive, ultrasonic, or mass measurement
- ▸Emergency isolation valves on each tank
- ▸Buried/bermed tanks using regolith for thermal and radiation insulation
Lunar considerations
- ▸Water freezes rapidly in shadow zones without insulation
- ▸Tank placement can provide radiation shielding for habitat spaces
- ▸Micrometeorite protection required for external tanks
- ▸1/6 g allows taller tank columns but changes hydrostatic pressure
- ▸Seismic (moonquake) loads on tank supports must be considered
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Store purified water reserves at required quality grades with zero loss and continuous availability |
| inputs | purified_water, reclaimed_water |
| outputs | water_on_demand_to_distribution |
| storage capacity | minimum 30-day Ark consumption reserve |
| leak rate | zero detectable loss |
| temperature maintenance | 2-25 C for liquid storage |
| grade separation | potable, process, and raw water isolated |
Physical
| materials | stainless_steel_316L, titanium_grade_2, multi_layer_insulation, elastomeric_bladders, regolith_berm_shielding |
| location | partially buried in regolith for thermal stability and shielding |
| external protection | micrometeorite shielding panels |
| seismic mounting | flexible supports for moonquake resilience |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Water on demand to distribution network
- Deionized water for electrolysis from dedicated tank
- Water mass positioned for habitat radiation protection
Requires
- Incoming purified water from treatment
- Recovered water returned to storage
- Power for heaters, sensors, and valve actuators
Decomposes into
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Water Storage Tanks" (L2-WTR-STOR). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-WTR-STOR
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.